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1960 Polara convertible conversions, how do they do it?
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NorthernFins
Posted 2017-07-15 9:56 AM (#544176)
Subject: 1960 Polara convertible conversions, how do they do it?



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Posts: 471
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Location: Central Alberta		Recently there were a couple of 1960 Dodge Polara convertibles offered for sale that have been built from 1963/1964 Chryslers.

Anyone on here know how that is done?

They start with a Chrysler convertible and a 2 door Dodge parts car?
I know that 60 to 64 cars are similar, so the dash can be changed, the windshield stays.

The frontend is just a bolt on then, does everything just line up? The doors would bolt on I assume, but how do they
go about changing the back section on these unibody cars? Do they cut off the Chrysler rear along certain lines and weld on a complete
Dodge rear body? The underside would stay Chrysler? How would this be lined up so as not to be crooked? A car like that is safe to drive?

I am not a body man so I always wondered how it is done. It must be a major undertaking with lots of challenges?

Any ideas?

Thanks, Marty
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Doctor DeSoto
Posted 2017-07-15 12:24 PM (#544181 - in reply to #544176)
Subject: RE: 1960 Polara convertible conversions, how do they do it?



5000500050005000200050025
Location: Parts Unknown		Cars are built on what is known in the business as "platforms".
This concept was developed to cut costs in styling and engineering
updates, as well as make parts interchangeable across different
models.

I would presume that the new-for-1960 unibody platform/s went
largely unchanged for a 5 year cycle, so were still basically the same
in 1964 as they were in 1960.

Given that 1960 Mopars were pretty dramatic for styling, they were
VERY out-of-style in a very short time, when the automakers dropped
futuristic jet-styled bodies and went to the more mundane stuff that
followed. Mother Mopar found ways to build new upper body structures
on that 1960 platform, so it would largely just be a case of reverse
engineering the earlier body onto a later-made, but same/similar base
platform, that just happened to be build later.

Speaking of Polaras ... look what I found yesterday !





(60 polara sedan.jpg)



Attachments
----------------
Attachments 60 polara sedan.jpg (128KB - 93 downloads)
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scottbit
Posted 2017-07-16 11:28 AM (#544215 - in reply to #544176)
Subject: RE: 1960 Polara convertible conversions, how do they do it?


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Posts: 166
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I worked at a shop about 20 years ago that built a 1960 DeSoto convertible for a customer from a 1962 Chrysler Newport convertible and a 1960 DeSoto coupe. As I remember front clip was a bolt on as were the doors and rear deck lid. Rear quarters were replaced just as one would to repair collision damage, spot welds drilled out and Desoto quarters welded in. Every thing fit right up as the underlying structure was the same on both cars. Swap took about one week as I recall. Customer liked the astrodome dash so that was not changed on the car we did. Working from a 1964 Newport convertible would involve these steps with the addition of working on the outer rear wheelhouses as the Chrysler has open rear fenders and probably more work on the panel between the front of the deck lid and the rear window as the Chrysler's convertible top well looks like it was raised as part of the 63-64 restyle. Car should be safe to drive if repairs were properly done as none of the pieces that affect chassis strength or alignment are touched .
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NorthernFins
Posted 2017-07-17 10:13 PM (#544304 - in reply to #544215)
Subject: RE: 1960 Polara convertible conversions, how do they do it?



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Posts: 471
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Location: Central Alberta		Thanks for your reply, scottbit.

That`s a good description of the process, and coming from a fellow who`s done the work, excellent!

Marty
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