Cutting the Top off of my Festiva. Need advice.

[letusbuyyourcar]

Okay gearheads. I happen to own a 91 Ford Festiva that I got for $350.00 nearly 2 years ago. The floor pan is kinda rusty especially in the spare tire well. So after I treat the rust and patch it I intend to cut the top off. I wanted to do this with an old 2 door Corolla, Datsun B210 or even a Neon Coupe. But we work with what we got. When I worked out at Emmett Head Auto Salvage in Bonaire I did the same thing to an 89 Cherokee two door. It was really cool but the transmission went out before I got any further.

So here is my question. Do I need to weld some channel or angle iron from front to back and connect the subframes before I take the plasma cutter to the roof? I plan to unbolt the rear hatch,remove the rear windows and cut the roof right after the sun visors and the posts right about level with the bottom of the rear glass area. I will also remove the door window frames even with the roof line cut. I have been told that the car will collapse the first time I open the door after I cut everything. But the Cherokee held up fine and it was a unibody/ subframe vehicle too. I do plan to leave a narrow strip of metal all the way across where the black post is in the pic. The seat belt is bolted to it about 8" from the headliner. And I figured it would be a good way to stretch a bikini top across it that would be snapped to the front above the windshield.

So what do yall think? Oh and I am officially requesting permission to spray the ODT trademark on both doors.

 

[Realstudent368]

The car won't collapse but once you open those doors.. They may not shut the same...

 

[Hayata]

Oh this is gonna be good!

 

[thesammythecurse]

I've toyed with this same idea on a 2 door 91-94 sentra. SER model preferred. Have the body reinforced, maybe tilt the windshield down a little more, and have a permanent roll bar.

this could make a pretty cool roadster though

 

[strk13]

I would invert the car so you can get to the roof

 

[icatchbadguyz]

You trying to crush it first by flipping it upside down twice?

 

[Lancekl]

definately reinforce it before you do any cutting. The rusted floors have already weakened the structure.

 

[GAGunguy]

nah, just chop it off, and then go 4 wheeling.

bring a camera.

 

[Shovelhead]

Video so we can win $10K

 

[letusbuyyourcar]

Well I'm probably just trying to get someone to agree that it's okay for me to be lazy and short cut. There's a Craftsman/Lincoln welder here along with cutting torches, plasma cutter and two Makita Sawzalls. But I don't know how to weld and would have to enlist the assistance of Bob,our mechanic. I do believe I will take the cautious approach and put some type of sub frame connecters under it.
But it will be SO cool to have my beach buggy for when we get moved to Brummick. I wanted to use Summit style plastic racing seats but the factory rails are narrow and odd. AND this is one of those cars with the damn moving belt latches. You know they slide from front to behind the seat when you open the doors. I may just remove the fuse that controls them.
Northern Tool has Warn 1700 lb winches for $89.99 this week. So then I gotta get a bruch guard/mount made.And on and on...