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Projects 1951 Caddy 60 Special chop

Discussion in 'Traditional Customs' started by john W., Oct 26, 2021.

  1. john W.
    Joined: May 16, 2017
    Posts: 126

    john W.
    Member

    Here is my really bad photoshop image of my Wild Caddy 60S Coupe chop idea.
    My idea is it would look like a Harley Earl in-house custom for a Kool Kustomer.
    I would lower it 2 in. as well using cut springs. Long & lean & mean.
    I think this would work style-wize. It has major potential.
    Has anyone seen a 60S chopped and made into a coupe before?

    Mill would be a 61-61 Caddy 390 with 2x4s.
    Or a 500 with aluminum heads and 2x4s.
    Turbo 700R4 tranny.

    51 caddy chop.jpg

    51 caddy chop 5.jpg
     
    Last edited: Oct 26, 2021
    Svenski, Dave Mc and anthony myrick like this.
  2. wheeldog57
    Joined: Dec 6, 2013
    Posts: 3,181

    wheeldog57
    Member

    Only my opinion here, the greenhouse looks a little long in this photo shopped picture.
    Maybe bring the rear window forward a few inches. Again, Only my humble, no offense, never chopped a car, opinion. Good luck.
     
  3. A little more chop in the rear of it.
     
    desotot likes this.
  4. Why wouldn't you at least start with a coupe, since Cadillac were good enough to do a good part of the work for you?
     
    kidcampbell71, X38 and Hnstray like this.

  5. Hnstray
    Joined: Aug 23, 2009
    Posts: 12,355

    Hnstray
    ALLIANCE MEMBER
    from Quincy, IL

    I agree. Start with 61 Series, or ideally, a 62 Series hardtop and add 60S trim. That is, unless you are doing a 4 door hardtop conversion.

    Ray
     
  6. john W.
    Joined: May 16, 2017
    Posts: 126

    john W.
    Member

    The extra wheelbase makes for a dramatic pillar-less coupe.
    I agree, the rear roof & window should be lower.
    The longer the Caddy the better IMHO.
    Anyone can chop a factory coupe.
     
  7. Hnstray
    Joined: Aug 23, 2009
    Posts: 12,355

    Hnstray
    ALLIANCE MEMBER
    from Quincy, IL

    I have no quarrel with what you want to do. But I will suggest that a Coupe, by definition, is quite a different thing than a sedan…..with or without a pillar.

    But I am looking forward to seeing the build process on these pages. :)

    Ray
     
    X38 likes this.
  8. Squablow
    Joined: Apr 26, 2005
    Posts: 17,388

    Squablow
    Member

    Interesting concept. I'd like to throw a thought in there if that's OK.

    How about starting with the same car, keeping the roof the same height but making the front doors longer and the roof shorter? Overall car length remains the same. Basically like a Cadillac business coupe. Blackwalls and the outer part of the hubcaps blacked out along with a few doo-dads shaved (seeing as this would have been the budget-priced Cadillac) and lowered a little but not too much. Still with the hot Cad engine same as the previous concept. Since all the curved glass remains the same I think this might be easier to actually do. Not as visually striking as the first concept but does look like something Harley Earl may have experimented with.

    EDIT adding the untouched photo first for comparison.

    51 caddy chopOG.jpg

    51 caddy chop.jpg
     
  9. john W.
    Joined: May 16, 2017
    Posts: 126

    john W.
    Member

    Holy kats!
    That rendering is Kool.
    Thanks.
     
    Squablow likes this.
  10. verde742
    Joined: Aug 11, 2010
    Posts: 6,267

    verde742
    Member

    looks like it was designed by a committee ..imo
     
  11. COCONUTS
    Joined: May 5, 2015
    Posts: 1,161

    COCONUTS

    Lengthen the doors, shorten the roof, increase the width of the catwalk all without changing the wheelbase (as pictured). I think you are on to something, looks good and within reach of a average H.A.M.B. builder. I should of take to you guys on some of my projects!
     
  12. Also, making a post car into a pillarless one (at least properly) is going to be a ton of work. Easy in photoshop to add the upper door frames to the roof, but in reality, you need to do something about the fact that you can't wind the windows fully up and still open the doors any more. The glass won't meet in the middle where the pillar used to be too.

    The business coupe idea up there looks like your best bet to avoid a world of pain.
     
    Hnstray likes this.
  13. jimmy six
    Joined: Mar 21, 2006
    Posts: 14,795

    jimmy six
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    I’d like to see the business coupe style with a shorter wheelbase and trunk. The rendition gives it too much of the late 40’50’s Mopar business mans 3 window or what was called the salesman’s coupe. Maybe just the area in front trunk a little shorter like the sedan its coming from better proportioned to me.
    I really like the idea. I always liked the post body coupes of Olds and Buick’s of the 50’s.
     
    Hnstray likes this.
  14. Just playing about...
    51-caddy-chop1.jpg
     
  15. CadMad
    Joined: Oct 20, 2012
    Posts: 876

    CadMad
    Member

    DCCC8712-1BF1-44AD-9706-B7E61925DD7C.jpeg A61F6F87-7D4C-4977-9805-8C41495C15B6.jpeg F6CAB79C-4565-4109-A01D-AF68674CB792.jpeg 0DB8E5B3-F41C-4948-9115-80E8A13448C6.jpeg As I’m immensely familiar with 53 Cadillacs, ( presently reconstructing 6 53 Eldos. Let me warn you that there is a lot of architecture involved in a conversion like this. I’ve had to modify several standard coupe doors into Eldo doors and it isn’t easy. Window frames, tracks and mechanisms alone will soak up considerable brain energy. Equals time, equals money.
    A Fleetwood tail to a coupe body graft may be a lot simpler. Even chopping a coupe roof is difficult because the rear glass is tempered and cannot be cut. So glass needs to be sunk into the rear valance or remade. Expensive either way. There was a time when I hoped to make a clone of the 1953 Orleans. The very first 53 Cadillac serial number 5362000001.
     
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  16. Stan Back
    Joined: Mar 9, 2007
    Posts: 2,178

    Stan Back
    Member
    from California

    51-caddy-chop1.jpg
    This 2-Door Coupe has great promise. Somebody please eliminate the door edge guard that chops a car in half. Why they are ever used is beyond me. And maybe some wheel covers -- after all, it's still a Cadillac.
     
  17. pwschuh
    Joined: Oct 27, 2008
    Posts: 2,827

    pwschuh
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    I like where this is headed.
     
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  18. jimmy six
    Joined: Mar 21, 2006
    Posts: 14,795

    jimmy six
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    Helps in the garage and at the supermarket.
     
  19. john W.
    Joined: May 16, 2017
    Posts: 126

    john W.
    Member

    unnamed.jpg The vertical stuff needs to go.
    Drive your pickup to the market!
    But Dagostino did keep it.
     
    Last edited: Nov 5, 2021
  20. That's not the door edge guard.
     
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  21. Stan Back
    Joined: Mar 9, 2007
    Posts: 2,178

    Stan Back
    Member
    from California

    I guess it's preference -- I'd rather have a couple of door-edge dings on my wife's car than have a vertical line up and down the whole body. I can sorta fix them with a black magic marker. A guy I knows installs clear plastic ones at new car dealerships -- that's a better choice than the chrome ones.
     

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