Was eyeing my project and was wondering what it would look like with the roof pan caked, I like the idea of chopping the top, but only a small amount to give the car better proportions. Pancaking the roof may do just that and without all of the h***le of getting gl***. Surely someones done it??
I can't imagine that being any type of improvement. ... but then again I've never seen it done. I'm thinking the roof skin from a hardtop model (no door posts) might accomplish this task, they seem to be more flat than the standard roof
I've kind of got an image in my mind of a car being dropped on it's roof and never repaired? But then my mind is pretty messed up. Stu
this is interesting to me also, I have a 34 chevy pickup that I'd like to build, the roof line has never looked right to me and is probably why I havent started working on it yet. I'd like to see some pictures of modifications done to roofs, not necisarily chops, but modifications to the overall shape. Cool thread!
One famous example is the Ayala chopped Dan Landon Coupe. Besides the chopping and pancaking, the windshield was laid back, and maybe extended into the roof. A real piece of work, to this day! Another example of mad skills. Sam Barris hammer-recessed the center portion of "El Capitola"'s roof 1/2".
are you thinking of it like this: http://www.customrodder.com/features/0703cr_1954_chevy_bel_air/index.html
im not up on all the custom jargon but ever since my girfriend bought her 50 pontiac sweepline or whatever they called it i call it a fastback ive thought if someone cut out about 21/2inches above the raingutters and laid it back down it would make a dramitic difference in the appearence of the car wouldnt need to cut any gl*** wouldnt loose much headroom or visabilty and still have a chop top look to it subtle changes are the best changes just enough to make someone stop and go ok whats different? would this treatment be pancaking?
I thought they did it on one of the Monster Garage episodes. I wannt think it was the yellow Chevy. Gene Winfield helped on that one just going from memory, will have to google it for the answer
Yeah that is pancaked, and it does look good. I think in conjunction with a subtle chop it would look really good..
Hard to explain but here's a pic of my 52, see how much bulge is in the top above the rear window? I'd like to flatten that out and give it a more streamlined look. I marked out the spot I'm talking about in black, the rear window would be laid down some too. Just an idea...
Hey, The term "Pancaking'' or to "Pancake'' doesn't really exist in ''traditional'' kustom work in the context you're using it here. To "Pancake'' a hood panel, is to build a new hood panel that no longer follows the old hood's shut lines, but looks like a trap door opening between the fenders-think '61 Lincoln Continental or Squarebird hood panels. To "Section'' be it pie or whole panel, is to remove a section of the panel to change its' shape or surface area, like you wanna do on your roof panel, or a hood or deck lid that is the size of Oprah's ***! " Life ain't no Disney Movie "
Wouldnt you call it dropping or lowering the crown? I have looked at lots of in progress chops and a few of them have done this towards the rear more of the roof and it does look really good on most cars unless you get to far forward. IMHO
Tired doing something like this to my 53 Chevy but it was too hard , (beyond my ability), so now i have a 53 chevy roadster !!! Lundo
It works best with a mild wedge to the cut. Start at nothing up front and then the cut gets bigger as it goes back. this is done a couple inches above the driprail, high enough to get to the backside. The rear crown on the roof of 54s was rather tall and would benefit from this greatly.
Metalshapes did a car of that era that he was chopping at the same time. Boyd's crew did a Fleetline 4 door that they stretched to accommodate a two door length front door and pancaked at the same time. It was in a magazine but I can't find it on line
I remember a shoebox that was chopped on here and the old timer that did it took an inch out above the gutter all around to flatten it. I can't remember whose and a search for 'chopped shoebox' gives 20 pages of results. Maybe someone will know the one I mean.
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