I have a 48 chevy fleetmaster 4-door, my ultimate goal is to end up with a "westergard-ish" kustom. My problem is that I rarely see 4-door chop tops that are done well so I don't have much inspiration to go on. Anyone with some experience have some tips and tricks they are willing to divulge to a first time top chopper?
Are you gonna keep it a 4 door? Or try for a 2 door conversion? if the 2 door is your plan, than finding a 2 door is good advice.
Nothing wrong with a well-done chopped 4door sedan at all. Just make it subtle and classy and you'll have a real eye-grabber. If you go for the big chop and radical mods you end up with comments like "why didn't he do all that work on a 2door?".
If you try to make a 4dr look like a Westergard Custom,you're just gonna end up with a joke for a car! If you really want to do it,start with a 2dr,or just enjoy your car as a 4dr. Don't waste your time! Every carshow I go to,there's always a few cars that everybody says "What was that guy thinking?". DON'T BE THAT GUY!!!!!
I agree 4 doors can look real good chopped. And with the 48 fleetmaster, he might even hit the westergard style with it if done right. My advice would be to decide on how much of a chop and then mark out all the lines with tape. Then study it for a couple of weeks, while researching any 2 and 4 door cuts you can find. I am sure there are a few on the search area of the hamb. Keep in mind that any cuts through the slanted a pillers will be cut more than a cut through a vertical b piller.
http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?p=4393409 http://www.mautofied.com/1950-Mercury-choptop-Merc-TRADE-for-??_Project/listing/100047840/ http://ruffrodders.com/forum/showthread.php?t=41768 heres a few links to check out,,i think 4 doors can look good with a chop,,,just my 2 cents
You might want to take a look at Brewsir's 40 Merc for a little inspiration. 4 door turned 2 door carson top. One of my all time favorite builds. Gene Winfield finished her up into a top notch custom! http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=169855&highlight=brewsir+merc&showall=1
When those cars are chopped, there is a lot of top; I've seen some that just don't look right. They can end up just too flat on top. I've often thought about chopping one and instead of lengthening the top, shortening up the car to keep some of the original top contour.
I say go for it... Four door cars can make very attractive customs. As long as there have been four door cars they have been customized just like the two door cars... so I don't really see the point some on here see! Yes two door cars are easier to customize, but that does not say a four door cannot be customized and look good. History has proven this many times. Your car will need some careful planning. The B-pillar is already very heavy the way it is now. And once chopped it will look even more so. So you have to figure out a way to "fix" that. Another option would be to cut the top of and create a lift off Padded Top (Carson Top) You would need to modify the windshield frame to look like an Convertible. But it can be done. And you still would have a four door car. Here is a similar body style Pontiac with a chopped top. Not saying this is a well proportioned sample. But it shows it has been done. Westergard worked on this four door... and is there anybody saying this car does not look good???
This will require some very clever engineering. But I think it can be done. The front doors need to be lengthened the amount of the B-post. The B-post needs to be modified to make room for this. Then possible the rear doors need to be suicided.So that the thinned down B-post does not need to carry the opening rear doors.
Rikster changed my mind....was inclined to say no don't do it, then I saw that last image. If you have the skills to duplicate that, I'd say go for it!
Hey Thanks for all the help! Alot of the problems I was having have been discussed. I have put a picture of my car in photoshop and tried a mock up chop top but the roof looks really long and incorrect. I know this will be a challenge but I want something a little bit different than everyone else thats why I want to stay with the 4-door. Im trying to stay away from that car that looks like a joke! Thanks for the pictures Rikster!! This gives me more inspiration. Especially, the right way to do it!
One more version... Four doors and a Padded top. The windshield needs some work to look like a convertible units. But I have modified the front of the doors to work with the Padded Top. So no need for a Convertible donor car. All you need is the stainless vent window... but I guess you could use any kind for this, does not need to be Chevy of this year. The doors are stock length, but the B-Pillars needs to be strengthened, since it has no connection with the top anymore. Preferably stainless window trim needs to be made to fit. (no time to Photoshop that right now) nah! I guess everybody is right... four doors don't make good looking customs!!! And a slightly different shaped top.
I love it! It's good to see some love for the Chevy's of the 40's. For what it's worth, the vent window frames are plated steel on these cars, not stainless. I have plated a few sets in my lifetime, and the ones on my 48 Fleetmaster are rusty with crappy chrome.
[ [/QUOTE] Rikster that bottom one ir stunning! Any chance you have a similar side profile of a 42-48 Ford 4 door you could perform the same magic on
This is the winning formula. This actually works better because it's a 4dr, IMO. If you can figure out how to lose the B-pillar too, it's perfect.
Rikster, these images are unbelieveable!! Actually I'm going to try to use these in the layout of chop. Any idea how much of a chop you made?
Thanks... Not ruse how much I removed from the pillars. But one thing I know is that I removed slighly more at the back for a minimal sloop towards the back. Its not much, but it prefents the top from getting to flat/static. If you click HERE you will go to a folder on my site. Scroll down a bit and you will find these Photoshopped images I did. And under each photo (once the thumbnail is clicked) you will be able to upload the original size photo by clicking "Get Original Uploaded Photo" button on the bottom left side of each photo. Its not super big, but bigger than posted. And since this is a rather perfect dead on side shot... you should be able to print it out and take some measurements from both the stock and chopped version and you should be able to calculate the amount that was removed. Hope that helps.
I thought you knew kustoms?? some of the above images prove otherwise....I love how everyone bashed the idea until Rik posted those pics, then the idea ruled... Great job Rik...Long live kustoms
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