Chop my 29 Closed Cab or Trade? Sell?

OK, so I'm probably going to open a really big can of worms here, but here goes...
Look, fellow HAMBers, I've been reading lots of threads trying to glean lots of info before I start my project, a 29 Ford AA truck. While doing so, it appears that TONS of HAMBer's are very much against chopping and otherwise tearin' up a (somewhat rare nowadays?) 29 closed cab.
Fraught with guilt (sorry, I'm an English major ), I'm now second guessing my decision to chop and channel my closed cab. Unfortunately, I'm not a stock Pete and Jake's (or Newport Engineering) "phone booth" kind of guy. I'm also thinking about (gasp! ) trying to do an extended cab with some 30-31 quarter windows since EVERY THREAD I read about chopping/channeling a 29-29 closed cab complains about how cramped the cabs are. And, since becoming a (somewhat) traditional convert, I'm having second thoughts about doing this.
I really like Weesner's closed cab that he did (see attached pic) and would like to do something similar, but on the other hand, I'm not so attached to this that I'm opposed to p***ing this closed cab off to someone who really wants one to keep it a phone booth.
I know the arguments about "It's yours, do what you want!" and the, "ARRGGHH! Don't chop it, you Rat Bas%#rd!". What I think I need here is the wisdom of the HAMBer's to help me make a decision on what to do. I'm completely open to doing a trade or selling the closed cab for something else in the interest of not screwing up this closed cab. Comments? Opinions? Anyone?
Annnndddd, Thanks in advance! Have at it, HAMBer's!!

 

As far as how I like them, Full fendered, unchopped and low... But that doesn't matter! The only thing I know for certain is that if you are going to chop and channel one of these trucks you better have a lepruchon's build, cause a standad 6' 180 - 200lbs guy isn't going to fit. I sold mine years ago because at 6' 180lbs it was too cramped to be very comfortable. Full fendered and unchopped.

 

hey some pretty rare cars have been turned into hot rods. i would say do what ever make you happy. thats the best thing about cars. you can do what ever you want. of course there are going to be people on both sides of the fence that say leave it stock or it's your car do what you want with it. but as i said what makes you happy is what you need to do. so if you feel that a rare car needs to be restored then by all means p*** it to the next feller. but if you don't have a problem turning it into a hot rod then by all means go for it.

 

Yeah, my size is another issue I've been thinking about. I'm middle aged (meaning I can't contort as well as I used to...) and 6', tall torsoed, and about 225#...

 

Me too, thats how they look best. The best Ford pickup design ever, there is nothing you can do to improve on the factory design.

 

Not sure how close they are, but I channeled my TT about 5" in front and about 4" in back. I'm about 6'2" close to 250 , using the stock seat pan I have alot of head room and it's not uncomfortable to drive.
Forgot to say it's not chopped.

 

There is nothing too rare about it. There are still quite a few of those trucks about in the world. My problem with chopping and channeling them has always been space first and looks a distant second. To my eye they just don't look right chopped and channeled. A '30-'31 cab looks great preportioned that way, but a '29 just is too square.

 

Here's how I determined the chop for my 33 pickup: I sat in the seat I planned to use in the truck. Had my neighbor kid [you can do this yourself too] measure from the top of my head to the inside of the top. I gave myself an inch and a half "clearance" for head room and cut the remiander away...thr remainder was 5 and a half inches. I was very comfortable driving the little chopped truck.
If you're worried about resale value, might chop it less. Personally, I cut the top to fit me and to hell with anybody else.

 

I channelled my '29 4" then chopped it about 6". I built a custom sloped roof that gives me a little more head room, but I can tell you it is pretty tight. And by tight I mean my legs around the steering wheel and legs bent at about 45 degree angles. My seat is basically sitting on the floor and I'm 6' tall. Having said all this I have put 13000 miles on it and drive it to work most days 40 miles round trip and have done some 400 mile cruises in it. You just need to get out and stretch at the fuel fillups.





Josh Quick
Quick Speed Shop

 

Well, that's kinda what I was thinkin', but in the threads I've read quite a few HAMBer's have been having trouble scarin' up these cabs, or even the parts, etc. (fer' instance, "ARRGGHH! I've been looking for doors for 2 years for mine! Do you know how much I'd pay for just the doors on that thing!?!?" As such, that's why I'm second guessing my ideas of what I want to do with my truck.
Keep it comin'! Thanx!
Gotta get ready for work. I'll Bttt this thread later...

 

To me very few 28-9 PU look right chopped and channeled. But practically all of them look good full height and with fenders. Beyond that, all I'm going to say is if your heart isn't 100% into a project, don't do it....you'll just end up screwing up a body that might be someone else's dream car.

 

x2 to that
tk

 

Here's what I did with mine. Chopped 4-1/2", lengthened 4" behind the door with model T coupe quarter windows and not channeled.

 

If you are going to chop it and channel it, then I'd drop the floors so they are level with the bottom of the frame rails. Gary

 

I've noticed that a lot of people who say those trucks are too small were sitting in a stock one with the tall stock seat which puts even my head in the rafters. You can package the seat/steering/shifter any way you want within reason, but you have to figure out how you fit before you build it. If you're much over 6' it may be too small no matter what you do.

I personally don't dig added quarter windows, or extended cabs...

They are better full fendered, (like in my "Surf Menace" poster,) but I REALLY wanted a chopped, channeled and shortened A pickup at the time and I scratched that itch. Robert Williams gave me a ration of **** for "ruining another Model A" but I'm pretty sure he was just trying to get a rise out of me.

Here's a ****py pic of my seat and steering arrangement-

 

Part of the charm of phone booth PU's is the tall top.. But hey, do what feels right.......

 

I like the 29 Phone booth pickup trucks just the way they are. No chop.

 

Bttt for the evening crew. Thanx for all the input so far, guys...

 

I have been collecting pics for a while so I will share a few that I have that are chopped and channeled. I decided to go with a pinched duce A frame from brookville with a 4" chop.

[/IMG]

[/IMG]

[/IMG]



[/IMG]

 

Hey, where can I see more of that blue panel painted '29 pickup w/Radirs? I'd never seen that one...

Also, Mike Roberts' angle-chopped '29 from NZ is going to be a killer! I saw it when I stayed at his house last year- Lots of amazing construction details...

 

Just by looking at what's been offered in this thread I say chop it, there are some cool looking trucks posted here.

 

Those things really are cramped. A friend is building one now and initially he wanted to chop his as well... Until he sat in it a few times.... Not much room at all, worse than a coupe.

 

Personally I would say not to chop it but that is because I do not like the look of the boxy cab when it is chopped, just personal preference. The pic in my avatar is a TT that will stay unchopped as long as my name is on the ***le. If you had a '30 or newer cab I would say go for it.

Now that being said, it is your vehicle. If you like the look of a chopped truck then do it. This hobby is more about doing what you want with your vehicle and not worrying about what others think.

 

If you want a chopped one I have a cab with extra cab corners, you keep your nice doors. I am going to build one with fenders and no cop.

 

I'm 6'2" and 195 lbs. My 29 AA is tight and nothing I would drive for hours on end. Its a matter of fitting and proportion. If you're 5'10" or less, a chop might be comfortable, but these were never made for long drives regardless of the size of drivers and occupants. They were work vehicles and the backs are straight up. You want comfort, either get the Australian 6" corner extensions or swap for another year cab.

 

Roupe's truck is one of my favorite fender-less pickups. Me likey!

My dad has had a running driving AA flatbed truck for years that we use to haul firewood. It's definitely a squeeze to get in and out off if you're bigger than average.

 

Well, you can't mention 28-29 Ford Phone Booth PU without a picture of Jake's truck poping into my head. That is THE 28-29 Ford Pickup IMO, so sell/swap your cab and let someone build a stock height one.

 

Thats the truck I am "cloning"

 

Exactly. Build it to fit you and if someone else likes it that is good and if they don't that is good also.

Too often we miss out on our own personal build because we think that it is an investment that we need to make money off of. Hot rodding is all about you building your own personal car to fit you and your likes or dislikes. I have a saying that i have stuck to for a very long car. Everyone should own a vehicle at least once in their lifetime that is custom built just for them.

Now as for the original question to the OP. If you are too big for it trade it to someone who isn't. I am pretty short like 'em hammered and don't live too far away if you catch my drift.

Back on track here after my shamless plug. There are some tricks that can be done if you decie that you want to chop and channel. Drop me a note if you decide to go that route and we'll exchange ideas.

BTW that is a nice truck to start with. They are a nice design and look fine as a phone booth but I still prefer them with a little off the top. It is not too nice to cut up, you are always better off to start with the best pieces you can find than modify to taste.

 

HEY, I wanna see the panel painted one too! I dismissed it as a nice model car, but it is an actual pickup, no? I've never seen this one either?! Me likey.

Oh, as far as favorite 28 style for pickups? Yeah, I agree, full fendered, stock or nearly stock height roof and stupid low with huge differential in front to rear tire diameter. I think it has the same appeal and is why the Uncertain-T is so cool. The forward tipping vertical lines.