My first 5 window was chopped 4 inches and my last 3.5 in front and 3 in the rear. Just my personal preference.
I like some coupes with a heavier chop, but that's not my vision with this one. Im going for mid to late 50's show car vibe, and Ive seen some mild chops done then that I really like, plus Im 6'2" and want to fit comfortably. And most importantly, i wrote this when i was about 9 years old (1976)... We went 2-1/4 at the rear window and about 2-5/8 at the WS. And like my brother said about my dream car...too bad I had to settle for a 32. If you squint, it kinda looks like a Model A though...haha
Here is the drawing from when I was 9. This was definitely influenced by visits to the Visalia Rod Runs and magazines of that era. By 1979, we had been going to the Antique Nationals for a couple of years, so the interest in flatheads was evident in the updated version. This pic was with the essay and doesn't quite match the description, but you can see where my head was.
Dude that's so awesome. You did an awesome job on the spokes on those wheels! Now I can see why your cars are so right-on.
Josh and I rolled it outside for a look this afternoon. It's an old man chop at roughly 2-1/2"...but I'm an old man, so it should be perfect...haha
I wasn't sold on the chop until I saw the grade school drawings but now I love it. The dream is being achieved. Even got the 3 funky exhaust ports on the engine and Fenton lettering on the headers, that's great!
What's not to like about a chopped deuce coupe, one inch, two inch, three inch, all good. It's those wild taper chops that seem so cartoonish.
Article says 2-1/2" chop on the Don Van Hoff coupe. We did 2-5/8" at the windshield and 2-1/4" at the rear window, so probably about the same 2-1/2" though the B-pillar. In no way am I cloning this car, but it, along with Neal East's 5W are a huge inspiration
Josh did some more welding on the chop... And I worked on a batch of steering boxes to help pay for more 5W parts I did start prepping some parts for chrome. Deburred the banjo housing and radius rods. I am degreasing the axle bells and plan to prep them next and then send the batch off for the shiny stuff.
Neal where are you going for chroming? I've got some drilled lincoln backing plates I'd love chromed.
This is the 4th flathead powered 32 I've built with the early style rear end. 3.54 gears are readily available for them and I've never had an issue. I've also seen quite a few 50's built 32's with full chrome early 32 rear ends...so it's period correct too.
I agree, they will work fine if not abused, but IMHO if one is going to spend the effort and money for chrome, I would go with the late unit with rear pinion support. Carry on....
The last picture in post #156 stopped me right in my tracks. It is almost identical to one I had drawn when I was an eighth-grader in 1956. I had a chance to buy a '31 Model "A" coupe from a neighbor; it was in pretty good shape, except it had no engine. He had swapped it out to put in an "A" pickup he had. The price was a princely $5.00. This lead to my imagination running wild, which included making the drawing I referenced. I to, was planning on a flathead, and though I no longer have the picture, your drawing brought mine immediately back to my mind, as it was so similar. Thanks for the trip down memory lane. The car? My dad absolutely forbid me from buying it, and that was that.
Thanks for sharing the memory. My dad bought a $3 Model A sedan in about 1954. He had it only a few days before his dad said get it out of the driveway. He sold the radiator and a few other things for a profit before he had to give it to a junkman.
I see your point, but I have never run across a late 32 rear end/torque tube and didn't really want to shorten a 33-34 to fit, so chose to go the simple route.
Josh is making headway on the chop, and I got some more shiny bits for the chassis. Slowly but surely I will have everything that bolts to the frame in chrome. Where I can't find old chrome, I am filling in with fresh plating.
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