1936 Ford 5-window... to chop or not to chop?

I agree we your decision on not chopping it... As far as the engine goes, my answer is flathead! Nice old Ford you got there. Good luck with the ol gal.

 

What's a replacement engine? Hang out and see.

 

From what I understand, the 59AB was the Ford replacement engine for the original 85 horse stock engine in the 36. Postwar "59A" style blocks are 100 horse. These had the "59" cast into the top of the bell housing, which mine does. Some of the 59A style blocks were also sold as replacement engines for pre-war 221 cubic inch cars.

 

Huh, so is a nailhead, y block, a hemi, or sbc. Right? Just curious. Dont kill the messenger. 59ab would be a great engine!

 

Well put Ryan.

 

Yeah! Guess that's right. I didn't look at it that way. Maybe Ford refers to the 59AB as the official Ford replacement?

 

I think a 59a is perfect for this car. A bit of of lower and paint and your riding in style.

 

i like that you want to keep it flathead powered. i don't know much about them but i think cars are that much cooler with them. don't ruin it by swapping in a 350, haha.

 

You can say what you want about flatheads, but..........FLATHEADS forever!

 

Looks like a really nice car, either chopped or unchopped. If chopping is easy for you, then go for it. Me? I'd keep it original. Having said that, those chopped coupes look great. You need to run a poll on this one as there are lots of yays and nays.

 

3w look good either way. I think 5w look best unchopped.
Flatty's always look great. depends on your budget...small budget=SBC.
Large budget=nailhead,HEMI,Y block,Flatty,etc.

 

hard to improve on henrys lines on a 36 i reckon
i like em as is-but its your coupe
i agree with the stepped on frog guy
and a flatty pulls em along just nice

 

That body is way too nice to chop. I'd leave the fender skirts off too. Just my 2 cents. Good luck on the build.

 

A 5 window often looks like it was stepped on when chopped, leave it alone.

 

DONT DO IT! noooooooo

 

I'd cut it, but it would be a VERY mild chop 1.5 -2 inches at most. I'm always a proponent of a early OHV caddy running gear

 

If the build is a hot rod don't chop, its hard to get a 5 window to look right.. but if it's a custom I would do a Carson Top.. That's just my opinion. Good Luck On the build ..

 

Save your time and effort and don't chop unless you are an expert.
No more than 1 or 2 inches if you must.

 

I'm glad you decided not to chop it. It seems like a lot of work to chop it and maybe have come out looking ok, when you have such a good roof line already.

 

Noooooo don't do it

 

yeah, sure does.

 

A guy I know had never chopped a 36 before and someone showed him the basics. The car now wins awards everywhere. It looks killer and he said it was one of the easiest chops he had done.
Sometimes the tough jobs become the easiest. The hardest part for me is to make a decision to chop the top in the first place.

 

Do you by chance have any pictures of that car?

 

Ill find some. He cut it 2 1/2" It is a very very dark blue that pretty much looks black. The rear window wasn't chopped as it is now even with the side windows. It is a Streetrod type car but very nicely done. Appraised at $175,000.

 

Here is the chop.It's very suttle but it just gives it a bit more agressive look than stock. 2 1/2 inches

 

The black 36 is mine. It came out of a garage that was stripped apart in 1962 and never put back together until late last summer. I got it 2 years ago and took 14 months to get it back on the road. Unfortunately it was becoming Streetrod material but slowly I am returning alot of it back. It has a 1975 351 with an AOD trans which is great for cruising but I would have prefered a more traditional drivetrain. My next car will have this.
The white 36 just showed up and parked next to me. Around here 36s are a dime a dozen!!! LOL!! Not really but they sure seem to be coming out of the woodwork in the last few years!!

 

Chopping a top is subjective, everyone has their own ideas about what looks good, I don't think I would chop a 36 five window but they look good if the chop is mild. If you are doing the chop or having someone else do it make sure they know what they are doing, nothig ruins a car faster than a bad chop, really hard to correct.

 

A good chop can make a car look way more agressive and tastefull if done right!! I love a chopped car if it flows. Nothing looks more badass in my view. But it has to be the right car for me to chop. I have about 400 1936 Ford car pictures in an album on my computer, chopped and unchopped. Some good, some bad and some just so so. I always see the good chopped cars come up on my slide show when my computer is sleeping and nothing grabs my attention than the good chopped cars!!! It's your car, do what you want but make sure the chop is right. There is nothing you cannot undo but it just makes it harder.

 

When done right there cool chopped for sure, but I also like the roofs unchopped on 35 and 36 5w Coupes, but hey my 35 isn't chopped... It's your ride do what makes you happy... Good luck with the project and cheers !


Unchopped !

 

btt