[HOW TO] 64-65 Sedan B-Pillar Delete

[bd94s10]

Thanks for taking the time to write this up Pat! I've tried to curate this "mod" via Instagram with a hashtag. Click here to see the few I've tagged. https://www.instagram.com/explore/tags/ ... sondarise/

[rick]

Impressive.

Great work, video and verbal descriptions Burnski.

[lomofo]

Where can I find the 3D printed pillar caps?

Next, i sourced a set of original B-pillar caps, but there are 3D printed reproduction ones now available for significantly less than these.

76693256_10156771622833997_6322741637000724480_o.jpg

Next came the auto-drop function. Instead of trying to retro-fit the old switches/relays/etc I decided to give it a modern spin using an arduino:

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=atHLSzcltKU[/youtube]

[CrankinContinental]

Wow! Would this apply the same to a '62 Hardtop? I'm planning on purchasing a pair of '62 Hardtops that need restoration. My great-grandfather bought a hardtop and a convertible brand new in '62, the hardtop for him and the convertible for my great-grandmother. This is exactly what I want to do to at least one of the hardtops that I'm buying (not sure if I'll keep the other, it's more of a donor car than anything)

[1Bad55Chevy]

Wow! Would this apply the same to a '62 Hardtop? I'm planning on purchasing a pair of '62 Hardtops that need restoration. My great-grandfather bought a hardtop and a convertible brand new in '62, the hardtop for him and the convertible for my great-grandmother. This is exactly what I want to do to at least one of the hardtops that I'm buying (not sure if I'll keep the other, it's more of a donor car than anything)

Tony had a post the other day where he was talking about the 64&65 had flat side glass while all the other years had curved glass. Being that this mod requires getting custom side glass cut the curved glass would throw a serious wrench in the gears. You can get flat glass cut by any glass company in your area but getting something cut and shaped would likely get very pricey.

[frasern]

The convertible glass will work.
There were a number of '61s made by the factory, it was going to be an option but axed at the 11th hour. At least one was updated to a '62, and is pictured in the sales brochure, if you look closely enough.
To clarify, your '62 was classed as a sedan by the factory, what you are planning is a conversion to a hardtop.

[Lee]

At least one was updated to a '62, and is pictured in the sales brochure, if you look closely enough

Really?! I'd love to see that, if you ever stumble across it.

[1Bad55Chevy]

https://www.curbsideclassic.com/automot ... top-sedan/

Well damn!

[frasern]

So, here is the picture from the '62 sales brochure, and one from the next page of a sedan. Note the stitching on the roof lining, the post is a little behind the seam, with that as a marker, the post should be visible, above the girls shoulder in the first picture.

These brochures are printed long before actual production starts, so the cars are likely '61s, with '62 styling updates. ( All the exterior shots show '61 door locks, but the cars have '62 trim updates.)
The seats are in the '62 cloth pattern, so these cars were styling mock ups, or prototypes, the inclusion of that hardtop, with '62 trim, seems to indicate a hardtop was still being considered for that years offerings.

[frasern]

Forgive the bad pictures, I really should get a better camera.

[1Bad55Chevy]

Those pictures and more are in the link I posted above.

I think these cars are extremely cool as is but IMO Lincoln dropped the ball by not making a hardtop version! I really wonder what the real reason was for not producing these.

[LithiumCobalt]

What is the purpose behind no B-pillar would be my question.

[Lee]

Thanks for that, Fraser and Chevy. I guess I’m still learning.

[Mike]

They probably did some marketing research and found that for the amount of interest in it it wasn't worth making 3 different styles.

You'd think it would be pretty straight forward to do when the convertible was already pillarless but hard top sedans can a have water and wind noise issues so they also might have thought with the problems they were getting out of from the previous models they wanted to take the safer path and avoid potential issues as much as possible. The last thing they'd want is for people to start blaming problems on the backwards doors and have it turn into a sales flop with no way out of it.

[Lee]

From what I’ve read, it might also have been in the name of quality. After the 58-60 debacle, I think there was a drive to streamline production, and attempt to error-proof the line, and one of those methods could be through fewer optional choices, thus fewer opportunities for mistakes. That may also explain to some degree why Lincoln had such a long list of standard equipment in 61, that was extra-cost on Cadillac and Imperial (power locks, windows, seat, maybe more)