well i figured since plans have changed a little or alot i am going to start a new thread for Teds car.. After about a day and a half of thinking i finalyl pullled he trigger on the grinder and hack saw.... no more removable hardtop but a killer chop in the works... chopped an inch and a half in the a pillars gonna go a little more though. brace time i was really worried about the inner structure on this chop so i wanted some access well a bunch of access. i wanted to be able to weld the bracing back together from all sides and not leave it un welded on one side. we are not worrying about the stock back window on this chop soooo time to get the roof free probably thinking.... back on a small slit in the a pillars to get everything to line back up the roof is just on with vice grips at the moment tops gonna go down another quarter inch or so in the front then gotta get the new back window and sheetmetal in. all and all a pretty good day for about 7 hours worth a work . this was a pretty weird chop and very hard and very easy at the same time.i probably have about 10 hours staring and drawing on the car before i even though about cutting it.very easy once i got rolling on it though.def not a chop for the faint of heart .
Nice, Flop! Real real nice. Keep the updates rolling. You're a talented man. BTW...I'm Heading to Pittsburgh on the 27th. I'll try to get up with you. ******Knuckles
Nice chop. Never easy on these due to the thin, curved-style of the C Pillar. Love to see the finished product ! Jonnie King www.legends.thewwbc.net
Nice chop, glad to see you didn't cut too much, interested in what you are doing about the back window.
I've chopped one of these, and my '59 T'Bird, which also has a compound curved wrap around w/s. Like James, I'm interested to see how you tackle the w/s...
i have 2 windshield im gonna try and cut em eventually. gonna try the wet tile saw apprpach. doesnt seem like to much has changed really with the compound curve.there are atleast a dozen chopped 54 -56 cads floating around with the windshields in so its possible in some way . yo ron give me a ring when your up here same number as before. thanks everyone more updates soon. its a weird chop its more about getting all the bracing welded then the sheetmetal right now which completely goes against the chop i did on the pontiac.
took another 5 /16ths out of the posts got the gaps nice and tight and the posts flow into each other real real nice heres a relief cut i put in the top of both posts to spread em out a taste . the posts for the most part are sitting there with out any tension on them. all tacked up here are some detail shots of whats going on in the back
Looks great, but I'm still sorta worried about how you're gonna get the gl*** to fit. Usually, in w/s like this, cut the gl*** first, than make the frame fit the gl***. Brian
you had me scared for a min Brian i had to go to the shop and put the w\s on the car now it doesnt scare me one bit. im gonna try and cut it with the tile saw and diamond blade for sure. if i crack it i know a pro can do this job for certain. no weird gaps or anything showing their faces. i think if it was chopped heavy though it would be bad . seems like it just needs an inch or so taken out of the bottom and the world would be right again . i appreciate your concern and thanks for makign me burn 4 bux worth of diesel ..for real i appreciate it (in all seriousness its really what the hamb is all about) !!!!!
Keep in mind that IF the WS doesn't quite fit at the top (rubber and trim) the way you want it to, or think it should, you may have to trim the inside bottom of the WS to get it to "lean back" into the rubber. Just a thot... R-
Ted wants a small back window so its gonna get a 47 or 50 chevy backlight. i was thinking the same thing roger incase it didnt lay back enough! thanks again everyone should have some more up dates soon!
Flop, there was a good thread recently on cutting the windsheilds with a water jet, I know you said you have a pro if the 1st attempt doesn't work, but the water jet cut looked so clean.