I remember growing up there was a local auto journalist that owned a green and shortened ’57 Chevrolet wagon that I would see from time to time. It was likely built from a four door station wagon with workmanship that appeared top notch to my young eyes but even then I could not help but wonder why. It was so oddly proportioned that I could not understand why he would not have preferred the stock car. Years later I discovered he ran an automotive appraising business and the shorty wagon likely made for memorable advertising. I recently stumbled across another 1957 Chevy shorty.
The sign on the windshield indicated this was no random street find but a car left out after a show and shine but it did not shed any light on the question of why. Some readers might recognize some of the buildings from the TV show Fargo or the latest Ghostbusters movie. The old main street in Fort MacLeod has been maintained and as a result proved popular for a variety of media productions.
Taking a peek inside it appears to be a comfortable ride for two.
A Chevrolet truck steering wheel does not quite fit the same classic vibe of the interior. Perhaps this is a hint of modernized mechanical components?
Crazy Stitch indeed. I am not sure why but former four door Tri5 Chevrolets as well as Volkswagen Beetles seem to be common candidates for this treatment but perhaps a reason is that they they were not particularly valuable during the Seventies and featured a separate frame. So does this truncated classic Chevrolet hit the mark or does it leave you wanting more?
I’ve seen this look somewhere before…
The whole steering column is out a Chev truck. Why do people do tasteless mods like this?
R&D man, they put that tilt column in because their gut got too big to slide under the big old stock steering wheel
As for the hacking out of wheebase, reminds me of one of those silly late 70’s Seville “Opera Coupes”
A few decades ago I came across this shortened Lakewood at a Denver auto show. The owner said that the front end “gets real light” above 70mph.
Oh my…that’s a shame.
Shortened Corvair Lakewoods are around, along with shortened Corvair vans and pickups. I’ve seen a few. An air dam would do wonders to tame the front on this one, along with making sure the front tires are not over inflated.
David is right about using cheap cars to do this to. Corvairs were worth nearly nothing in the ’70’s.
Saw an old Adam-12 show yesterday featuring a sleazy used car dealer. 1974 or so? Anyway, Reed and Malloy were berating the dealer for selling a ’56 Chevy 2-door post, rust free, to a poor soul for $650.
I recall seeing a shortie 57 like this in the 70’s. Yes they weren’t valuable at the time so people did these things, and I do not approve.
On the other hand, I fully approve of the shortened 78 Lincoln from RoadKill, the “Missing Linc”. Is that because the square roofline doesn’t look so awkward, or because in my eyes a 57 Chevy is quite desireable and a 78 Lincoln is worthless?
I actually found a photo of that green shortened wagon … sort of. I was later converted to a pink pickup truck! Or at least one owned by the same owner so I suspect they are the same.
Ok it was made from a 4 dr sedan as it has those small quarter windows as a wagon would not have them yeah a 4 dr sed is the less desirable but the drivability is thrown off so I guess its cool to some ?
To add look at the doors they have that dip as they are rear doors from a 4 dr. Wagons are strate / level across the top
Fleetwood Talisman seats?
My thoughts as well….. Console looks a bit skinny, but might be Talisman too.
The long and the short of it, indeed. This is my daughter and son-in-laws 57. Surprisingly there were three of these in the area at the time this one was in business, just used privately now. I’ll post another photo to show you what shares the same garage stall with this barge.
Interesting conversion. The stretch has the advantage that it can be a working vehicle. I bet that attracts a few eyeballs.
I recall seeing a few of these in other pictures. I can’t remember if they were stretched sedans or wagons. Were they used as airport limos?
It seems like the golden age of the stretch limo was the ’80s and 90s, just getting going as the heyday of the shortened cars was winding down.
Of course, that probably had less to do with it as the end of Cadillac Fleetwood 75 production leading to limo companies being forced to get comfortable using third-party conversions while at the same time marketing themselves to more “fun” uses (from a group night out to a wedding) rather than just serious stuff like funerals and corporate VIP use.
It certainly is a hoot, albeit a bit awkward looking. Certainly a great way to get attention while driving, which I’m all for.
This is the vehicle that nestles in between the limo and the garage door.
Try again,
There was a bit of a craze of shortening cars in the UK in the 70s and 80s, mostly minis and aircooled vws, presumably as the drive train being at one end simplified it.. did see some now rather rare and desirable cars messed up in this way, extreme roofchops and body channeling on cars poorly suited to it was similarly popular.
I don’t understand the attraction either but i guess it was a fun thing to do with a worthless (and often very rusty, at least in the uk) old car back then.
Like the seats!
But for me it’s a Bel-Err.
Though I appreciate the craftsmanship involved, it doesn’t mean that because he CAN do it, he SHOULD (have)!
However, with the 1957 Chevrolet holding such an honored place as one of my favorite cars….NOT…I suppose it’s just as well he didn’t bespoil something else, like a 1962 Ford Fairlane with a dented hood.
I saw this Oldsmobile Forty-Nine in town. I first saw it about 20 years ago and last saw it about 5 years ago. Considering how long it’s been around since modified would suggest that it must be somewhat well done.
No pic?
Two thumbs down on the shortened Chev.
Seems like a lot of work to ruin a classic car. However, it would be a good advertising gimmick for an automotive related business. Now that Mrs.M and I have taken root in Calgary a trip to Fort McLeod would be a good idea sometime this summer. The town has a colourful history and there’s plenty more to see in that part of the province.
Someone went to a lot of work to destroy a perfectly 1957 Chevy.
I’m not a fan of the 57’s but as long as it drives okay why not ? .
No one said it was ‘perfectly good’ .
There’s a Metropolitan Nash DHC in Alaska that has snowmobile tracks, it looks new so many get pissed off but in fact it was a worthless pile of rust before the change .
-Nate
Not really a fan of it but I do remember when tri 5s were worth little I and a couple of mates squished quite a few to clear some space for more valuable stock in a wrecking yard the flattened cars went to the dump, now they are worth gold being nearly all RHD local assembly cars, but thems the breaks.
That’s a lot of work, lengthened front, chopped middle. I wonder if they stood back when finished, cracked opened a beer and thought, ” Well, that was worth it “.
The best part is the roof, it would look good on a ute conversion, it looks a lot like the roof on the Australian coupe utilities from the early fifties.
With convertible top it would almost look like a weak attempt by GM to compete with the Ford Thunderbird of that era.
If it had a longer wheel base, it would have been awesome.