Since I can't sell it, i'm going to chop the roof. any pics of one done? 48 Pontiac

I like all the advice not to chop it 'cause it'd be difficult, too much trouble, would ruin the value, it should be flipped, blah blah blah. Isn't this a place dedicated to ruining value, doing things that are too much trouble, only appeal to the person doing it, and generally ruining cars ? It's on old sedan, fer cry'n in a sack. Fire up plasma cutter, get the Sawzall out of the case and buy some more CO2/Argon and spools of wire.

Everybody else, get over it.!

 

Just don't do this...

 

I could use that roof for my 41 if you don't need it. Is that a 26 series body or a 25 series like Rocky said( I can't tell the differance just by looking at it)? And if there is any trim your not using.

 

It's not that it's to difficult or trouble or ruining the value. I don't want to see another cool old car ruined. Look on eBay at how many chopped cars without glass are for sale. If he can do it right more power to him. I'd say it'd be a real achievement to do one well if it's your first chop.

 

Don't get me wrong, in the end it's your car, do what you want. I'm just saying you can't get discouraged trying to sell it and give up because you posted one free ad on one site and heard nothing from anyone. (and here again I don't know just how you marketed the car, either, so don't take it personal). The market's slow right now, it's hard to sell much of anything unless it's at a fire sale price - and then you'll still get assholes who want to rip you for trying to sell it at all. Even on here, surprisingly enough.

Now if you posted it here, CL, eBay, Hemmings, the local trader paper, on the AACA website, and three other places *I* don't even know about, and still heard from no one except crackpots and nigeria scammers... cut away, and post photos for people to cry about after you're done.

 

Yeah, I had it on 4 different sites... i'll be outside cutting, (and taking pics)

 

Chopping the top on this car will involve hundreds of hours of work. There is tons of fabrication, an equal amount of labor for finish work....

And that brings to the one question I have ( aside from "why"):

If you're not much interested in this car now, how is it that you're gonna find the inspiration to invest the kind of effort it will take to invest a couple hundred hours (and a fair amount of money) needed to chop the top?

I'm not trying to be sarcastic or anything, just wondering if you wont find yourself losing interest half way through.

Just food for thought.

I had a '46 Torpedo (big body car that I loved.... It's been gone for 34 years and I still wish I had it.

 

Here's Dave Sprinkles Pontiac.

 

Those big sides and tiny little windows? Looks like it's chopped already.

 

detailed pics please,I love to see the most difficult cars chopped

 

don't do this though

 

I would think if you put it on the ground, and added a visor, that would be enough. You would have a good chance of selling it too, if you wanted.

 

I had a junk one of these once.. I was thinking a section would be perfect. ours had the flat sheet metal chiseled out of the top for a barn repair, so I was also thinking a targa top would look good too...that might make your chop a little easier..
the very first pic is a photo chop section job..
the rest are chop pics I found, 46-48, the orange one is real nice.

 

Great! Plan B just means another Rat Turd running around! Don't do it you WILL regret it. Chop it or leave it alone but for God's Sake don't take the easy way out and lob the roof off!

 

I agree, Dont chop it...just lower it.

 

Another bad omen, possible farmer nicknamed pop rivet pork chop...."I'll be outside cutting..."

I kid, I kid- triumph the insult dog

 

Y'know, my first reaction was "Well, at least he's not tellin' us that since he couldn't sell it he's gonna scrap it." The more I think about it, the more I think this is easily just as bad. What it looks like he's tellin' us is that "Since I couldn't sell it, I'll FUBAR it up and THEN scrap it!"

Sadly, I can't save it. Got no room for another project, got too many (both auto and NON-auto projects.) Anyhow, it's his car and he can cut it up ... and we can all think he's a flippin' looney for doin' it!

 

I have a detailed article in an old street rodder mag on chopping a '47 Chevy Fleetline and one of the captions in the before and after pics that were taken outside was " notice the change of seasons" !! I had considered doing it to my '47 Fleetine it for about 2 minutes and then said "F" that!

 

Wonder how one with a carson top would look..

 

carsontops on coupes/converts,4door converts, sedans, can be done nicely
but cutting the top of an sedanette and have a carson on it i doubt it will look good...

 

Crickey , plenty of opinions .... But here's a thread on Stickylifters 50 Fleetline chop , plenty of pic's and detailed info ....

http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=78310

 

Yes. Only I'd taper the section, say 1" at the front to 4-5" at the back.

These cars are about an arrangement of exaggerated teardrop shapes: one wants to work with that. There are few things uglier than an attempt to turn one of these into an '80s wedge. Keep the front end substantial: what Harley J. Earl (IIRC) called "leonine bluntness".

 

perfect!

 

While I certainly understand you can't save em all, and know how frustrating it is to have one sitting around without a buyer.....I'm in total agreement with Dean, this car's gonna be fubar.

Know why it's gonna be fubar? Cause it's already unwanted. Several people have chimed in with the obvious, that the top shape is incredibly hard to chop.

So you're gonna do a massive labor undertaking on a car you don't want? Shit, that thing will be lucky to even be tacked back together.

Know how to guarantee you'll have a serious buyer call tomorrow? Cut the top today. Whoever it was that said to put the effort toward getting it running has offered the best advice of the group.

Please don't kill that cool old 2 door poncho on a lark.
Good luck either way, cuz that car needs some luck right now.

 

All that car needs is to be fixed to a drive, lowered and shot in a nice cool flat color. Work smart not hard. That's a bitchin ride. I saw it when you offered it up on that other thread to the guy asking for a free car. Man. I wish I could but I have no room or time for a new one.

Donate it to Flamedabone before you cut it up for fun. He'll put a mean poncho in it and cruise that bastard.

 

Its your car...but ...think about this, you said earlier in so many words if you screw up you will just part it out. Now go to Ebay and see what parts you will have left are bringing. If you are going to take a gamble on something you don't love why not just drop the price to what the leftover parts would be worth and you will probably have people standing in line to buy this car and I don't even know what you are wanting for it.
I hope it really turns out for you if you do the chop. IMO a lot of classy good looks are going to be shot to hell if it doesn't. Spend a few bucks and get it running and then advertise again. Lower it, do the visor and even the skirts and this car will evolve into one classy cruiser.
I wish I had my 47 back...solid as a rock...but it was it or the ragtop.
Either way....good luck!!!

48 Poncho

 

I hope this is just a idle threat you're using to motivate a buyer to rescue that car. Like others have said, I wish I could buy it, I've been wanting a torpedo for years (and for some reason, I seem to end up with a lot of Pontiacs) but it's too far away, I don't have room for it, I have too many projects and I ain't gettin' any younger, and money's tight right now. But if I had it, I'd get it running, lower it, maybe a visor, shiny paint and drive (or then sell).
Cars (especially projects) just aren't selling right now, the economy is very uncertain, and most people aren't buying anything beyond necessities.
But chopping that car is too big a job for most people even if they loved the car, and have mad skills. Going into a job like that with your lack of passion almost guarantees it won't get done. In fact the only passion you seem to display is anger over not selling it, and that is no way to start such a big job. Please don't destroy that car just because you can't sell it. Either you love old cars or you don't, but if you're on the HAMB, I can't imagine you'd want to be responsible for destroying any cool old car. They ain't makin' em any more, so we each have a responsibility to preserve what's left. It's yours and you can do what you want, but my conscience would haunt me if I ruined that car.
Good luck

 

For some reason, this thread reminds me of this:

 

well said, i've gotten a ton of PM's on buying the car since the post. I do want to do something with it. At the moment I have set the torch down, (the interior is too nice to pull out) and i'm looking for a 350 chevy and tranny to get it moving again. I'll save the original motor and trans, just getting sick of pushing it around with the lawn mower...It's roof is safe for a short time yet

 

Hooray!