My New Project `51 Ford with 4" Chop & Then Some...

Just picked this up today,was a 2 hour drive up to Wisconsin.Guy has owned for 15 years and now has a wife and 3 kids,so he wasn`t able to finish it.I know...loose the Cragars! I can do without the electric sunroof too.It does have a 4" chop and a "custom" rear window,which actually looks kinda good.It "was" a Victoria...but ohwell...still a hardtop.Also has a Heidts Mustang II IFS,a narrowed 9",and wheel tubs,the tubs I can do without as well...but I`m sure I can work around `em.It has a 460/C6 in it too with new intake,carb,valve covers,etc. It came with three 55-barrel drums filled with extra parts,an extra 9" pumpkin,axles,and more! Clear Title Too! Whatcha guys think? i know it has potential...like I said,I`m going to loose the cragars for sure..and lower it a couple inches closer to the ground...and fill in the sunroof. Paid $2200 for it.

 

hmmm....it said this one didn`t post.....ohwell...

 

sucks that day to day life got in the way for the po and he had to sell it.It sounds like you'll do it right.I'd put a real back window in it,has way to much sail panel in it now.Is the front end clipped to hold the heidts or did they tie the crossmember into the original frame?Scarliner on here was looking for info on putting a big block ford in a shoebox a while back.Nice score........

 

It'll be cool with some work. Can't believe anyone would put a sunroof in it, thought we got rid of those in the 80's. Wheel tubs? Combining kustoms and racers never did and never will work in my book, wish guys would stick to one theme. I have a real problem with someone trying to empty their whole think tank on one car.

 

Yeah...back window is kinda smallish....any idea what will look good back there?

 

i'd try to find a shoebox window and surround if it was mine.I had a nice chopped shoebox with stock back glass and to me nothing ever seems to look better then the stock glass.It might just be me though

 

can you post an under the hood shot?

 

Why not a 50's Mercury rear window... I think they were selling one in the classifieds???

 

hmmm...

 

honestly, that chop looks really bad. I'm thinking even if you put a bigger back window, the c pillar area is too "filled" in. Those victorias are hard to chop. I had one that was chopped previously and it looked terrible. Its calling for a carson top

 

Like I said...it has potential.

 

I'd have to agree with speedaddict on the top 'look'. It reminds me of a '69 Charger or some other later body style car with those proportions and angle. A good Carson style top looks good on most any '50's custom.

 

another thought might be to find a donor roof off a sedan and use it if you didn't want to go carson and were'nt happy with that top.You have the hardtop doors already no matter which way you go.

 

sazwall.....then carson top

 

bring the roofline forward at the beltline in front of the decklid, tuck it down just a tad and i think that chop is still saveable... worth a try anyhow... i aint much on carson tops, so baring that, get a donor roof and start over

 

The Primer Makes It Look Too Plain But A Nice Paint Job Could Break Up The Blandness Of The Sailpanel But Not The Area Above The Windshield. Lose The Sunroof Though, In The Previose Owners Defense, He Probably Added It In The 80's Though. Lose The Cragers...send Them To Me, I Need Them For A Dragster....im Not Kidding.

 

If it was a Victoria, cut the top off. Clean it up a little and off it. The money you will make will afford you to buy another the way you want.

 

Hey, now cutting the top off is an idea. Did ya'll know a 51 Vicky WAS a convertible that Ford tooled a top for and welded it to a convertible body. Look at one without a headliner in it sometime, the convertible windsheild header is there with a hardtop spotwelded to it. Seems as thou Ford needed a hardtop to compete with GM but didn't want to tool for it as an all new 52 was in the works so they just modified converts.

 

I would save the roof-Merc window,fill the sun roof.Can't go wrong for that price!

 

yea, i agree. . . them craigers kick ass. . . wish i had em for the willys

 

I have no doubt that it has potential. I wouldn't "off" it. Especially for the price you paid. I love shoeboxes, especially Victorias. I think the convertible or carson top would be a good idea. It needs that trim that goes around the beltline.

 

it has potential.. the cragers should be the last thing on your list though.. just my 2 cents

 

Gotta start looking for a donor rear-roof/window section.........and anyone wanna trade me a set of nice steelies for the cragars?? lol

 

I'm your huckleberry

PM me

 

Lots of things to think about and evaluate. Take a good look around the whole car and get a good idea of what was done and how well. The top will only be one aspect of things. Before running out and buying up a lot of stuff consider having some drawings or photoshops done of what you would like to have as a finished car. This is probably the most important step to get the plan for putting this back together.
I used to live in Burbank. Drop a PM or stop by the shop if you want to discuss things.

 

Definatly Carson top! 5051's shoebox looks badass with a Carson top. Maybe I can find a pic and post it.

 

Here's a pic of 5051's shoebox. Don't have a side shot.

 

I too would lose the top, I believe its way too much work to be worth it. The car seems decent tho, good luck with it.

 

Its all in how you look at it

 

Nice....but the ginormous hubcaps are a tad much...lol