I am going to chop my 48 Ford p.u. soon. I don't want to quarter the roof. I have second top to extend it, but want to lean the sides in like i would on a car. Any advice or even better pics.?? Thanks in advance.
I do not know about laying the top in on the sides. I think you would run into issues with the side windows. They are already out against the outer door skin already. Here is a picture of mine with a 4 inch chop. It lays in pretty go aready
Hi, I felt 5" was the most I could chop my 48 without quartering the roof..When I tacked the back half on, I tacked the driver's side first and than used a C-clamp to pull it together on the passenger side....Milo
b-bob I just did a 4'' chopped on my 47 ford panel. I didn't lay the pillars back cause I wanted working windows. Here is a link to my build thread, hope this helps. Dan http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=439462
Thanks for your replys, I'll have to look into this problem with the door glass. SM 48 did you run into this problem the way you did yours. Those pictures are great, they show the relief cuts you made and the fact you pulled it together is helpful. I have a 51 rear window that i want to use as well, i just like the larger window. I know, somebody will try and tell me it's a 51 truck, but thats OK. Rusty, you are a brave man, tackling welding up those long flat sides.
I chopped the wing windows but the side windows work great...Didn't even take them out of the door.......
SM48, thanks for the info, this helps me a lot. Hope to get the time in the next couple weeks to start. I'll post my progress if anyone is interested. Maybe i can help someone like else.
Hey b-bob, I would like to see your progress on the chop. Would like to do one myself someday. I always thought a person should shorten the "forehead" on those pick-ups. Ahybody done that?
I am just finishing up a little job and should get started by the end of the week. Next week the sawsall should be hummmin'. This will be the first 48 i've done, so there may be some head scratching going on. I want to do the roof first and change to the larger 51 rear window after that.
Got the pick up in the shop today, stripped out the glass and interior. Hope to start on it tomorrow after studying just exactly where i want to cut across the the roof to extend it. My second section isn't that big so it will be near the front.
I took 5" out of mine. Lot's of build pics in my album. No problems with side glass. I had to make the roof about 2" longer but no wider. Only one cut & splice.
go on face book and look up old tins that guy has pictures and can show you the way to lay the windshield back with out quarter the roof.
I think if you keep the chop to 4 or less inches you can probably get by with only lengthening the roof. Should be enough clearance inside the door to adjust the window channels. I chopped my 49 COE 4 inches, but I quartered the roof, using another roof for the splice pieces. My width adjustment (from memory) is about 1.25 inches in the middle of the roof. The length adjustment is about 2.5 inches. I kept all my pillar angles stock and also cut down the vent windows which now work great. The side windows are the original ones, just don't roll up as far. I cut 2 inches above and below the rear window and left it stock size. Obviously needed to get new front windshield glass cut. I think these trucks don't look as good if you lay the windshield back. The sides are fairly vertical so that is why I think you could get by with only lengthening the roof and just adjusting the pillars.
Thanks for the suggestions, my original plan was only 2 inches and now plan on three. I want to keep it mild and just take some of the top-heavy look out of it. Enough studying, i better get out and do it. Also chop 51, do you still own the Merc? If so i know you from work.
Roof is almost off, about a quarter of an inch to cut on each corner. Had a better look today at my second roof section. It's got some damage that is going to need some work to fix, and it's the front section and it doesn't come back as far as i would like. If i use it, the join is going to be in the curve of the roof at the front, probably above the vent window. I have an idea in my head, but i will have to see how it sits after the roof is lowered. I don't want to end up with a sea of Bondo up there, so it has to fit up well. More tomorrow afternoon.
I don't have any pics yet today, but the roof is all tacked back together. This splice in the roof gave me one hell of a headache to figure out. Because the donor section was so bad ,i had to trim the sheetmetal off the top and leave the metal from the back half that much longer to reach forward to touch the front piece. Not brain surgery, but a lot of numbers to keep track of. And i just kept double checking everything, because i didn't want to screw-up roof. When i joined it to the front piece i also sliced the sides at the join and lowered the 'hump' a bit. Not a lot , but it helped. Lunch is over now back to work.
Not to discourage b-bob, but I am yet to see a bonus built Ford that looks good to me chopped. Hopefully yours bucks that trend because most vehicles I have seen end up looking pretty good after a good chop. My friends wanted me to chop a very little bit out of my '49 F-1, but just so it would not look chopped unless you knew...which made no sense to me. If I were to put that much time into one aspect of my build I would want it to stand out, so I left it as is. I think these trucks look spot on from Ford with a slight altitude adjustment and proper attire. Just my opinion.
Here is my progress for the day. Roof is welded back on, and just needs a little detailing at the front. The back is welded at the door posts, but i will leave this till i install the 51 rear window. Tomorrow i'll finish up a little bit of welding on the inside and than start the door frames. Here are the pics as promised.
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