I'm almost done with the chop on the Fastback, so I thought I'd do a quick update with photos since people keep asking me how the car is coming along. Here's where I left off in the last post: http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=202209 I had just gotten the passenger side B-pillar and door frame tacked back on... I decided to keep the B-pillars straight and not slanted, because I think the length of the fastback quarter window becomes disproportionate to the door window with slanted pillars. So straight they are...but I did round the door corners. After finishing up the A and B pillars an door frames on both sides, it was time for the difficult part of the chop. I considered keeping this part secret...because it is the key to getting the top to flow right without sinking the decklid. But anyway, here's what I did to get the decklid opening to work, and the top to have a proper taper to the rear of the car. I cut the top up the sides and just enough across the middle to relieve the tension created by the crown of the roof, and simply opened up the curve where the roof drops down to the decklid. I can't begin to tell you how happy I am that this worked out exactly like I had planned. Here are the cuts... What I effectively ended up with is a "laid down" rear window, and a decklid opening that doesn't require as much height to be taken out of the decklid. Doing this does require a couple of pie-shaped filler pieces in the C-pillar, and you have to reshape the corner of the decklid opening. And to illustrate the amount of changes that the decklid has to go through, here's a shot of the first test fit of the decklid after the top came down... And here's a shot of the C-pillar hammer-welded back together and filed. I decided to leave the factory seam and just lead it back up like it was originally. With the chop done this way, from the front 3/4 view, the car takes on an almost "coupe-like" look. So now comes the decklid. I first cut out the inner bracing where I thought it would be necessary....and then I marked the decklid and cut it into two pieces. With it cut, I bolted the top half to the hinges, and laid the bottom half over it to get an idea of what would need to be done to get it to flow right with the top. This was by far the hardest part of the whole chop. Getting the decklid welded back together and reshaped to where it looked right was a real job. It took several relief cuts, some shrinking, and lots of hammer and dolly work. Once it was totally welded back together and fit to the opening as best I could get it without the bracing, I started to put the bracing back in. I had to stop periodically to test fit it as I was putting the bracing back in to make sure everything was still fitting like it should. After the welds are dressed, it will be nearly impossible to tell what was done to the inner decklid bracing...mission accomplished. I had to make a new corner for the bracing...you'd have to compare this to an original decklid to see the difference. So with that taken care of, it was time to start slinging some lead. I'm sure most of you have seen leading done before, so I won't show the process, but here are the results... The top profile looks pretty good now. I still need to do a little work on the panel between the decklid and the back window, because there is some minor damage from a previous repair in that spot. The removal of thickness from the decklid's profile is one of the most dramatic differences between this style of chop and the 'sunken decklid' style chop. I really like how the proportions of the decklid and roof work together as well. Another difference is illustrated below....since the decklid has been sectioned instead of sunken, I was able to keep the factory curvature where the quarter panel meets the decklid. This is probably more important on the '49-50 Fastback than a '51-52 version. And finally, I'll leave off with a sneak peek of the front end mock-up. I've devised a plan to use the majority of a '49-51 Merc hood to match the '49-50 Merc grille surround, but it's top secret for now. Thanks for looking....I'll try to roll it outside sometime in the next week or so and get some better pics of the completed chop. -Brian
looking good! that is one of the cars on my list that i want to chop.... i just don't want to weld it back up and smooth all the welds!! have fun with that hood, i can picture the outcome pretty well
These lines are pure kustom porn,,, I'm guessing this is the 5th time I've said this,,,AMAZING work. Bryan
brian,,you are a RULER,,,,unreal.... seeing your post ,makes me feel like a ratrodder,,,, was really cool to hang out with you a couple years back,,, this stuff you are doing now is the stuff people will be reading about for years...
nice job, great proportions. I always imagined these cars being harder to do just because of the deck lid.
great work man, absolutely awsome, i'll have to use this post as a reference when i do up my 49, once again great job.
dang brian.... your a custom building badass...... sooo.... i hear you might of bought some good stuff at the swap the other day.....
It is rare that I pick up an issue of The Rodders Journal, not because I don't want to but because the cover price kinda kicks me down 'there'. I can't wait to get the issue that will focus on this bad boy when it's finished. Anything less would be a crime. Pure artistry, pure form, everything is in it's proper place. God bless you Bass, that thing is killer!
Wow....that looks so smooth and flowing, and 'meant to be', it .....top effort.Similarly, the 'balance' of the car is sweet, a real credit to you for your 'big picture thinking', and props to the owner for entrusting you with the opportunity to do it your way..... Cheers, and looking forward to your next installment, Drewfus
WOW, WOOOWOWOWOWW!!!! I remember being stoked on this car when you did the scoops with the 52 teeth in em'. This car is just art, you NAILED the lines at the back along the trunk/fender/roof area. Can't wait to see the front end progress.
WOW... That is just amazing work!!! and you have a perfect eye for proportions and flow. So far all progress reports have been amazing.. and I'm looking foreward to the next one where you wil be fitting the Merc hood...That will be so georgious! The beautiful shaped 49-51 Mercury hood grille shell/bumper combined with a chopped Fleetline body... Looking at it you wonder why nobody has ever thought about that before.
I am super impressed by your "secret" in raising the back of the roof slightly. Many otherwise excellent fastback customs have ended up with an oddly pinched ass because the decklid has been reduced in size so much; you've thought it through and found a really outstanding solution. Can't wait to see the hood!
You are Texas' Cole Foster. Beautiful metal work Brian. The car is amazing now but will look twice as good when it's painted.
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