Customs When did sectioning of bodies start?

As the title asks, when did customizers and racers start to section bodies? The question came up over on The Old Motor. David posted pictures of a 1952 Packard convertible a coachbuilder sectioned about 5 inches. AND who did it first, hotrodders or coachbuilders?

 

Form follows function...
I think you can thank the racers.....

 

I know the Barris Brothers were sectioning cars in the late 40's.

 

Joe Ballion too!

 

When did they start salting roads?

 

Heavy section. No chop.

 

Mary Shelley - 1818

 

ZIS 101-A Sport built in USSR in 1939:

https://www.jalopyjournal.com/?p=17349

 

There was a mighty fine sectioned early show rod, a 34 3-window at the gala winter show in upper NY state indoors at the fairground.
No idea when it first appeared

 

Good one, Billy

 

Technically, it was Victor, but an excellent reference.

Frankenstein for those of you still out of class from celebrating last night.

 

Mary Shelley was the author, Victor Frankenstein was the mad scientist.

 

^^^^^ Do you think Lizzie Borben read the book?

 

And he did it with vintage tools.

 

So, have I stumped the HAMB? I thought you guys knew everything.

 

BORDEN......It’s BORDEN!!!! ....dammit

 

You can only claim to have stumped the HAMB if there is a valid and sensible answer to your question, and you actually know that answer................ So, go ahead, enlighten us.
The thread on the other forum you mentioned offers no answers to your queries either, but it is worth the read.

 

If I knew the answer I would not ask. I have no idea.

 

I'm aware of 4 sectioned cars that Valley Custom did by around '52. I think the earliest of them may have been Ralph Jilek's '40 Convertible, and I believe it was sectioned in '48 or '49. These were all magazine feature cars, and I imagine that there were other earlier, low-visibility section jobs, but I'm not familiar with them.

 

Do you know which cars.

 

Here are a few early sectioned cars


This last one is probably mostly coach built but seems to have a sectioned OE hood

https://kustomrama.com/wiki/Sport_Custom_Cars

 

What I remember is an early article in some magazine, possibly Popular Science, outlining the things that the Barris Brothers were doing. It detailed chopping tops, reshaping fenders, and sectioning cars. It didn't talk about any specific cars.