Information on chopping top

[kens58]

Does anyone know where I can get information on how to chop a top on a 50

Mercury?

[Aanderson44]

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Does anyone know where I can get information on how to chop a top on a 50

Mercury? </div></div>

Ken,

This has been covered numerous times in magazines, also George Barris published, several years ago, a series of books showing how to do all the various aspects of custom bodywork, in the manner in which they did it back "in the day". One of those books covered, thoroughly, the chopping of a 49-51 Merc top. I don't have the title handy, but do some questioning on some of the custom car or street rodding forums (you'll have to do some Google searching) and I'll bet someone will steer you in the right direction.

Art

[kens58]

Great, thanks for the info, I'll give it a try, just wasnt sure where to start looking

[Aanderson44]

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Great, thanks for the info, I'll give it a try, just wasnt sure where to start looking </div></div>

Just a thought here: Chopping a top on a body shell such as the 49-51 Mercury isn't for the faint of heart! For starters, you had best be pretty skilled in welding 20-gauge mild steel sheet metal, as that is what those cars were stamped out from.

The biggest issues you will face have to do with the "tumblehome" present in this roof. "Tumblehome" is the stylist's term for the slanted angle of body panels, and the Merc has tumblehome on all for sides of the top (right side, left side, backlight and windshield).

What all this means is that not only would you be cutting and chopping a section out of each roof pillar, but the top panel itself has to be split, both cross-wise and length-wise, and then stretched, by adding in sheet metal to make it both longer and wider. Generally as well, customizers cut away the entire backlight (rear window) area, and lay that down at a shallower angle, to give that almost-fastback look which "makes" a chopped Mercury look so low. Otherwise, the backlight, if in it's original angle, winds up looking rather odd, crude. Of course, all of this does require some hammer & dolly work as well, in order to get that smooth contour to the roof with minimal filler (best is no filler at all, save for perhaps right at the welded joints, which means some pretty skilled sheetmetal work.

The relatively few professional shops today that will perform this work almost universally require a second body, or at least a second roof panel, to provide the already-shaped sheet metal for performing the stretches needed in the top.

In short, it's not only truly skilled work, but also rather expensive to do--but the looks can be fantastic. I know that this is a forum primarily aimed at factory-stock restorations, but in the case of these years of Mercury's, they are among the very, very few cars ever styled as if they meant for people to make major customs out of them!

Have fun!

Art

[kens58]

Do you know where I might find the books by George Barris?

[Aanderson44]

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Do you know where I might find the books by George Barris? </div></div>

Try Motorbooks International (MBI), Krause Publications, or keep an eye out at swap meets for book dealers.

[woody05]

Absolutely!!! The man, and I mean "THE MAN" you need to contact is Gene Winfield. He is the KING!!! In fact I believe you have a few choices.Gene flies all over the world doing that , as well as painting peoples' cars, (time permitting) He also has a video that he sells covering that. ...or he holds workshops at his place in the Calif desert.( mojave) Contact him @ ROD&CUSTOM 8201 SIERRA HWY MOJAVE, CA. 93501 (661-824-4728) Good Luck. Gene is truely a LIVING LEGEND!, and an absolutely super person. Tell him KC. sent ya...

[woody05]

Absolutely!!! The man, and I mean "THE MAN" you need to contact is Gene Winfield. He is the KING!!! In fact I believe you have a few choices.Gene flies all over the world doing that , as well as painting peoples' cars, (time permitting) He also has a video that he sells covering that. ...or he holds workshops at his place in the Calif desert.( mojave) Contact him @ ROD&CUSTOM 8201 SIERRA HWY MOJAVE, CA. 93501 (661-824-4728) Good Luck. Gene is truely a LIVING LEGEND!, and an absolutely super person. Tell him KC. sent ya... NOTE: Barris (GEORGE) Never did anything himself. His brother Sam was the man. George Barris is a promoter that put his name on other peoples talent!! That's why there is a SAM BARRIS AWARD for excellence in metal finishing, and not a George Barris award for it. Others in the same light as Gene, would be names like DICK DEAN, OR DEAN JEFFERIES and JAY ORBERG. Many in the know, will recognize the truth.

[juanatejeda]

I'm in Lompoc, CA (Santa Barbara County). Here in Lompoc we have a shop named "Hot Rod Alley", I know for a fact that he is doing a Merc right now, and what a project. The owner is Bill Anderson, used to work with Chip Foose. He great at what he does, Hot Rod builder extra-ordinair. He might be able to send you some pics via email.

His address is 1501 E. Chestnut Ct # D, Lompoc, CA 93436 / email at hotrodalleyshop@verizon.net.

Good luck

[Joe_Materasso]

Try the H.A.M.B. {jalopy forum} - custom cars, guys, rides, contacts - and tips galore!

... and no shortage of "rockabilly" gals either! <img src="http://forums.aaca.org/images/graemlins/blush.gif" alt="" />

happy motoring!

jm <img src="http://forums.aaca.org/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" />