hey everyone, I am planning to chop my 48 chev 5 window but dont have access to anyone who has done it before so I have a few Q's. first of all , does anyone have some good step by step pictures so I can get an idea of how it is done. 2nd, its a 5 window how hard is it so either cut down the corner glass ( I have the original stuff) or have some new ones made in safety glass. all the rest of the glass is flat on the thing so I guess I could just have some cut , or would I have to source some from a junkyard? thanks Ian
Theres a guy out here in new mexico named Adam Padilla, I think he's a hamber as well he chopped a 52 or 53 chev truck it came out real nice then sold it befor he finished it. I think he did suicide doors too. Radshit will know...
there is a HAMBer with the screen name ( Boyd Who ) that used to have a step by step chop of a 48 on his website. it looks like he has taken it down. i would pm him and see if you can get a copy. It was really a nice chop proportion wise.
there's really only a couple ways to chop that truck. 1. drop the top as a whole and lean all the posts in to fit with the windshield layed back. 2. extend the roof with a donor section and lean the posts in to match with the windshield at original rake. 3. or quarter the roof and use filler strips to join it all back together with all posts at original rake. the first example would have the least welding but, personaly I'm not too fond of the severely raked windshield look. the third example would, in my opinion, look the best and would be easiest to fit glass to but, would have the most welding and fitting involved. I would opt for using the donor top in the second scenario. as far as I know the quarter windows on that truck are tempered and can not be cut. another solution would be needed there. Paul
Make your corner glass out of lexan. Keep your original quarter glass and warm the lexan in the oven, then lay it over the quarter glass to form it and cut it on a band saw. Side glass and any flat glass you can have cut at any autoglass place, sell the original glass if its good to a restorer (except your quarter glass keep it).
Heres what I recommend.Leave thewindshield posts at stock angle.cut the roof skin across cab left to right at the center of "rear crown area".this allows you to insert a 1-1/2" strip of fill metal across there. the width is not a prob-on a 4" chop it will pull in spec.on your 5 window I would chop the top incuding the 5 window holes and then remove the entire bottom of the inner part of openings the glasses mount in and drop these down to where the entire corner glass is able to be fitted inside UNCUT[cant be cut-tempered]....this will be a tape mount install -like late models.well this might help- [thats all I can tell you or Ill have to kill you]. heres Jimmys [a buddys] truck its 4"............
I have heard of using the corner windows out of the same model year Dodge truck(they are not as tall) when you chop a top. You have to plan your chop according to the difference in the size of the windows. I have not done one of these 5 windows though and so you would need to check that information yourself. I used another top skin from a truck to add the metal in. You do not have to do body work across the top but only around the edges if you reskin the top. If I had to do this again I would use a front top section from a panel truck to do the same. It would extend farther back and make it even easier. Reskinning the top also keeps the factory curvature in the top. Some who have chopped these have ended up with a flat top and it needs the natural curve and the peak above the winshield. Doors with the one piece glass are a lot easier to chop than the ones with the vent window. The one piece glass doors will work on a truck that had vent window doors but they are not a direct replacement as the latches are different but can be made to work. One of the hardest part of any chop is the window trim and the rain gutters. These are thin pieces of metal and they are difficult to fit and weld. Good Luck
They make re-pop quater windows out of laminated glass now!!! It can be cut down. Comes in several colors.....OLDBEET
wicked guys , schooled again, I just so happen to have an extra 5 window roof and a set of 1 peice glass doors , so it looks like I may be golden. I've also contacted boyd-who about his missing pages.. I'll be hunting for that repro glass now. what do you do with the drip rail , can that be shave , or does it get left in tact? thanks again Ian
i would do it the way choprods said to do it it involves the least body work and is the easyest.then id go with oldbeat you can get repop glass that can be cut.if you need conor windows cut let me no i can have them cut at a shop around here.then 1 last thing if you only chop it 3 inches you can chop above the belt line and below the rear windo and keep the rear stock glass.kyle
I removed the drip rail on the WZ JUNK truck because the drip rail was such a hassle. I formed a 1/4" wire rod to replace the drip rail and welded it to the cab. It now has a molded rain gutter the shape of the original but sculptured to fit the truck. While on this thought, you need to fit the doors to the truck after the chop. These trucks have some of the poorest fitting sheetmetal of any vehicles I have worked on. They were afterall built to work and not so much to look good. You will really notice this if you remove a rain gutter and smooth out the cab in that area. There is a large gap that shows up and to fix it you will either add to the cab or the door edge.
hey mercbill! I did chop a 5 window chevy 4 inches, I have pics at my site, but its down for a short time (server). I laid the front post back, and was going to slot the curved bottoms for the glass to sink into. easy chop. that way no long welds across the top, and less bodywork! I shaved the drip rails, and put suicide doors with the extra time!
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