Build Thread: Kustom Chopped 41 Plymouth

My first suggestion would be take a few days and look through Riksters website if you are contemplating a traditional build. http://public.fotki.com/rikster/

It is the most complete archive of traditional custom photos out there. So I would suggest you look it over and see if you have any interest in going that direction with your car. If not this may not be the best site for ideas on a smooth build style. If you do decide to go traditional you will find no better assortment of knowledgable traditional custom guys out there.

 

Not dumb at all , just seriously way over done. These guys are givin you some great advice, may not be easy to hear but you'll be really glad if you atleast consider what they are sayin. BTW these things are obviously your call, but in some cases folks that have been there can see a "oh crap, why did I do that?" moment comin years ahead of you. This is one of those cases.

BTW I have a 40 convertible, so I have a bit of a soft spot for 39-41 Mopars! You'll really dig it!

 

thank you, there's some really great stuff there. I found this under the Plymouth section... it has a Lincoln front and the chop is a little different than mine, but it really captures the overall look i'm going for.
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i would do away with the decklid ornament and maybe the bumper, but otherwise this is pretty much what i've been seeing in my mind.

 

has anyone seen this thread on grinding your own whitewalls before?
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http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=124144
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i tried it on an old tire and it worked really good. But I'm still not sure if i dare to do it on my brand new set of BFGoodrich Radial T/A's. Has anyone tried it on that particular tire before?

 

Do it with the bumpers.

 

here ya go,, http://store.coker.com/670-15-coker-classic-2-3-4-ww.html.... these are what ya need.....

 

I say with bumpers too.

If you're going for a "traditional" look. The roll pan / smooth rear won't be as nice or "correct."

 

Freakin awesome chop bro, can't wait to see the finished product

 

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thanks to James D for pimping my ride. It's encouraging just to have an idea what it will look like all one color...
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also thanks to K13 for referring me to the Rikster site. Honestly my Kustom knowledge is a bit lacking (I'm a recently converted muscle car dork), but this site has made me totally reconsider how one should be done. I'd highly recommend it to anyone who hasn't seen it yet.

 

Great job on the Plymouth friend. Glad you sent it along to me. Nice to see Dad and his Son working together! For a while I had a Grandson working with me, but at 19, other things have gotten his interest! Remember When! Perley

 

hi guys. Took the Plymouth outside today so we could stand back and get some profile shots. I was a little upset at first because from the side, the profile of the back of the roof was a little too.... abrupt. It didn't "flow" like i wanted. We messed with it some and got it to lay down a little, and i like it better but i'm still not sure if i've nailed it yet. Take a look:
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Looks good so far...I agree with you that the shape of the roof profile needs a lil work...looks like a bit of a hump above the backlite.
Keep at it.

 

anyone else?

 

I think it looks good. You are gonna have a hard time making it "flow" any better.

Those BFG's would look better on a 73 camaro. Get some bi-plys.

 

I like it!!! Cool as hell to have your dad in on the build with u too. It looks like a fun bulid. My little opinion is no on the caddy lights, there are a bunch of other lights u can go with. The Rikster site is great, great for ideas and inspiration. Keep the photos coming and always stay positive. Its metal, u can always bang it back to normal. ha ha

 

Chuckles: i know what you mean about the BFGs, but the two things that won't be HAMB friendly about the car are the drivetrain and the rear tires. I like a good drag race and i am also a sore loser so they'll have to stay. I am going to put some skirts on it and put the blackwalls out to try to hide them.

Tiki: I've seen the light as far as the caddy lights go. I plan on using the stock taillights.

 

Hey,

This Ply is makin' my naughty parts tingle!

Given you're goin' the Racer/Kustom route, I might have gone with a 2-4 degree slant of the Cowl/A posts for a lakes/comp. style chop. Many more hours of work, but would improve the flow off the hood to turret top area.
The transformation from the Dutchman panel to the crown of the deck lid looks alittle askew in the photos, perhaps you could raise the Dutchman an RCH or pie section the quarter to improve the flow. If welded up as is, the Dutchman will be alittle flat in this area. Then again, maybe it's jus' the photo angle.

As for your tyre choice, any kinda horsepower would jus' go up in smoke if you ran RBP tyres, without a wide footprint you won't get any launch! Run skirts and drop the ass end for that all important ''taildragger'' look and who's gonna know?

'great lookin' Mopar kustom, there!

Swanky Devils C.C.
'' All great truths begin as blasphemies"

 

you have a good eye. That area isn't aligned quite right, so it's still going to have to be moved around a little bit before being welded up. I'm also thinking about making some relief cuts and stretching the c pillar areas back just a little... not sure on that yet. I love the way the roof and rear window look from the back but from the side it's not quite how I'd envisioned it.

p.s. thanks for the compliments

 

Here are some pix of a Plymouth that was at the Hunnert if you are interested

http://www.flickr.com/photos/pyrocars/4003152336/in/set-72157622565305200/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/pyrocars/4002389305/in/set-72157622565305200/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/pyrocars/4003173432/in/set-72157622565305200/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/pyrocars/4003173724/in/set-72157622565305200/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/pyrocars/4003174390/in/set-72157622565305200/

 

YES!!! I've been trying to find detailed pictures of that very car for a few days. You are my new best buddy whether you like it or not.

 

Good work man! I like the direction you're going with it!! The only advice i have for you is to BE PATIENT and HAVE FUN and don't get discouraged, next thing you know you'll be driving it!!

 

you're headed in the right direction, i think you need to lay the rear window down a little more,,not bad at all the way it is, but needs just a bit more flow in my opinion,,

 

i really think the chop looks good....
the only thing that doesnt and wont look right is the tires and widened rear fenders....
that thing would look sooo cool with some bias ply wide whites.....

 

...I had to wrestle with a chop on my '46 Lincoln, as well. Like your Mopar, the highest part of the roof on mine was just beyond the 'B' pillar and it looked funny when it was tacked together the first time. The solution was to chop the back 2" more than the 'A' pillars (my chop is 5" front and 7" back) and that made it flow much better. I also made several fore and aft relief cuts between the backlight area and a line across the roof above the 'B' pillars....
Anyway hope this helps, it's looking good and you're making great progess on a highly complex shape.....

 

Hey,

I kinda like the fullness of the shape of the top panel myself, afterall, it's a 40s era kustom, not 50s! Some really like that 'hard slope' look, and if that's what you're after you'll need to start your reshaping of the top panel well foward of the B posts. You could pie section the Sail panels jus' above the Drip rails, after you cut the backlight frame loose, or leave it attached by jus' a tab at it's center bottom. The pie cuts will let you drop the altitude of the panel, but you'll still need additional releif cuts, well up into the roof, to improve flow of the panel. You may well have to Ewheel some panels both above the Backlight, as well as the Dutchman panel to get a smooth transition from semi to low/no crowned areas, or many, many releif cuts, both will get you where you wanna be.

lookin' good!

Swanky Devils C.C.
' Humpty Dumpty was pushed !"

 

If something tells you it's not quite right, listen to that feeling now, no point wishing later. I think you're right, the rear of the roof still looks a little notch-back. Kinda fat looking rubber out back, I guess that's why you've got the fenders spaced out?

Racer custom? Sounds like an oxymoron.

Keep at it, you'll get it.

 

Hey Zombie, the 41 looks great, I have often wondered about chopping my 41 chrysler. I agree with most here that the back needs to come down abit to get that sloped look. I must admit that I'am completly baffled as to chopping mine, its a 3 window coupe, kind of rare but without the rear quarter windows I think I would be stuck fabricating a ton where you have all the pieces since your roof is longer to start out with.

Here is photo of mine, maybe you (or others) can give me some pointers at how I would approach this
, sorry if I'am jacking your post, these cars dont come up often. Been here for years....just dont see a 41 chop post often



heres another shot



Thank you

Brent

 

Hey,

Jus' my point of view, but if you're goin' after the look of the one at the "Hunnert", you'll miss the mark! That vehicle, as your's is, is made up of many high crowned Art Deco type shapes. That chop doesn't spend much time takin' that into consideration and throws the baby out with the bath water, so to speak. It's all about the chop which doesn't flow with any of the other panels on the vehicle, shit, you could shoot a game of pool off the middle of the roof! A good chop tips its' hat to the rest of the shapes of the panels on the vehicle, it doesn't say "hey, look at me!".

As your chop sits right now, I don't think you're far from home. If you flatten the crown of the roof much, you'll still have the shape and fullness of the decklid, plus your widened rear fenders, all full round shapes that won't match your flattened roof. People won't miss the fact that your's is chopped, but there are some things you can't cover up with a good coat of paint!

I don't meen to fling shit at the guy's '41 at the "Hunert", I'm sure it looks great up close and personal, the paint in the photos sure does. It's jus'that he's done you a great service by showing "a'' way to chop a '41, maybe not the only way, though! But..........perhaps all my taste is in my mouth, I own a '61 Fury & a '62 Dart.

Swanky Devils C.C.
" Your head would look good on a pike"

 

I agree with Kustom7777 the rear window need's to be laid down a little more for better flow Danny.

 

i think it looks good the way you have it, if you lay the back windaow down more your quater window is going to be to small. i think the one at hunnert has to small of a quarter window