Love the chop. I've got a '48 mordoor that's been chopped and hardtopped. I think that year/body-style BEGS for a good chop. Oh, and I love the skirts.
I hear that alot , it seems like alot of people have never thought about chopping one of these yrs or they do a boring (my opinion) 3" chop .Most people that I tell I took 6 1/2 " out of it didnt even think it could be done. I didnt really decide on that much chop its just how it ended up , I was just taking out more and more untill the roof line hit the trunk line the way I wanted it to .
That car is bitchin'. I fell like it should be in Dick Tracy or something. something very wild. -Rick
Havnt done all that much more lately beer been gettin in the way , finished the wiring , and finishd everything under the hood , did alittle cleaning up of the paint . This weekend will be the last few things I have left . bumpers , and the interior . I did find one funny thing when I was looking t how to hook up the speedo , the original speedo cable end at the trans turned out to be the same as the 350 trans , the cable just screwd right in . but heres a few new pics
Just so youall know I dont consider my 48 a freakin "rat rod" I personally hate that term and dont care for that type of a rod . I hate it when people call my 48 a rat rod . It only in primer because I havnt started the hours / days / weeks / months worth of block sanding that has to be done before I am willing to shot some color on it . My plans are for some candy tangerine over some very heavy gold metal flake base . But before I do that I am going to add some 54 buick head lites and maybe some port holes to the hood I have from a 47 buick , although I have been seeing por holes on a bit too many other rods lately sooooo I probly wont do it . I also want to change the bumpers but I havnt nailed down as to what I want to use yet . Lately I have been thinking some thing like a 49-50 chevy front a rear , Im thinking I want them to wrap around the front more then the stocks do . Anyhoe Laters
Well after a night of beer and good buddies . I have made a change in the plans for my 48 . The whole reason I put an air bag system in the new chassis is I wanted to sit the rockers on the ground when its parked , and be able to cruise around a show or a local cruise nite an inch or 2 off the ground . The el camino chassis I used sat REALLY high and even after putting in the air bags it wasnt as low as I wanted . The latest pics are with all the air out which puts my front cross member an inch off the ground which isnt driveable . OK on to the change in plans . I was going to do a rear frame knotch and remake the air bag brackets to try and make it lower . Well after sitting in the shop and drinking many cold ones with a few of my club bros , I have desided to do a channel . I havnt decided how much of a channel I am going to do , I tend to go further then friends think I should when I do anything , when I was first planning the chop everyone said go 3 1/2 well I went 6 1/2 . Right now Im thinking 5 to 6" they are saying no more then 4, I still have to do a little measuring to make sure I have enough head room before I deside . This would make it so I could drive around a show/cruise an inch or 2 off and the chassis wouldnt be dragging and the air bags would still have enough air in them so as to not wreak the bags . And when I park it , It would have the rockers on the ground . Which is what I have wanted since I started the plan for this build . Anyhoe Ill keep ya posted on how its going . Im not going to start it till probly nov or so .
through together an interior today , door panels , front kicks , rear panels some carpet and a set of seats I had sittin around . I really dont under stand someone not putting some sort of interior in their ride its so damn easy . Its far from perfect but better then bare steel doors . I always shake my head when I look inside a nice rod and theres nothing but a seat . I personally have to be confortable
WOW WOW WOW My b/f has a '50 and is about to do a 6" chop...have to send him this link! Thanks for all the pitures and updates. Here is a picture of it as it sat yesterday<br>
How are you guys with 48,s lowering the front ends?Im getting ready to drop my stylemasters rear but am contemplating how to drop the front.Thanks
A bunch of companies make front dropped uprights for these yr cars . I used fatman fab on the original chassis , before I put the el camino under it . They say it gives you about a 2 1/2" drop but with 185/15 front tires it really gets down there . Too bad I already sold my dropped uprights .
Tell your b/f that a 6" chop is a crap load of work .. oh and good luck .... not sure if I would go that heavey again
Newest picutres . Still not low enough yet ,but I havnt done the channel yet Just a little reminder of what it looked like a week after I dragged it out of a barn . And for those who think I cut up a very nice shape car ... wrong... its a true Mn car the interior was completely eaten by mice (which there were still a few jumping outa it when I drove it home) and there is alot of hiden rust . Even the original owner doesnt recognize it any more
Well, the 6 inch chop complet and the doors are chopped and back on the car. Now I get to start the grinding. He lowered it, but still not where we want it. We will get it there sooner then later, seeings it is the car we are taking to VLV in April. I will update pictures soon.
For those who have PMed me and asked why Im channeling it , because it looks low enough to you ....... I WANT MY ROCKERS AND SKIRTS ON THE GROUND I took a pic of my 48 with the bags fully up to show how much room I have to play with when it comes to the channel First pic bags down , undriveable at this low Second pic bags completely up , the antifreeze jug just about fits under The only reason I am going to do a 5" or 6" channel is the steel stock I am using is 1"x1" so after its done the body will sit only 4 or 5" lower then it does now not the 5 or 6 . Which will give me plenty of room to raise it up for pot holes , driveways and such . The only thing I need to check on before I channel it is head room , but I dont think that should be a problem right now there is still alot left to work with , if I have too Ill find lower seats
I think it looks pretty good! Never liked those body styles. Never been a fan of Sedans. But recently,CraigR's 40 Ford Gasser,and now your car,i'm changing my mind! Must have been a bitch making that roof flow with the back. You did a great job...
Well Bob I hear that alot (not likeing this body style). Personally I LOVE sedans , all the room inside ,in my club there are alot of 40s sedans . When it comes to the roof it really wasnt that bad to make it flow into the trunk , I layed the rear window insted of chopping it so that helped , the rear just kinda fell into place
Well seeing my pain in my arse (GF) was in one of her monthly BAD MOODS yestureday , and didnt want to go out for new years , which means I couldnt go out either . Well I could have gone out but whoooo boy would I have had to deal with her rath . So I desided to go out in the garage and mess around for a while with my 48 . I started by removing the front chevy wings on my hood and welded up the holes , and then I welded up center seem in the hood . before after Then I started cutting and welding up my interior window trim .Alot of people will tell ya this can be very hard , due to how thin the steel is. Personally I dont think its that hard , after I cut it I simply used the door as a jig and welded it up .
For those of you that have been following along . I think I may have found the bumpers I want to use on my 48 . I have never liked the stock ones and have always planed on changing them , it was just a matter of what I was going to use . Well I got 2 sets of bumpers from a 49 buick that I am thinking of using . Im still not sure about the rear but I really like the front , the best part is they were FREE and in very good shape although they will need to be rechromed . Heres a pic of what they look like , the pics are not the bumpers I got , just reference .
The Jalopy Journal
