The idea of chopping a Pontiac Streamliner, Chevrolet Fleetliner or the other '40s GM fastback strikes me as a display of skill, or exercise in insanity, depending on the results. Exactly how can one chop the thing while getting all the metal to line up properly? Did you use some kind of template? How much material was removed, how much was added. How long did it take?
Yes the Bass car is the best IMO. Done correctly they look great, I've seen some that really turned out poorly. My dream custom is a 49-52 Fleetline top on a 1954 BelAir.
We did a more modern top chop on our 51 fleetline. It was only 2 inches at the windshield and inch and a half at the door posts. We didn't want to change the trunk lid so this was the only way we could figure on doing the chop. Then we fucked up and used the wrong tail lights so it not HAMB friendly but I still drag out a pic of it now and then
I chopped on a few years back for beatnik brother shoe, do a search under shoes fleetline or premier body and paint shop projects, some good pics to go by, it went fairly quick , i went the easier route not cutting the deck lid down. bass cut the deck lid down, a couple different styles to look at.
Look at Steve Krogers here in Rapid City. It was done at the shop when I worked there. I will see if I can dig up construction pics of it, I have em saved somewhere. Trent
This was a friend of mines first chop, nothing like jumping in with both feet. it turned our extremely well. Basically the chop takes a slice out, right from the deck lid forward.
Probably the nicest chop to a '49-'52 Chevy Fastback was done by Boyd Coddington in the 90s for Wes Rydell, called Genuine. It was a 4-door, as shown in the shot taken in the late 90s. Not only was the top chopped, but they removed a good deal of the crown, but kept the proportions right on. _________________________________ "It's not an old car ... It's an attitude"
There are a couple shots of Steves car in this thread. All I did to that car was document it. http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=27936&highlight=fleetline&showall=1
I've done 2, a 49 Caddy with a 2 1/2 cut at the windshield and a tapered section to the rear in the 1/4 panels/ rear fenders so the decklid remained stock. 49 Olds 98. 3" chop, pie cut decklid, 3" straight section. Still at the bodyshop getting painted, looking forward to seeing it done (and the rear lowered a bunch!). A lot of work, after doing the Olds I really have no desire to cut up another one!
Masterson has a pretty unique way of doing his. There was a write up in Rod & Kustom sometime ago focusing on his style. If you opt to remove the dog leg out of the rear window it's a pretty straight foward ordeal.
hrm2k taillights may not be "traditional" but i think it all looks terrific! ingenuity is, for me, what its all about!
Those tail lights made me understand this board. While the tail lights look great and the fenders were fabricated from scratch to match the curve of the lights, they are 99 Mercury Sable tail lights and no one used them during the custom years so the are O/T and not HAMB friendly
lol...you know my dumbass would! I thought you would have that caddy cruising by now You must be slacking like me!
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