Hot Rods Chopped tops . . . . .

I think there is more than one right answer. If every chop looked the same that wouldn't be custom it would look just like the other one. I like to see people pushing the norm. This was our first chop done ten years ago or so. Home built.


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Well, if you want different...when was the last time you saw a full-height '49 Merc?

 

this morning. Here is my other car.





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By the way the chopped car is a 52 Chevy. A lot of people think it's a merc.


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They can kiss my ass too! Your Merc and Dave Paras Merc, are perfect examples of a healthy chop done right!


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Your sled is telling you to cut back on Coke lol !


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Maybe....but the cheeseburgers still fit through the window just fine!

 

4 inches on my F100, I like the look but have bumped my head a few times.

 

Some varied levels of streamlining to ponder...
Note the T 17?
Anybody else got pics of the T...
Fun Times...



Credit to Owners, Photographers​

 

A big thanks to @Pete Eastwood for raising this topic. You have served well as "agent provocateur "!!

As a guy who has almost read the ink off the pages of Hot rod books, like Don Montgomery's series and the little pages, I feel as though there has been a move towards re-creating cars from the lakes, and running the on the streets. Sure the lakes coupes with their huge chops look bitchin', and I say that as someone who sold a car because it couldn't be chopped due to the poor condition of the sheetmetal, BUT These cars were lakes racers, and not street cars. This movement has somewhat confused the purpose of the car - race cars with bitchin chops on the street make driving both difficult and some-what unsafe due to poor visibility.

Chops should remove the bulkiness of early iron, maybe make them look a lot "tougher" than stock, but they still need to be practical.

Out here in Australia we need to ensure that the visibility standards need to be met - for safety reasons. I could not imagine what its like to drive a bitchin coupe with a huge chop, only to have to crouch in a god-awful position just to be able to clear the roof or to see under the windscreen, only be able to tolerate an hour behind the wheel before one's body screams at you .... let em out.

Unfortunately today's traffic conditions and law makers makes it hard for one to freely enjoy driving a car with a huge chop and somewhat limited visibility. My 2 cents worth when chopping a car - just ensure that you can drive it comfortably, safely and for as long as you want, not due to aches and pains.

Now lets see some chopped hot rods, I'm enjoying the eye candy.

 

I had the same problem with this !


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VERY well said, and I have mentioned the same point on here a couple times. Race cars have ALWAYS been dictated by function , not by looks, but guys on here just cant seem to wrap their heads around this. The "sixties hot rod" thread is a GREAT example of this, its littered with race cars, which really don't have that much to do with how sixties hot rods looked

 

I am happy with this chop...not to radical and clever execution in top material and I'm quite happy with all the things that go along with the height adjustment. I figure its 2 to 3 max...I did remove seat material to lower myself and feel an inch more might be the cats meow...It certainly takes some planning and adjusting...Kudos to those involved in its evolution.​

 

My truck has a 6'' chop, works for me and plenty of head room...

 

Falcon I gotta say function was a large part of it but to deny the look wasn't important or considered is really stretching things.
There are some pretty darn showworthy rolling artworks that graced these events.
This whole Hotrod thing borrows heavily from the events off the street.

 

I think car guys have been copying race cars forever. The reason the lakes racers used taller tyres on the rear was a way to in crease top speed. This led to the back of the car being higher, giving it rake. The tops were chopped on closed cars to cheat the wind. All of these things found their way onto street cars. We accept big and littles as a way of life for a hot rod. Street cars were chopped to give them that race car look. I personally like lakes style chops. I would accept that my 5" copped coupe less practical for the street than a Prius, but I don't drive my coupe coz it's practical. The gasser stance makes for a crappy handling cars on bends, but guys driving them just take corners slower. Are we hot rodder said or stylists? Chopping a coupe 3" may give it the most aesthetically pleasing profile, but some of us aren't looking for the most pleasing profile. I want the profile of my coupe to say hot rod. As with everything, my opinion of what constitutes a hot rod may vary from yours.
This years AMBR winner shows that. It was designed and drawn by an excellent artist. Line and proportion prevailed. The shape and flow is wonderful. It is not a hot rod. It's not trying to be a hot rod. It succeeded in being a beautiful roadster. As beautiful as that car is, I prefer to drive a hot rod. Heavy chop an all!
Cheers,
Stewart.

 

they didn't chop those cars and lay down the windshield angle for looks, they did it because it reduced frontal area. This is just like the "gasser" shit on here, I wont get into it, its not worth arguing about. If guys don't get it, they don't get it.

 

Yeah, things have changed just a bit haven't they? The cartoonish proportions that seem to be somewhat common now, would have been laughed off of the streets "back in the day", and our rides were actually an extension of our personalities, not the other way around.
Chopped my Jet's Carson top a badly needed 3 inches. It sits less than 45" tall, now.

 

Here's my take on this whole conversation;
drum brakes - bias ply tires - 8/1 Schroeder steering - totally ventilated roof - screaming ass quick change rear end - underpowered flathead engine - 6 inch hammered roof.
This is my third chopped 34 3W coupe and the most radical of all. I knew what I was doing when I built it and it wasn't to please any of you! I built my first Hot Rod in 1960 so I don't have to copy anyone because I have been there and doing it ever since.
You can like my 34 or you can hate it or you can don't give a shit, it's all the same to me!

 

The '34 on left was chopped 3" on a Z'd frame. I'm glad I ain't a big guy cause it was crowded. I had to shorten the Glide seat frame to get the shifting lever to clear. Now I'm building a tall T on a Z'd frame. There is something classy to me about a tall T. Building a box tubing frame about 6" of the ground makes them look low without the chop. We'll see how it comees out.

 

2-1/2" seemed about right on this '33; but what did we know back then.

 

I love it, and I love you attitude.

 

To each their own, a few have already touched on it, but I believe it relates to where the competition meets the street. Where guys are attempting to adapt the chops of the early coupes of land speed racing and applying it to a "drive-able" street car. There have been many attempts but I think that some of the few guys that have been able to accomplish a good looking heavily chopped coupe while still driving the snot out of them is the Rolling Bones crew.


The Pierson Brothers Coupe



Mr. Poteet

 

The previous owner chopped it with some help on the steel 3w. I liked it and bought it but wish he'd kept the stock hinges.

Mike Wiley built this one. It is chopped 5 inches... but he also SHORTENED IT 4 inches to make it look right.
I liked it and bought it, too.

Believe it or not; I can see just fine from inside both cars at 6' 1". The chevy caused a lot of commotion when it came out in 1980... a fella from CA driving a flamed black 34 3w coupe tried to buy it but the owner said he was not ready to sell... he had just spent about 7 or more years building it. They did take some pics of this car along with the black coupe... and the fenderless yellow 34 3w coupe that was travelling with him. Sure wish I had a good copy of some of those pictures that were taken at the Nats South; in 1980, I think.
I feel honored to be the current custodian of both cars.

 

There are LOT'S of really nice chops pictured here. Only a couple of wedge chops which seems to be getting popular among the copy cats. To each his own. I chopped my 1944 Chevy 5 1/2" in the REAR and 5" in the FRONT. I also took 1" out at the drip rail.

 

I remember that yellow 39 from way back. I thought it was neat then and the shortening idea was genius.

 

This is another of my 5 1/5" REAR and 5" front chops. 33 Willys had a lot of wedge from the factory. They were really into aerodynamics way back then.

 

AMEN ! I'd like to see some pictures of you butchering your Rod. lol

 

How much did you take?

 

Ron, that's not our old buddy Moose, is it???