Thread: 61 impala sport sedan

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It lasted as long as it needed to though.

So speaking of struggling not to change your mind......I was watching a video of guy doing a 4 door to 2 door conversion on a 57 Chevy by using two sets of front 4 door doors and sectioning them together to make a 6" longer door, moving the B pillar, and using the rear doors to make the quarter panel extension. I've got the parts car which is a 4 door post and has decent doors. You see where I'm going with this; build a two door hardtop but with the standard roofline rather than a bubbletop. Since I wouldn't have 2 door side molding, do a trim delete and badge it as a Biscayne, which also didn't have most of the trim. Not that I'm opposed to 4 doors, its more of a "can I successfully pull it off" thought. Nothing set in stone but I'm tossing it around. I can see this roofline in a hardtop looking pretty good.

Do it! Do it! Do it! I think it's a cool (kewl?) idea!

Wow, that's an interesting concept.. In the 2 pictures you provided ( thanks!) I have to admit that the 4 door "cockpit" or "greenhouse" presents a better view without the B posts clogging up the side view. The more door just has a feeling of "spaciousness" that the less door lacks. I know the 2 door is supposed to be "more cool" looking. But those pictures ( to me) confuse that line of thought.

Originally Posted by 53 Chevy5

Your not wrong or maybe you are, or maybe we both are, now I don't know

All good my friend, we are all in the same boat. It's hard enough to plan the work. But then to work the plan and stick with it.. I couldn't do it. And I think that was the best reason for swap meets! Get rid of all those items we no longer need or pick up some items from guys who had those parts you now needed, Win Win right? LOL..

Yeah, you'd end up with the wider C pillar and smaller rear glass like the white one but with 2 doors like the blue one. I'm thinking part of this would be easier than a 2 dr post conversion because the area of the open side windows will remain unchanged. The hardtop side glass upper channel wouldn't change, you'd just be lengthening the door glass and shorting the rear door (quarter) glass.

Definitely intriguing, I'm going to bring home the front doors from the other car next time I'm up there and put some more thought to it.

I'd go for it, Your going to get some people scratching their heads on the Grand Prix, might as well do it on this one too!!

Originally Posted by falconvan

Yeah, you'd end up with the wider C pillar and smaller rear glass like the white one but with 2 doors like the blue one. I'm thinking part of this would be easier than a 2 dr post conversion because the area of the open side windows will remain unchanged. The hardtop side glass upper channel wouldn't change, you'd just be lengthening the door glass and shorting the rear door (quarter) glass.

Definitely intriguing, I'm going to bring home the front doors from the other car next time I'm up there and put some more thought to it.

Intriguing indeed. I am sitting here at work comparing those 2 side by side pics and realizing that while I've seen many of those cars.. I've never paid attention to them, especially the body lines and style! my brain isn't hip to your idea completely but I am trying to digest it in smaller bites (lol) it will surely be different and folks like me will be going "huh?" there's something about that car.. or is there?? Maybe it'll just be seamless and no-one would ever know it was ever changed!! Confused yet? I am!

if you know somebody who can draw a little get them to do you a chip foose rendition of your car as a two hardtop conversion .. it should be pretty easy as the car has mostly straight lines .. i doodled in car drawing when i was younger but i could see a lot better then ..

Many moons ago I got in on one of those more door to a two door deals, but it was on an Olds Vista Cruiser wagon! He had the doors off (I believe) a 2 dr. hardtop Delta 88 or 98. We went back to the salvage yard he got the door from and cut out the appropriate door post section and some extra sheet metal off the quarter panels and went to work. It was a heck of a lot of time, very little expense, and the end result was a very unique 2 dr. hardtop station wagon. I don't see any reason you couldn't do it on your more door hardtop, go for it! After all, unique is what we seek but bizarre is what we are!

It looks like the front door would have to be lengthened about 10" to make it the same as a two door door. The only other immediate weirdness I see is that the back edge of the four door front door is V shaped to accommodate when the rear door opens.

I did a little surgery on paper and it looks like the body lines would end up in about the same place.

I cropped you other photo so I could do an "almost" side by side.. well at least on the same page. This is really (to me) an interesting concept/idea.
I hope you can go after it, I for one will be sure to following along. 8-)

How about windows? Would you have to make a special windows for the doors? What would you do with the back window, would you make it so I could roll down?

( Edit, never mind I reread some earlier posts)

I think all I would have to do is have a longer front glass cut and shorten the rear glass & possibly the regulator track. The upper glass channel should stay the same. the hardtop glass has a stainless channel attached all the way around it to seal against the gasket on the upper channel so that would have to be modified with the glass. Could probably make a mock up in plexi and then have the real glass cut when you get it right.

Yep, I can see the vision.