Dumb question? Why does nobody have sideglass after they chop the top?

Maybe this is obvious to everyone but me, I dunno, but it seems like every car I look at in the for sale or wherever that has a chopped top doesn't have side gl***. Do people just not want to h***le with getting it cut and fitting it? I always thought since side gl*** was flat, it was relatively cheap(compared to cutting the windshield), but maybe there's something I dunno?

EDIT: I dunno, maybe it came out wrong, but I'm not pointing fingers or judging or tryin' to stir somethin up, I was just wondering why the cars on ebay or wherever seem to never have side gl*** when the top is chopped.

 

From person experience I can tell you that it's a pain in the **** to do the side gl*** - you have to modify all the trim to fit, make new patterns for the gl***, and install everything so that it works. If you keep the wingvents it gets even more intricate and more of a pain. IMHO, they're either cheap, lazy, or just did the chop to flip the car for a quick buck.
By the time you get gl*** cut and buy all new channels and fuzzies, it can quickly hit the $1000 mark for side gl***. And that's not counting the hours involved in making it all fit and work properly. Cutting and welding the roof is really the easiest part of the chop - it's the details that take forever!

 

I'm doing my chop this weekend and never intended to do side gl***. The truck will have no heat, no A/C and very few comfort considerations. I'm making it to drive. In the summer, I would just roll the windows down, it the winter I will just dress warm. I'm in Texas. People drive open Jeeps year round. Besides, NASCAR doesn't use em! I don't plan to drive any faster than they do.

 

It's cheaper and lazier to leave the side gl*** out.

You can come up with all kinds of reasons on why that's okay for a particular build, but after you boil away the fat, that's what you're left with.

 

causy people are ****in lazy. IMO a chop isn't done untill the car has all gl*** and trim finished. that's what seperates the real customizers from the wannabes.

 

When the Detroit HAMBChop was done last November at Roadstar's shop on Stickyfingers car, HAMB member 62Wagon was on site measuring and cutting the original gl*** for Marks ride which he then installed that same day. He also brought, measured, and cut NEW gl*** as well for Mark so that after everything was said and done with ALL the bodywork Mark would have spanking new gl***.

Some know how to do it right! Detroit area HAMB members ROCK!

and speaking of Mark's ride....he's been out cruzn Woodward all week long in it looking *****en in his new shades. It's such a pleasure being able to see the car still being driven around town and enjoyed by the very deserving person the chop was done for NOT sold to make a quick buck after tons of friends spent countless hours on it. The car has had a crowd around it whenever he stops.

 

I'm gonna have to agree ... although I'm still gearing up to do my chop, I can't imagine taking real pride in the job til it all fits like it's supposed to. A lot more work, but the end result is priceless.

 

I did my last chop a few years ago. I bought the car as a rescue project. Someone else cut the top, tacked together, then stopped. I thought it would be an easy build but found out very quickly that the hard work was just starting. Furthermore the metal still required mega work to get looking halfway correct. As I said, I did my LAST chop a few years ago.

 

I'm going to take exception to all the lazy remarks. How do you call someone lazy when they fab a frame, dig for months to find the right sheet metal, spend hundreds of hours with hammer and dolly, weeks on paint, wiring, interior details, suspension and ***embly?



This is Jimmy Shine's truck. I haven't seen one picture that shows any side gl***. It may have em. If so, give me a few minutes and I'll find another rolling legend that doesn't. Anyway, I don't think anyone wants to point the word Lazy at the likes of Jimmy Shine. Get the idea?

I planned my truck to be rustic from the start. Side gl*** wasn't part of that plan.

 

Because most of the guys who can weld, fab, wire, metalwork, etc. don't have the patience to do the gl*** and fuzzy and channel work, THAT'S how. I did all of those things on my car, and I didn't tackle the side gl*** for 6 months because it's a pain, jack!
Leaving out the side gl*** is like building a house from the ground up, but never putting the shingles on the roof. (Okay, that's not the best ****ogy, but you get the point.) Lazy means you don't finish the job. Period! Also, you don't have to actually line anything up if you're not going to do side gl***. I've seen a couple chops that will NEVER have side gl***, unless someone goes back in with saw and a welder and fixes all the dumb mistakes the butcher made in the first place.

 

I understand the kind of work you are talking about. I've seen it,too. But it is a narrow minded person that will paint every builder that opts not to install side gl*** with that brush. Many of the radical cars we see today were never intended to be that polished. That is part of the ART of their design. Kudos to you for having the dedication to tackle that part of your car. Don't call me LAZY because I never planned to. I am a talented fabricator, painter and wrench. My choice wasn't based on my skill, budget or patience. It was my CHOICE in the concept of my car. If I wanted a high gloss, air conditioned, air ride, gold chain, street rod, I would build it. Jack.

 

If you don't want people scoffing because you didn't install side gl***, then you should be building roadsters - like Jimmy Shine.

 

I whacked my Caddy last year easter weekend and didn't have a windshield put in for 2 months. My potmetal vent window has been cut welded and chromed at a cost of $1000 (ouch) and looks too damn good to put on yet. The door frames have been modified just need to be dipped in shiny. The hard part is gonna be the 1/4 gl*** as I want it to roll up like Caddy's are meant to. I have too many projects going to finish those but figure I have a SUMMER car and don't necessarily want windows yet, all in good time

 

I agree with the laziness line. The ONLY way I would chop a top is with all the details present. Can't stand the slide in rear quarter windows on a chopped and hardtopped car. You want to see the correct way to do it have a gander at Bill Hegmans Merc. I couldn't stop looking at it at the last NHRA twilight cruise. That is the best and ONLY way to finish a chop. period. Oh and Jimmy Shine is lazy.....

 

My, My, My... the company we keep...

 

I bet a good many cars without side gl*** will have it eventually, but the people are out having fun in the meantime. it's the ones that are so messed up you will never get gl*** in them that bugs me. especially hardtopped cars.

don't even get me started on plexigl*** windshields. gl*** in your chop is what seperates the craftsmen from the wannabe's

 

My Hudson Jet is a 4 door and when I chop it I am junking the window frames to loose the post look. I quess I am just a lazy *******.

 

I'm going to try to get new side gl*** someday, but it costs alot of bread, and I need the felt and **** to go with it. Life is currently in the way.

 

don't even get me started on plexigl*** windshields. gl*** in your chop is what seperates the craftsmen from the wannabe's[/QUOTE] Or those with the know-how or cash..

Geez... this deteriorated quick. Not that the original question didn't paint EVERYONE and NOBODY with a wide brush... It's a decent question and one with a thousand different answers.

To answer the question as to why I don't have side gl***... it's because I haven't figured out everything yet. I want the rear window to roll up and sit on top where the b-pillar was. But with the modificaitons I still need to make to my rear doors and the front doorsI haven't created a mechanism that snakes the gl*** up, forward and on top that rolls down to my liking... So I drive it rain or shine with no side window,rear window and acryllic front windows.

Am I lazy...No, Am I not a craftsman No, do I need to drive my car daily to get back and forth to my 8-6 job, Yes... Will it get done, yes. So therein lays you answer. For me, it's when I get everything else figured out and working, then I will have side gl***. Until then I have trash bags in the door to throw over the seat when it rains.

Broadly saying that one thing separates craftsmen from hacks is the kind of **** that never used to happen here. Heck, maybe if your interior's not done then you're a hack. Maybe if you don't have wide whites, flame throwers, headliner, chrome, period steel wheels etc etc etc

I'll go away now

 

ANSWER: a Hot Rod is never finished.

 

Hot rods are different than customs.
Hotrods don't need side gl***. A nice custom DOES.

BTW,, I'm LAZY, I BUILT a HOTROD!

 

I dunno, maybe it came out wrong, but I'm not pointing fingers or judging or tryin' to stir somethin up, I was just wondering why the cars on ebay or wherever seem to never have side gl*** when the top is chopped. It wasn't intended to be a loaded question

Thanks for all your answers! I live in Hollywood in Los Angeles, if I parked a car on the street overnight with no side gl*** it would get rifled through in .2 seconds and a homeless guy and his dog would be nesting in it by morning. Now I have a better idea of what it takes to do the gl***. Thanks all!

 

You're right Josh,I was painting with a broad brush.They are all Hot Rods to me sorry.

 

BTW Bob...my post wasn't aimed towards you.
Just my GAY opinion!

 

Im lazy, and I didnt even chop my top! All in good time is actually more accurate. Im driving it like it is cause it is fun and Im working on it in spare time.

So..........does that mean I should NEVER let anyone see it to think its done since I dont have windows yet? I dont think so.

The fatal flaw in the "lazy" theroy is you are ***UMING they are totally done and never plan to do another thing to the car.

All in time my friend.

 

...MARKANTHONY.... you missed my point... did you not read my first sentence? your car is not done. just like I said.

 

Why would you want to chop a car anyway???? Stupid Hot Rodders.

 

one word...."Preference" not "laziness"

 

For $1000 you should get the whole car done labor and materials....A nice job too!!!!......OLDBEET