I don't get how to chop a top and take a few inches out before putting it back on. Do you have to slant the back window at all? Does it matter where you cut on a pilar? I feel like really all your doing is cutting out a few inches off the pilars in the front,doors and back of the car. Weld the top back on and then add sheet metal to the back where needed? I know this isn't all that needs to be done. I would just like to understand it a little better. Can anyone point me in the direction of a detailed thread or just give me a few answers?Thanks
Hate to do this to ya....but do a search, there is more info on this board about chopping tops than you can shake a stick at...b***'s chop comes to mind....many of the chops are so well do***ented its almost a how too....but yea...you pretty much got the concept...its all about the lines, and how you can make em flow better
Every car is going to be a little different and there is no one way to chop one certain car. Basically its all about proportions and flow. Generally you would want(or at least I have always heard) 2/3 body to 1/3 top. Check this thread out, it may shed a little more light on the subject. http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=245687&highlight=in+progress
Here's a couple to get you started- http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=239775 http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=313465
Specifically search for 'HAMB chop' There have been several guys , seems like an annual event) who would chop their car and arrange it here so as to get those on here who have lots of experience to come by and help. Always made for a great time, thread, story and car. I think the last one was in late '06. Chopped50Ford from San Berdo had a field day. There was even T-Shirts a DVD out. Dozens of guys showed ut tp help and for moral support. If you have a car to chop, that's how I'd do it. You do most of the work with experts directing you and the minions cheering you on...
The hardest part about chopping a top for the first time is getting the nerve to cut the roof off of your car.
Go out and buy a model car kit of your choice and a razor saw. Mark it up with tape and a pencil ( a 3" chop in 1:25 scale = 3mm or 1/8") and have a go at it. The basic concept and problems are similar to the 1:1 deal. Bob
I detect true interest here, are you planning to chop your station wagon? If so, make some drawings on what you want, or post a picture here and request a photochop. A lot of us will help you with some ideas. When planning a chop the first consideration is the seat your are going to be using and how much head-room /visability you want. When it gets down to the cutting of the pillars, I recommend you try it yourself. You can see how somebody else does it. You can hear how they do it, but you can't learn how to do it until you do it. We learn by doing. It would be good to get a buddy to join in because with more than one head things get tossed around and direction can be helpful. That is of course if you are handy with hand tools. Even if you don't weld or have a welder, when the basic cutting is done, and things are taking shape that will be time for you to determine how to proceed. Find out about clecos and sheetmetal clamps and go for it! Good luck.
All the advice so far is good. Just don't rely upon any one expert to tell you how it should be done or any one specific book, because there are endless varieties of chops and dozens of ways to tackle each specific issue that comes up. I have seen some really bad looking chops lately, and a few that have something fundamentally wrong that will make it impossible to ever put side gl*** back into the car. You need to make sure you get advice from someone who had FINISHED a chopped car, not just someone who cut a roof off and welded it back on. The HAMB is definitely the right place to get that advice, though. Search a few of the threads mentioned above and you'll start to get the idea.
Thanks for all the feedback gentlemen. Before I started this thread I was reading a few threads on chops and was kind of wondering if they had tilted the rear window to get the look or if it was just a few cuts and alot of sheet metal. Salty..how could you do that to me man Tagman.. I got it for fathersday a few years ago. I really need to learn to read. Drop.Thanks for the reply, I never really thought about the 2/3 to1/3. 29 Nash..I know there has to be a 100 ways to do this but which way is used the most to slant the window? Also never thought about visibility and seats,Thanks for bringing that to my attention. I'll keep the Wagon at a mild custom.No Chop tops for this one. Roddin..thanks for the links Vance..great Idea! Zombie....I can only imagine Bob...I've got to try this Atomicustom...Thanks for the reply.I'm actually greatful I found this site. There's a variety of people with different ways of doing things.
I've got a list of 20 or so magazine articles on chopping a top over the last 4-5 years-mostly Street Rodder and Street Rod Builder. For some reason, I get image error messages when I try to post it. If you want the index, send me a PM and I'll send it back to you.
Just keep in ind that almost every car is chopped in a different way. I mean that you'll chop a '30 ford differently that '49 Ford. I have a Tex Smith book that really demonstrates this. They show about 12 cars, and a truck being chopped. They do this to show how each body style is done. Also remember the old saying, 'There is more than one way to skin a cat'. I'm pretty sure that when i chopped my '34, I did it a little differently than others, maybe than most! but the look I got was what I wanted. Some cars almost HAVE TO be done a certain way to look right. Look at Gene Winfield's work. I doubt anyone chops a shoebox any better than him and most are done in his style. Our own BadBob, (and his son too!) has a Merc that is the textbook Merc chop. I don't think it was done by Winfield, but it was most ***uredly done by someone who knows Winfield's methods. That car is one of what Merc dreams are made of.
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