Customs Chopped 58 buick , roof solution!!!!

so i bougth a 58 buick, top was chopped, bagged ,four-linked, and front end up dated to late model chevy. excited huh! well, there is always a catch, turns out the chop was too steap, we cant get a windshield to fit in it. i found a perfect donor 58 cadillac. has all teh glass and non chopped roof. wel my question s will the cadillac roof go onto the buick body? i knwo cadilac had oen size,"FULL". but buick had several different, but i am not sure ab 58. does any one knwo anything ab the buick roof?


this just wont do


here is teh donor cadillac ( dont ask me why its a donor, its really solid)

 

yes i see that the back windows are different, but figured a valley wouldnt be so hard for the rear.

 

More often then not when you get a deal on an already chopped car and there is not glass in it, there is a reason. And the 58 Buick glass is not gonna be cheap, same as the 57 Buicks and in the neighborhood of $450. So something like using the Caddy roof and glass may be the economical way out. Measure the width and the the length of the top and see if it's close to the Buick.

 

i would try and use everything from the caddy. the buick roof looks like they cut more out in the front than the back

 

I believe the Caddy is a different body shell. A '58 Olds 98, Buick Super or Roadmaster would do it. But doublecheck a glass book to see what the interchange is on your glass. Seems like a shame to cut up a solid Caddy coupe for a roof - you can't find a rusty junker to use as a donor?

 

welll, i was pleading with the guy to just drive the caddy, but he tellls me money talks. and... he wont sell the whole car, go figure huh. i see that the roof line is different in the rear, but like zman said, glass is ridiculous. i am looking for a donor but most donors have rust in the roof, or are just way to far away to be pratical. i am still searching the new mexico greater area so maybe that caddy will be "saved"

check it out http://www.cadillaclasalleclub.org/forum/index.php/topic,110220.0.html

 

the buick limited has the same roof as the caddy,mines is a century. if i go with cadi , at leat i will have the upgraded look! is it possible to cut out the rear wrap around channel off the car, or would it be more pratical to fab up a new one? i will keep my eye opens for a olds thanks guys!

 

book shows the Cad Windshield is only shared with the 58 Buick Convertible not the same as the Buick H.T.

 

use the whole roof...yes, you can cut the channel out. yes, it will be a lot of work...do it, it'll be rad

 

x2 i think it would flow well!!

 

rule number one, n chopping a top, cut your glass first and then form to it. Metal can be manipulated, glass can't. Old man Bertocii told me that. just fyi if you plan on chopping the new roof

 

Work wise, correcting the top on the Buick now is going to be about the same difference. I think if you brought the top back to level it would both look better and you might be able to cut a channel in the front to sink a stock windshield into.

Oh well, what you do with the Caddy is talk the guy out of the roofless shell, use pieces of the Buick top to make it so you can put a windshield in it, fit some later model convertible top to that, and have a drop-top.

 

Not a bad looking car except for the chop.

I'd be willing to bet that every area of the country has at least one vehicle that has been chopped in a way that no one can put glass in it and those usually get passed around after the latest frustrated keeper gives up and sells it again.

Another option I could see rather than replace the top is to cut the top off, cut a windshield and make the frame fit the windshield and then build a permanent Carson style top for the car. That may be quite a challenge though.

 

Two things:

First. The chop as is on the Buick is horrible, too much in front, not enough in back and you'll never, ever, EVER get a glass to fit. As said, cut it apart, cut the glass first, then make the w/s opening fit the roof. I just "sunk" the wrap around w/s into the cowl in my '59 T'Bird, it looks killer, the glass is uncut, and it's easy to do.

Second, the Caddy is the builder, not a donor. I know it's not yours, but don't buy the roof off it.

 

The glass situation sucks. That car looks badass though.

 

the cad roof will work fine,the chop on the buick is to much at the a post,so cut the roof off the cad,at the a post add at lest 1 to 1 1/2 back in the a post cut the cad off about a foot or so above the rear windowset it on the buick,you can overlap,i like to butt weld,it on and your back in business,in just a few hours,oh yeh that cad doner is better the most cars i start with,i do alot of 57 buicks olds cads,if you want you cant go to my web site and check a few out,,,,,,ozkustom.com good luck man,the buick will be sweet

 

thanks guys. i agree the chop isnt the best i have seen, to be nice,dooing that wrap around glass from the cadi roof may turn out to be quite an ordeal like most of you guys say.i have never chopped a top, so i am not sure what you do neccessarily to the rook, but i know the a pillars must be cut.
could i find anotehr 58 and take teh a piallrs from that? i plan on getting the roof back to stock height. i knwo that you have to do some cutting to teh middle of throof when you chop it, so i dont know if just "adding" stock a pillars would work....??
what do you guys think?

 

btw, i have been thinking ab making it a convertible, but i have two 60 caddi projects that are on hold for now. i am realy thinking ab making my 58 fleetwood a convertible. so one thing at a time

 

you still have the buick! i have chopped 56 cadd and 2 55 buick hard tops i may be of help...

 

yeah i still have it, what did you do ab a windshield? alloking for a new roof as we speak. i think it will e easier to get new roof done, and half the price of crafted windshiled!

 

You should send a pm to "Twochops", who has a killer '56 Buick he chopped. Glad to hear you haven't given up on finding a top to fix it.

 

My BUICK is 57 not 56.
TwoChops

 

OOPS! My bad! It's a killer chop, even tho I didn't do a fact check. Thanks for putting the pic up to show what a chopped Buick SHOULD look like.

Brian

 

with front glass i had it sand blasted down to fit the three inches i took out of the A pillars. the shape did not change just the height.As for the rear i sunk the glass into the quarter panels while still in the orginal frame and its rubber! then re-inforced everything in the same manner as the factory did.the roof and cab gets stronger as the roof comes down.packge tray and seat has to be lowered it was quite easy to do that. The more tricky stuff was the molding around the glass. the front i over lapped the post windshield mold and the rear just split the bottom and allowed the sheet metal to sit up inside the molding its all kinda like an illusion!here are some pics i have stored of the chop that i keep for notes. its my 56 caddy that i wish i had keeped but oh well... the two buicks i have are the same as the caddys roofs.i would find the original glass and maybe another roof but i cant tell frome the ppicture if your rear window frame is still in tack.i would reccomend a 3" front 4" back chop and using the stock glass all the way.GM designed these cars nice all i like to do is make them look like there moving while parked! chuck

 

Congrats on your buy. But damn, thats a shame to part out that cadi. I would just find one thats in bad shape to part out. Give it a 2nd chance... or sell it to get a real donor

good luck on your project.

 

never mind the buick with the bad chop. fix up the caddy, and wear goggles with the buick!!

 

still debating guys, came to town , looking for a windshiled and a parts car still. after looking at the car with a few bodymen, itts a consensiss, the chop is awful! back to the drawning board...>;{

 

still on the hunt for a more suitabel roof. after reading into teh differences in bodies....mid and full. i think the special is a more mid size car. hence, the cadillac, riviera roofs will be to large.

while picking up my latest 59 project, i stop at A1 auto salvage in Roswell, NM. they had started clearing out, but are fighting it as much they can. they have many decent cars still for sale and thepeople are just as friendly as ever. prices are very affordable and everything si for sale.

i found this oldsmobile roof there, but looking at the vent windows i think that it wil eb different. back glass looks the same, but i need you guys' opionion please. will this roof work to get me back to stock height? i look at most buick vents and they seem to be at a sharper angle.... insight please guys

 

here is the angle from the inside of a 58 buick with factory top....

 

with what it will cost in finding glass and rubber and then getting all the work done, i am even debating just to buy another car and start over. my car has very good equity in all teh stainless has been rechromed, all the panels,(doors,fenders,hood.) are all ready for paint. the frame is bagged, four linked, and subframed for 90 chevy.....

i guess all i need is a body! lol spening 1k on parts, then another on lavor, then still needing body work doesnt sound like a winner to me ;/....if we can come up with a solution for teh roof, this body will be saved. if not, switcheroo time. input please felllas