a few CHOP TOP questions on a 49-52 chevy sedan using stock rear glass

Sam, I know you probably have the technical expertise to pull it off.
The asthetic part of the job is where you need to tread carefully. If it don't look right, it's shit.
If you are having trouble with the lines of the roof, or the placement/position of the rear window, get the front tacked together where you want it. On a Chevy like yours, 2 1/2 to 4 in. is the norm. Put a jack, or portapower under the rearpart of the roof, and lower it in increments, while standing back and looking at it from a distance. In profile, and in rear 3/4. Walk around it to see it from all angles. If you've got a good eye, you'll know when it's right. Tack in place when you've got it.
As for the rear windshield. I usually cut it out with 3-4 in. at the top, and sides, and about an inch at the bottom. I usually leave the glass in, but cover it with several layers of duct taps, so weld spatter doesn't harm it. If you decide to remove the glass, weld a couple braces in so it doesn't get warped, or twist.
Whe the roof is tacked in, replace the rear window. Prop it up into the opening, and lean it down to meet the roof. Again. look at it from all angles. sometimes you have to move the window forward, and not lean it so much. There are times when it may even look better if you move the window back toward the trunk lid. Play around with the lean angle, and the distance from the trunklid until you get it right. The sheet metal is not that hard to work, as long as you get the right look. I have extended catwalks, shortened them. left windows at the stock angle, moving them higher up into the roof, and leaned them down radically. Just be sure you have some visability out the rear, if you lean it down a lot.
Sometimes, it's just a matter of a fraction of an inch to get it all to work together. I chopped Kustom7777's 41 Cadillac, and we kept playing around with the height of the roof rear. We thought we had it, and were looking form about 10 feet away, when I went and lowered it another 1/4 or 1/2 in. and it looked perfect! The same with the back glass, just moving it forward an inch and a half, and NOT letting it lean down too far, really made it look "right". Don't be afraid to cut loose tackwelds, and play around with it until it's right. Push it outside and look at it from a distance, too.
I did a couple how-to's on chops...K7777's Caddy, and XpitsX's 54 Plymouth. Overlooking the technical stuff, it gives a good idea how to adjust angles, and heights until you get the look you want. Maybe do a search on them.

 

Sam, I can help with the chop if you need it. I have chopped a couple before. Hope to see you Saturday.

 

Great Thread, Sam, keep us up to date when you start....Ill be whacking mine this fall....

 

I think this one nails it!

 

awesome,!! thanks for the tech guys,,really helpfull,, everybit of advice is greatly apreciated...

my main thing was the area above the rear glass ,,,seeing the piecuts above the rear glass makes perfect sense...

and thanks for the pics! i never get tired of seeing mcphails car!

 

Dammit buttreynolds.. I talk myself into leaving my car alone and now you bring this up.. I've got extra sheetmetal if you need it.. lemme know when you are going to cut it I might just come help...

Brian

 

Hey,

Chopolds made a great point on the backlight treatment, covering
in with the 200mph. tape, or reinforcement of the frame if ya remove it. My vote goes to removal of the glass early in the game..........
With all welding and metalshaping you'll need to do to get the "flow"
dead-on-the-money the glass is nothin' but in the way. More hammer and dolly and hammerwelding work in that area of the chop will in-
sure a better, longer lasting job.When a chopped vehicle starts to get
alittle long in the tooth, age wise, that area is usually where the job
fails first, usually because of the thick filler used. Also, when ya start
to mud the area, you'll need to blend the filler well into the area that's covered by the gasket/glass.

Swankey Devils C.C.

 

Probably not technically accurate but should give you a good idea

 

my buddy's old pontiac sedan.

 

Here's mine.......

Five inch chop. English wheeled panel as a transition from back glass to roof. Sail panels are also new English wheeled pieces. Back glass was moved forward and up three or so inches, with a filler panel fabbed to close the gap.

 

Little more detail..I tend to forget that most guys haven't done this.
After fitting up the backlite, with the glass still in it (you really DO need it in, so you can see the final lines of the roof. An empty opening does not give you the right look) you then need to tack it in very well, tie in the inner supports, and then remove the glass, like pimpin said, to finish welding, and metal work the welds.
And just like tinman, I had to wheel out the filler between the main part of the roof, and the top of the rear windshield. Also the sail panels, just to make them cleaner. Not all Frankensteined welded. The top of the window section, I think, could have been made with just a strip of metal, and a hand shrinker. Not a lot of shape there. The way I figure out how much filler up there is to take a piece of welding rod, and roll it betweeen the window surround, and the roof. It will take a slight curve, which the sheet metal needs to do, and I mark it out where the rod touches each section. Be sure to look at the profile, so you have the correct amount of curve. The lines where the rod touches become the cut lines, and a filler piece is fabricated to fill it in. I do it in 2 or 3 pieces, so I don't completely cut out all the support out of the roof. I cut out one area, and replace it before going on to the next, not all at one time.
The pieces to extend the catwalk have very little shape, as well, so you don't have to do extensive metalwork to make them. The sail panels usually need the most curvature. Sometimes pieces off another roof, or even a hood can be utilized, if you don't have a Wheel.

 

Ratstu did a mild chop on Poncho's ride last summer, turned out great. Here's a couple of pics.

 

guys once again,,the info and pics are great!

killer info chopolds! thanksagain!,,and thanks fiftyfiveford for the photochop! i dig it,,im thinking a lil more in the rear,,,

Ollin & Custom 54,,,,,do you know how much your buddies cars were chopped?

 

me 2 !

 

well,,you know,,,it's still not to late to turn back! hahahhaa

i still need to remove the interior and rest of the glass and put some wheels back on it,,,,,,

 

I believe it 6" in \. Ill ask him this weekend..

 

Some progress pics of mine...

 

cool pic

 

whoa 2007. Sam, that car was awesome, have any pics of the new owner with it?

 

4in chop w/slanted post looks killer.

 

I agree,I can't get enough of the Los Cochinos cars!

 

i did,but i tried looking for them a lil while back,but couldnt find them on my computer,...

he installed the side glass,had the interior done swapped the driveline and had some pinstriping done on it,but that was about a year ago last i heard from him.

i wonder if he painted it???

here is a pic of it before i sold it,,,

BTW, even though this thread is over a year and a half old,thanks again for all the tech advice to everyone who posted here!

 

SAM F, didn't you like just convert a 4 door to a 2 door and do a chop???? If so, why you asking us hacks?? Shouldn't we be asking you???

Have you seen the post from HOITINK ??? Pretty good stuff.

 

beacuse this thread is from over a year and a half ago,,,look at the date on the first post

 

Sweet sweet sweet. My 49 Styleline is going under the knife in the New Year with plans to have the chop finished by March Meet.

Chopt49 I have saved your pics and sent them to the guys that are gonna be helping with the top.

Sam F. thanks for keeping this one going.