Fellas, I need some info about chopping a 1956 Lincoln Premiere Hardtop. What I really need to know is where do I position the tape on the C pillar? I am taking off three inches from the height. I will lean the rear windshield down and recess the window track into the trunk and behind the C pillar. I just want to know where to start on the C pillar. I also will cut out the emblem, reposition it onto the existing chromed trim with a substance I use to weld pot metal. The front windshield, I'm sandblasting down to fit the new opening. I'm sure there's someone here who can answer this question.
Hard to know what your trying to do (obviously we know your attempting to chop your top) but there is too many variables to discuss in words without having an accurate depiction of what your working with (IE a picture). It's all just speculation till then. Bottom line, you can put the tape wherever you want...but do you want to slant the pillar or keep it upright, what backlight are you going to be working with? Stock or another? Is it astraight down chop or an angled chop? (I'm gathering straight) Again bottom line....there is alot of talented folks around here but the majority of us are prompted by visual ques...
Firstly, I'm very computer illiterate and don't know how to put a picture up. Secondly, It's a straight chop. I just want to know if you would start from the very bottom of the C pillar and go up three inches or start one inch above the bottom of the C pillar. I'm installing 1953 Packard rear taillights. I want to sink the rear window into the trunk and some behind the C pillar when I lean the glass down. The A pillar will have to be pie sliced from behind for alignment and this is no big deal to do. It's just the C pillar that's on my mind. I'm used to working with 20's thru early 50's bodies. I've never attempted to chop a top after 1955, this is the dilemma!
I would go where the metal is most similar....IE once you cut 3 inches outta it its the closest shape at the bottom as it is the top....(IE the least amount of work of pie cutting to get similar proportions)... There isnt a rule book stating where to cut (from the bottom or the top) grab a soda, have a seat staring at it for an hour or three and stare at it... Thats pretty much how I decrowned, chopped and sectioned my 49....
....this may help to visualize... http://74.125.47.132/search?q=cache...ln+premiere+hardtop&cd=22&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=ca If I understand, you are curious about how to cut the tapering 'C' pillar. It should be considered as part of the surround for the back glass. If you're thinking of 'sinking' the bottom of the back glass 3" into the trunk, do the same with the 'C' pillar for support. However you do it, as you know, you are going to have to compensate for 'shortening' the top with a 3" chop. You've got two choices, as I see it. You can lengthen the top or lengthen the rear deck to compensate. Somehow, I just can't picture the back glass being laid down because that would destroy the long arc of the roof above the side glass.
Billy Abate's 56 Lincoln. The car was built under supervision from John D'Agostino. Most of the body work was performed by Bill Reasoner. TinWolf photo from the car before the chop After.. Side view These dont really show much, but its the Richard Zocchi's 56 Lincoln in progress at ACME Autobody. Paul Kelly Photos
once your cut the surround out and cut it free from front and back, he car will will tell you what to do from there...you will probably have to relief cut up the sides at the crown, to align the c-pillar with the body, but once you get it down where you need, then you can figure out how you need to do the taper/trim.....
Rikster about your pictures. here is the some facts on this car. yes the yellow car in the picture was owned by John D'Agostino's then John sold it to Billy Abate here in NJ as you see it in yellow. Billy then had it chopped, bodywork, paint and interior done. So that makes the purple car Billy Abate's not John D'Agostino's Please give the credit to the right person Thanks Wayne <HR style="COLOR: #e5e5e5; BACKGROUND-COLOR: #e5e5e5" SIZE=1>
The HAMB is amazing! A guy asks about chopping a top on a 57 Lincoln and bam in front of your face is several chopped photos,cool.The purple one is kick ass cool. Wow now this chop would be a challenge with the glass like it is.Good luck. I have never seen pot metal sucessfully welded and chromed,what is your secret?
Actually Rikster is more correct...Bill bought it from D'agostino, but let John supervise the finishing of the car. Nothing against Bill, he's a friend and he's a builder of some fantastic cars of his own. but the Linc was a California build. Perhaps Bill had some say in the choices of what to do at a certain point. Gotta give D'Agostino credit for starting it, and some of the vision to build it, and Bill gets credit for persevering and having it finished up.
Oh...forgot why I was on this thread...I would follow lucky's advice...you really need to cut the rear window free, and then decide it's placement. It will be limited by it's shape, length (top-bottom) and curvature. You must get a good line from the roof into the window. The easiest way would be to move the roof forward, giving you a short roof, but that might not be the best look asthetically. Leaning it down would keep the roof's proportion to the body, but give you trouble in meeting the roof skin once it's lowered. You could also lengthen the roof, just behind the front seats, but that's a lot of welding through the middle of the roof, where lots of warping will occur. But IMHO, that's the way to preserve the roof's look best. Also, I'd think hard and fast about trying to lean the front windshield back. That trick works on flat, or slightly curved windshields, but not so well with a wraparound windsheild. You really have to build the front part of the chop around what you can do with the windshield when it's cut...you can't make it more curved, or ADD glass to it!
Somehow I just don't see laying the rear glass as an option. It fits tight to the stainless on the drip rail area and it flows nice with the crown of the roof. If it's laid at all it will develope a "but crack" in the roof. Between the roof an glass my guess might be to leave the rear glasss opening connected to the roof, brace it offreall good, cut it free from the the "cat walk" (area between glass and trunk), maybe take the package tray completly out so the c pillar sinks the glass opening sinks an you got room to work, all the metal has to get dealt with around the glass. Sinking glass sucks but it is the best way on that car unless a new reproduction rear glassis available in lamnate then it could be cut down. Good luck Dave Hitch
spoken like a true shop owner. as I understand it, Billy bought the car from John, then had it delivered to Gene Winfields shop where at that point Gene and Billy (ideas) built the car without any imput from John. Now, was the car chopped when John owned it? NO! was it purple NO! how about the taillight were they done? NO that work was done by Gene Winfield when Billy owned the car. So the way I see it, John sold it unfinished, Billy bought it and had Gene Winfield do the chop and paint. Billy's ideas executed by Gene Winfield. Say what you want, it was built by Billy Abate and Gene Winfield not John in my eyes and yes I know Billy too.
Rik, I'm the same Doug from Florida you've been emailing to. Thanks for the pics. I decided to cut out the window track and sink it into the trunk. I'll cut the C pillar higher up so, I can pie slice and reconnect easier. The three inches lost from the chop will be below the body line starting at the C pillar and moving back on an angle towards the rear of the car. There will be a slight recession into the trunk and the back of the glass will sit at the center of the track where the trunk liner meets the track. Thanks for the pics, they really help.
To weld cut pot metal, I use a substance called HTS-2000. It's in a rod form and is easily melted using a mapp gas burner. All you do is melt some of this substance onto the pot metal ends, connect the two pieces and that's it. It's great for piecing together cut grills, dashes and everything else. Go on this website: www.aluminumrepair.com , here you'll see how to use it and the many types of metals it's used for. This stuff even repairs cracked aluminum engine blocks and heads. It's worth every penny. Saving lots of money, time and heartache.
Reverend Doug FNG Last Activity: 03-24-2010 11:55 PM ....I guess he didn't like our suggestions....or he's on the other side of the grass....
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