Art & Inspiration Chopped verses Non chopped Hot Rods

I am an odd duck. If a car is gonna be chopped I like them either chopped really mild, like the width of a hinge on an A or deuce are car, or hammered to the max. As much as I am ashamed to admit it I really like mail slots.

Everything can be chopped, but I am not sure that everything needs to be chopped. Let me see if I can find an example.

chopped



not chopped



I like it both ways, but I am not sure that the chop is entirely necessary

 

this car on the other hand really needed to be hammered to the max

 

My Brother traded for this unfinished Chopped 48 Ford, He passed away shortly after, and left it to me to make it useful, after many months of correcting problems, I like the car, drives nice with plenty of power. the back seat is comfortable only if you're under 5 feet tall. I have always avoided chopped cars, but I like it.

 

Chopped like my truck and tub

 

Personal preference for an A is a chop. With this car, we decided just a hair would do..l”

 

IMPO, your car wouldn't be the knock out it is if it were chopped! HRP

 

Chopped.
But no smaller than the size of your head or your ass.
Whichever is bigger.
LOL

 

In the long run it's personal preference, does a chopped top hot rod look killer, you bet it does but if your 6'4" and a septuagenarian you may prefer comfort over the killer factor, hot rods are cool regardless! HRP

 

Ricky, does that apply to those of us with our heads UP our asses?

 

Yes, Jack.
The math is the same. LOL

 

I've been looking at this 1926 Dodge 4dr I have here. Thought that if I ever built it as a sedan, chopping it wouldn't be right. It's too cute. Not tough enough. LOL

 

It's your choice. The whole reason to build a Hot Rod, is to have a car that you LOVE, and is different from what the factory, or what someone else may, or may not like. Guess what I like? Lol We do have a comfortable Nomad as a daily. But I don't think of it as a Hot Rod.

 

There are occasions when nothing but a hard chop is right and other occasions when chopping the top is 100% the wrong thing to do.

What I admire is when a builder knows what's "right".

 

Drop the hammer i say........

 

I did this 30 sedan back in the late 70’s. 4-1/2”
I think it was perfect!

 

2”

 

Depends on the car. If you chop a B400 you probably you are not doing it any favors. I like most of them but mine are not chopped. Just finished, done

 

squashed

 

Don
so cooool

 

Interesting discussion. I don't think there's a right or wrong answer here. Chopped, or not, really depends on the overall look and proportions of the car. You take into account the stance as well as the intended purpose and direction of the build. I've seen chopped cars and trucks that are just plain out of proportion. I've seen un-chopped ones that are just plain out of proportion too. And even some of those "cartoonish/over-chopped" examples can look surprisingly good.
Chopping a top is not a modification in and of itself. It has to be part of the overall package, and it has to fit.

 

Chopped…….yes
Unchopped….yes
Driven………..Absolutely

 

My personal choice was un-chopped, because of my ever degrading spine condition means that no way could I contemplate driving my 3w coupe if I had chosen to have given it a haircut.
Doesn't mean I don't like a nice hammered coupe though....

 

Now that is an entirely new discussion.

I cannot agree more. 40 Ford coupe is a perfect example. I have seen a few that someone hammered. The only one I recall, that in my honored opinion (he says tongue in cheek), was done by Sam Barris. The proportion and shape was perfect.






Obviously that is opinion.

 

40 ford coupes should not be chopped

 

Just thinking, "no chop" finished how many years sooner? Being as mine is chopped and I have a lot more work in the works this time around.

 

When I bought the body for my 34, the top had already been cut off........ Ended up with a 3.5" cut.

 

And that's what makes this stuff interesting, everyone has a different opinion of what looks good. Personally the pictured car is not an improvement over a stock height 40 to me.

There's a 39 Ford local to me that was done in the 50's that looks great. It was also sectioned and has a lot of other metalwork done though (below).

 

I'm on the side of preferring chopped tops as I think most original pre-35 vehicles had roofs that were too tall in proportion to the body. And I have seen chops that were extreme that I thought looked great. However, I don't think that all chops turn out as well as they could. It has to fit the overall theme the car was built for, and the stance has to be right. I think its much harder to get a stock height car or truck to have a good stance and look "right".........

Also, in many cases extending the body of some vehicles (especially trucks of that era) in conjunction with a chop works wonders for the aesthetics and makes it easier to get a good stance. I like the 32 3 window and it seems roomy inside to me (6" 210) and I think many people just choose the wrong seats when building. A 5 window has small doors and is harder to get in and out of, and seems to have less room to work with.

I think that maybe a 2" chop along with some effort in getting correct seating, and most above average height people can make a chopped top work for them.





Don't know how anybody would not love driving any of these.............

 

You are 100% correct, the 40 as a work of art that Henry perfected before it left the factory