Chopping A Fat Ford

I'll have to keep this in mind for when I lower the lid on the '38. Not a coupe but the principles will be the same.

 

The illustrations are cool, but they over-simplify the process (if you simply pie-cut and spread the top half of the cone, you do NOT get a smooth transition to the bottom).

There are a lot of really good threads on chopping cars right here on the HAMB (and the results are a lot prettier than that '36). Sledge shopping the Mexicali Merc is one of my favourites. Different car, same principal. I've learned a lot from that one, the chopping starts at post #234...

http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=681319

 

Thanks Ryan,
The chop on the 37 was done on a 4-door, using two roofs and converting to 2-door with coupe doors. A guy I used to work with had it done, but ran out of cash after it was painted, so I bought it and got it running.
As you noted, these cars need the proportions done just right or else they kinda look a bit wrong.
Anyway, thanks for posting the info, it is well-explained.
Cheers.

 

Those old line drawings are awesome. I've been on a technical drawing kick lately because of the Dan Post reprint project we've been working on. Some of the illustrations they were doing were really elaborate (and very cool), but the simple sketches they were using to illustrate ideas like chopping and channeling were neat even if they didn't quite nail the proportions - especially since those were foreign concepts to a lot of readers at the time (can you imagine trying to explain some of this stuff without pictures?). Here's one illustrating channeling that I liked. I also always loved the drawing of Glen Johnson's Ford from the '52 Hot Rod. It's so cool.

 

I also like this chop (since I now have a '41 coupe), and it is done more like the one in the article...

http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=447814

I asked Mr. Winfield about chopping my coupe this way and he said "I will hate you forever if you do that!" It leaves humps beside the rear gl***, and Gene hates humps.

 

primer on those cars in old pics looks so much different than primer looks today....ya know? like its thicker/more high quality...kind of has some sort of a semi gloss look too it that you can't get today....

 

Bringing it back up from page 6.
Psssst,guys...... it's custom stuff.... shhhhhh....
post some other chopped 36 5 windows,please.
don't like the chop on this one?
I'd drive the hell out of it.

 

made me think of this one...




Everytime I hear chopped 36 5w, I think of this car...it made me think chopped 35/6 5 windows could be cool...

http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=404856

 

Love the cone diagram, good stuff.

 

Yep more chopped 5 windows 36s please

 

Sledges thread has been a great read so far.

 

I might have some pics somewhere

 

Getting ready to chop my 36. The 36 in the illustration with the streatched roof is to flat! It looks od to take the roundness out of the roof. I plan to bring the hole turret forward and fill in between the roof and the trunk to make a little more like 3 window proportions. This will take many more cuts but will leave the roundness to the roof so it's not to flat.

 

Those old drawings are neat, but I will never understand how anyone can look at a stock 35-36 5w coupe body and think "this thing is out of proportion, I think I'll cut the roof up". For me , it's one of those that just needs left alone. Every one of em I've seen chopped looked worse than stock.

Maybe a very slight chop..say 1 1/2" would be nice, but a big chop just looks goofy.

 

Sounds like a great plan kippers. Here´s a good example on doing it that way. Propably more difficult maintaine proportions when chopping a 5w than on a 3w

 

Now that chop looks good. With a little shiny paint that 36 would be stunning! I think the proportions look good if you keep the roof round. Metal man is right if you just streatch the roof in the middle (like most do) then you might as well just start with a sedan you have almost the same profile.

 

Sledges chops are spectacular. His lines are even better than Barris,s. But IMO I dont think you can chop a 35 to 40 ford in that style.

 

The bare car above is one of the best 5w chops I've seen. I totally agree, the 3w takes a chop better.

The first car I ever chopped was my '40 coupe, which is another car that I usually don't like chopped. I cut the A pillars, removed the B pillars , and cut through the driprail (which was rusty and that's what started the whole thing). Cutting through the driprail allowed me to lay the roof skin down to meet everything else.

There was a lot more to it than that,obviously,and I even switched the rounded top part of the quarter window from one side to the other, it just looked better that way, as the radius of that piece changes from one end to the other.

I only chopped it 1 3/4" and then replaced the driprail line with 5/16" copper tubing leaded to the body.

If the driprails had been cherry, I would have never dreamed of cutting the top...It just sorta happened. Did the chop on Christmas day,1986.

 

I totally agree with you keeping the roof round but important that the highest point don´t bee to far backwards. I think somewhere between the center of the door and the b-pillar will look good.

 

I would think that one way to lower the top is say cut 3" at the front post and 2" in the rear.........

 

I plan to start with 2 in front and 2 or 2 and a half in the rear. My stance is already verry close to the bare 36 so that should keep the crown highest farther forward.

 

Ryan which issue # was that article in there seams to be several differant issue #s in 1952 always reading thanks.

 

Another thing I like about the old Hot Rod handbooks and Custom Cars Annuals etc. is being able to see the quality of the metalwork. Take a good look boys- You'll never find the level of finish in the metalwork stage that is seen today. Lap welding and lead was a Customizer's best friend back in the day.I've always been a strong believer that if you really want to build a traditional rod or custom, the best way to learn is by reading the old magazines.

 

Have a 36 3w in my garage which gonna be chopped one day.Planning something like Caloris and Fishers. Got some info from Rikster saying somewhere around 3 Inch in front and 3 and 1/2 in back will be great

 

That really is an excellent thread!