Jump to content
Model Cars Magazine Forum

Recommended Posts

Posted

A while back I did a '56 Chevy hardtop conversion, so I figured I'd do a convertible too. This uses the front half of a '56 Nomad, the back half of a '56 sedan, and the beltline, cowl and windshield from a '55 convertible. With careful measuring and cutting, the only other mods necessary to do this conversion are to make pie-cuts in the tops of the '56 rear quarters to align them with the '55 piece. You can see this in the photo of the rear window area. Thanks for looking!

Randy

100_1397.jpg

100_1396.jpg

100_1395.jpg

100_1394.jpg

100_1392.jpg

100_1391.jpg

Posted

Hey Randy, Don't see you around here very much! Always nice to see what your active imagination has come up with. Nice work on this conversion!

Guest zebm1
Posted

Not nitpicking Randy, but IIRC tha trunklids of tha convertibles and sedans of tha mid-50s chubbys weren't interchangeable. As I remember it, tha flat part on tha sedan is shorted than tha flat part of tha conv. Just like tha windhsields aren't interchangeable. Tired to find sum pics to illustrate this....

56chevconv08.jpg

56chevsedan02.jpg

56chevconv07.jpg

of course this one is kinda cute

55chevconvspecial.jpg

clean kit bash tho....

Posted

Zeb, Randy has it correct................He's using part of the "tulip" panel from the Revell '55 convertible and the deck lid off of the '56.

'55 and '56 2 door sedans and hardtops would have the same decklids. It was the tulip panel (the flat part you're talking about) that was longer on the hardtop because the roof on the hardtop was "shorter".

This was so the rear windows could roll completely down as opposed to the 2 door sedans' windows that still had part of the rear window showing when down.

In the '50's into the early '60's, GM hardtops were nothing more than convertibles with a metal roof tacked on. :shock:

Keep up the good work Randy! That's one of those "forgotten" model kits for some reason :?

Edit: '55-6 Chevy hardtops, Nomads, and convertible windshields were interchangeable between those models. The 2 and 4 door sedans and standard wagons rooflines and windshields were a bit taller.

Posted

Thanks, Bill! I had already done some research on the Tri-Five chevies, as I own a 1:1 '56 2-door hardtop. Thus, the '56 is near and dear to my heart. :lol:

Posted

Randy, beautiful work. I also like the tri-five Chevy's, with the 56 being my favorite of the three. Early in the Overhaulin' series, they took a 56 four door sedan and converted it to a 2 door roadster. They modified the windsheld dramatically and made no effort to build a top for it. Yours being a fully functional design works better for me. Very nice, I may just have to build something like that as I have a 56 hardtop and 55 convertible in the boxes just collecting dust. I'm Looking forward to the completed build.

Guest zebm1
Posted

Bill, now I know what is bothering my eye about Randy's 56 convertible. IIRC for 56 and 57 Chevrolet changed the heater air inlet to tha eyebrows or the right side headlight, therefore doing away with tha slots between tha windhshield posts. tried tgo get sum illustrative pics.

56chevhdtp1.jpg

56chevhdtp2.jpg

56Chevconv04.jpg

The reason tha sedan rear window waz exposed, waz because tha front corner reached bottom long before tha rear corner. But all of those rear windows didn't roll straight down, like tha front windows. They all had to pivot to clear tha rear wheelwell.

Posted

Sigh..............:? Here are three '56's..........................

DSC07011-vi.jpg

Dsc04348-vi.jpg

64.jpg

Looks like cowl vents on those '56's to me...........................................:?

Will ya let him build it the way he sees fit???......................and no more hijacking his thread? This is my last response to you..............

The reason tha sedan rear window waz exposed, waz because tha front corner reached bottom long before tha rear corner. But all of those rear windows didn't roll straight down, like tha front windows. They all had to pivot to clear tha rear wheelwell.

Yeeeeeessssssssss! As I said............That's why the hardtop roof needed to be shorter................for the entire rear window to clear the wheelwells......................................................:?

Pics courtesy of Dave Lindsay and eBay

Guest zebm1
Posted

I stand corrected, maybe it's tha 57 I'm thinking about.

Posted

Heres the one i did, and no its not correct! but i like it just the same LOL!

I like how you did yours tho! now thats thinkin out side the box!

I to used the 55 for the w/frame........and using a junker 56 kit that needed a roof! i said what the heck! The wife has been after me (say 16 years now) to build her a dream car! so i did and started fresh! i still have the one i started tho back when!

You know what! i'll start another thread not to hijack this one!

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...