Makin' it wider {what am I missing}

[CountryJoe]

I've done "longer" and I understand "lower"... But since it really doesn't matter what you do to these cars - I've got a '49 Merc that I wanna make wider.  

But something in my head tells me that it ain't gonna be as easy as splittin' the car in 3 and addin' a couple of filler pieces - won't that throw off something somewhere along the line??

[Mark]

It'll throw the proportions off.  Too, the Merc has a vee'd windshield and a hood that's rounded in the front.  If you cut one car down the middle and add in a strip cut from the middle of a second car, the windshield and hood will extend forward a bit more, unless you alter the angles.

I can't see the need to widen the car more than a couple of inches on each side, even to fit the body onto a newer chassis.  You can probably widen the fenders a couple of inches on each side without getting into too much work.  If you need more width for wider suspension, you could flare the wheel openings.  Some guys do that now when they stick a subframe under an early Fifties car, to try to hide the width difference.

[Jon Haigwood]

You might achieve the same look by doing a top chop and sectioning the body

 

[CountryJoe]

Thanks mark... it just an idea I've been kickin' around for a lilt while - {well that and makin' it into a "top-up" convertible}

[Foxer]

I agree with Mark, but this sure sounds interesting!