Cutting up a 60 4 window Sedan

[Dan Benck]

I recently purchased a 60 Coupe from a guy that is in great shape, But shortly after buying it I ended up selling it to another guy who made me an offer I couldnt refuse.  But while I was at his house, he had another 60 Sedan w/ the flat top 4 window style sitting in the garage as well.  He was planning on using this car for parts if he ever needed them, but the car is complete, pretty solid and still runs and drives.  Anyways, to make a long story short, after trading off my coupe, I have the itch to get another caddy.  I can get the 4 door for a couple hundred bucks.  Well here is the part that will make the cadillac purist gasp... I want to cut the top off the thing slam it to the ground and just make a rat rod cruiser from it.  And when im done having fun with it just sell it for parts or ?... I just want to make sure Im not cutting up a valuable car, because I havent seen too many of them w/ the flat roof and the rear curved glass.  I know this sounds crazy... I love these caddys and Im totally going to ruin this one by doing this, but I cant afford a convertable, and 4 door sedans arent very exciting.  Ill have only a couple hundred bucks in the thing and have a blast driveing it.  Keep in mind this isnt a totally rust free, pristine car, but it is still very solid and driveable, and would look great w/ some black primer and wide whites w/ 58 caps.  So the question is... To cut or not to cut...

Dan Benck

[Bruce Reynolds # 18992]

Gday Dan,

I know it is your car, and you can do what you like with it, but please dont cut the roof off it, if the whole car is any good.

Those Flat Tops are getting scarce, and it has been said on this board before, Sedans, or Coupes cut into convertibles just dont cut it in the safe driving category.

The flex all over the place, and vitrually make the resulting vehicle worthless.

Just my thoughts having done the same to a 53 Chev sedan back in 1965.

Bruce,
The Tassie Devil(le),
60 CDV

P.S.   Dont let Stampie know about it.

[Randall Ayers McGrew CLC # 17963]

... although I know it will fall on deaf ears as so much else does these days.
One more wasted example that, from a cynical and somewhat positive (?) view, makes those that remain complete and original all the more valuable.

[Michael Stamps 19507]

If it is a decent driver why not slam it and rod it with the roof on?  I drive my 60 Flat Top more than my supposed to be daily driver and you will get a lot more enjoyment out of a good looking Flat Top than you would out of a hack job done for a season.  A sawzall will just make a beatiful car look like well ... you took a sawzall to it.  A complete 60 Flat Top is another matter.  If you do decide not to buy it then let me know as I could always use another 60.

Stampie

[Al Smith]

Stampie,
I thought they had junkyard laws in Florida! LOL,LOL
Better make that house your looking for waaay out in the sticks.
Al
Cadillac Kings

[Porter]

A bad idea whos time has come.

You will turn a rare classic car into a flexible bodied parts car.

Not that I dont like convertibles but many people grow tired of owning them, they are not as solid as a coupe or sedan.

Many people dont realize the convertibles have a beefed up frame from the factory, a chop topped car literally needs to have the doors welded shut for strength.

If you want to turn a profit grab it for a few $100 bucks and you can make a handsome return, put that towards a real factory ragtop.

This subject has been discussed before many times.

Porter

[Mike #19861]

 Everyone here is right. If only from a safety standpoint. This car will have body flex like you have never experienced.

 The doors wont close, or open, the windshield will crack. And by slamming it and limiting suspension travel, will make matters even worse.

 What isnt generally realised, that while this is a body on frame car, the body is built much like a unibody car would be, This, combined with the frame, makes for a very stiff assembly. While not to todays standards, it was very stiff and rattle free for the day.

 Convertibles have extra body and chassis bracing to compensate for the flex created by the lack of a roof. This is the main reason why convertibles weigh more that their coupe counterparts.

 And, the car will become virtually worthless and unusable. A car that will end up in the scrap yard. Ill bet after a few drives, you will tire of it and it will languish and eventually be scrapped. A sad end for a once proud car, one that for a brief interest for a questionable contemporay trend, will be lost forever.

  Mike

[Michael Stamps 19507]

Well after my friendly nosey neighbor accross the street complained about The Evil Woman I found out the exact laws from the inspector.  According to him the car must show that I have interest in keeping it.  In my case he was able to come out and see that I had current tags on it.  He is a car guy and then told me the loopholes.  He said that he could not come on my property if I had no trespassing signs up and that he would have to assume I had interest in keeping it.  Another loophole is that he is not allowed to remove any covers so I could just put a cover over it so that he couldnt see the tag area and it would be fine according to him.

When I buy a house it must have a 2 car garage at least.  That will hold the current project and allow space to actually work on it.  Id like to have another 2 car garage to hold the driveable cars.  The work truck and the Audi can sleep outside for all I care.

Stampie

[Dan Benck]

Some very valid points.  Im not even sure Im going to buy the car, but it is a deal almost too good to pass up.  I knew this topic would get tons of criticisim, but I also have some emails from owners of former hardtop cars who have chopped the roofs off of them w/ great success, and have had none of the problems mentioned here.  Not sure what Im going to do yet, but I did find out a great way to sell a car... Just tell people you are going to cut it up, and you will get a bunch of people wanting to buy it   If I dont purchase the car, I will post the sellers information on the buy/sell board so someone else can get a great deal, and not hack it up like I want to do.

I guess I should not mention my oringinal idea of buying the car and cutting the back end off to make a couch out of it... lol

Thanks for the replies

Dan

[Porter]

Since you already knew you would get tons of criticism why even ask in the first place, since you know it is not a good idea, regardless of people that emailed you with comments of great success with your proposed idea.

Is the purpose of your latest comments intended to humiliate or antagonize intelligent Cadillac aficianados that know all about the rarity of these cars ?

Why even bother to ask, and then make a ridiculous comment about making a couch out of the rear of the car ?

Please dont antagonize anyone else here anymore with your undignifed plans for any collectable car, Cadillac or otherwise.

Oh, and then you commend people that told you that a profit could be made if you buy the car as cheaply as you claim.

Take a good hard long look at your thought process, please,and have some common decency and respect for other human beings with intelligence.

Porter

[David #19063]

Porter,

Relax man.  He was just being little humourous.

And humour is one thing that does not translate well in the written word.

Believe me I know.

I found nothing offensive in his response.  

I know it hit a nerve with you, but truely, I honestly believe Dan was fine with what he wrote.

I am glad he asked us and posted...someone we know may be able to get the 60 for a good price.  

Maybe even you or Stampie (his other 60 Flattop may be lonely...maybe they could have little baby Flattops...think of the possibilities.

David

[Michael Stamps 19507]

"his other 60 Flattop may be lonely...maybe they could have little baby Flattops"

You aint right David.

Stampie

[Matt Harwod]

A buddy in high school had a Ford Maverick and wanted a convertible. We went to the auto shop and got the plasma cutter and ... voila! Instant convertible (well, after we put the fire out from where the headliner caught). After about 2 hours of driving the new "Maveroadster," the windshield cracked and the passengers door wouldnt stay shut. Nice.

Of course, his dad saw the car, he was not pleased. Monday afternoon, we welded the roof back on. Another fire later, he had a ruined Ford Maverick with windows that wouldnt seal, a broken windshield and a passengers door that never worked right again.

Lesson learned? Yeah, me too.
--
Matt Harwood
Cleveland, OH

[David #19063]

Why thank you Stampie, I did not expect to get a compliment tonight!   LOL!

I could see a litter of 5 or 6 little Flattops, a couple coupes, and mayve a black sheep Barritz, with you running around, half crazed with no sleep, feeding a few some premium fuel, while cleaning up little oil and grease squirts here and there, with little tiny honks from others wanting attention.  And giving them all a bath so they are nice and clean and shiney.  

Ahhhh....so cute!

Just brings a tear to my eye.

Papa Stampie!

Man, that just sounds good too!

David