Projects Recreating the jesse lopez coupe

Well how cool is this? Jesse and Sam chopping the first (some say) '41 Ford Club cpe. Do I want to duplicate this if I can? Absolutley!

Although I do have experience with chopping tops it's with '60 and '70s cars. I'm not comfortable diving into this by myself. The ideal situation would be to find someone that understands what I'm trying to do that would cut, fit and weld everything up and I would then do the finish work.

The way Jesse explains it is fairly clear. The back of that roof is a bit of a mystery. What he calls slices, I call splices. In an area as big as DFW there has to be more than one candidate for this. Someone who would love to be involved in this.

One of my new friends (I'm a 5 year old Texan) knows a guy that is the old style metal guy in the area. Lots of chops, doesn't do any finish work, perfect. We make an appointment and try to find a place to look at all the pictures I've brought with me. We have to meet outside using a make shift table because you can't (literally) get in the shop. This place is behind his house and even reminds me of the Compton ave. shop. We look at all the pics, and I give Jesse's description of the chop. There's a moment of silence and his reply to all this is that he can make the chop look right but not the way Jesse says it was done. He doesn't see how the area above the ¼ glass gets what it needs. Uh, oh. He adds that he's sure that those headlight rings are something special that Barris had on the shelf for stuff like this. They can't be '41 Ford units. Uh, oh. My reply (after I pull myself together) is, I'm sure with Jesse's help we can overcome any problems. We part company with him saying he'll call in a couple of days. Hmmm, this isn't the slam dunk that I thought it would be. He's ½ hour away from me and is perfect. He calls me the next day and tells me he's not the guy for this. Uh oh, this is going to be harder than I thought.

So, its back to square one. I try to assemble a list of good candidates. I'm beginning to realize that Jesse's way may be a problem. I ask myself is this really that important? My reply is YES IT IS.

 

Maybe try Brian Bass. He is a top notch builder in Dallas that has a strong sense for tradition. He goes by Bass on here.

Here is one of his build threads:http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=208995

 

Man, I ran into the same problem....Found a guy, that has chopped several cars and is a good metal guy, I told him I wanted to do a 4 in front 6 in the rear...His reply was, "Why that way, I'd reverse that." UH OH as you put it. Then it was I want to graft the 54 roof to the 51 sail panels...it will look good, I PROMISE....UH OH...

I plan on trying to get Brian Bass involved on my 41 Merc chop when the time comes. BTW talked to Gordon and they are making them off which every template you choose....Thanks for the info.

 

Frankly Jer I watched your other thread(Jr Conway) and this one and I believe that you have the talent plus the desire to pull this off yourself.
I don't think that even where you are you will find someone that will take the time to do it as discribed by Mr Lopez.But I hope that i am wrong.

This may sound stupid but I would take the best profile shot you have of the car and have it blown up to 1/2 or full scale and hang it on the wall of your shop for reference. Then you could actually measure things.
Even if it is done in pieces and taped together. Most Kinko's can do this.

The other thing that is key is what Mr Lopez said about fighting the chop in the rear. "It told us where it wanted to go" . You know what was done to the windshield and A pillars. Start with that and i think you will find that the rear will tell you where it needs to go
Stay strong. If it was easy everyone would be doing it.
Torchie.

 

Hey Jerry,maybe you should compile all the details of the chop that Jesse remembers...and have at it.In the end ,once all the cuts are made,the metal will tell you how it wants to lay.I mean that's the only way you will find out if that reasoning is accurate.

 

I agree with all he said.... not because it is easy to agree but if someone steps in you will never be happy with it, We ,who have followed your Junior build and this one believe your the man, Jer

 

I really appreciate your input and your confidence in me. I guess if I felt that same confidence there wouldn't be this problem, right? I can't get past the paranoia of how different this car is to anything that Iv'e chopped before and how important it is to BE CAREFUL with this.

JEEZ, I guess I'm going to have to tell you that while you guy's are comenting about the "here and now", I'm talking from about seven month's down the road.

I always come at these build threads from the perspective of the average guy trying to do what we all are trying to do and what happens to him.

I always want to be about six months out on the story because it gives me a sense of control. Are we still friends?

 

Yep we are still friends. As I recall you did the same thing with the shoebox.
So is the car out driving around now.LOL
You are doing it the same way that I am dong my current project. 1 guy in a garage with basic tools and a lot of determination.
Torchie.

 

Have you talked to Frank Palmer in DFW? He might be able to get you where you want to go on the chop, although it sounds like thats the shop you visited.

 

I agree with Torchie . We know you have the skills, granted this particular phase takes more than skill. You ask for a skilled person to aid you. I think you scared the hell out of him. This being a clone of a long lost treasure is more than difficult. It is an interpretation from the builder's memory which sounds very good btw, and a few foggy pictures. I believe the critical part of the finished top is the height of it just above the rear window. The top from the from to that point is not altered. The height of the windshield is a known factor. The 1/4 windows can be figured after the top is set. They are a separate job. If you do get a helper I hope he has the vision of what this project is all about.Love you Jer ,Hang in there ...... Bill

 

In reply to post #640, for a while names aren't going to be important and would be a distraction as we navigate our way through this next part of the "saga".

 

I checked out another build chop top of a 47 , noticed the very first cut was to remove the 1/4 window . That seems proper . The chop was not a Jesse Lopez style chop .the top maintained the original factory shape and was a 47 Ford.

 

I put together ½ a dozen names that were in my area. I even talked to the guy that had chopped the ’40 Ford cpe that was next to us at the Fort Worth show. I’m getting the impression that the more accomplished the craftsman, the more the (non tech) issues to deal with.

I made a call to Austin and carefully explained what I was trying to do. After a long pause the reply was “I need to wrap my head around this and get back to you”. No call back. I even had one guy say that after looking at all the pics online he could see where the back window was replaced somewhere along the line. SHEESH, I don’t need this.

 

Ah Ha ! It's kinda like the plastic surgeon who is asked to make-over a person to look like a famous celeb. And no you don't need this.

 

You must have considered cutting the top yourself and tacking the pieces where you want them? Then, whoever gets the job of welding it all together just has to finish the job, and won´t have any real input into the look.

 

I've been wondering about this for a while. After the pics you emailed me a few months ago this chop has been on my mind. What ever happened to the issue that we were discussing?


Posted from the TJJ App for iPhone & iPad

 

I am now lost. Is the car already chopped and this is just the story of what you had to go through to get it done or are you still looking for someone to do the work? My impression from the "6 months out on the story" comment was that this is all in the past now.

 

K13 you are correct. This is the story of the journey.

 

Ok .. so when do we get pictures ?

 

HAHA thanks I was beginning to think I had lost my mind.

 

to be honest, i were a little confused, too, now i'm tryin' to figure out the actual state... but never the less, this is one inspirational car, work and thread, subscribed from day one..good work, Jerry!

Cheers, Carsten

 

What I think would be the ideal situation would be a younger guy that's done a few of these coupes and is comfortable with it. He could buy into and understand what I'm trying to do and see his place in it. I always want to help the younger generation whenever I get the chance.

Included in my discovery process is cruising the internet looking for these type's of candidates. Early on in this process I did find what looked like a good candidate. I had made a casual contact talking about a high dollar build without revealing much. I was impressed but, this guy is out of state by quite a ways. As this process continues on a local level this contact is percolating in my mind.

 

Am I out of line in saying that Jesse's chop reminds me of The Voodoo Idol by Voodoo Larry? Ok, I'll shut up now before a visit from The HAMB Police! :x


Posted from the TJJ App for iPhone & iPad

 

I need to state the "rules" to this part of the story.
1. No (real) names.
2. No locations
3. No associations.
This build story doesn't need the distraction of the drama that could be brought into it. This is just what happened on the way to the car show.

 

After more frustrating weeks I decided I would give this guy (we'll call him Bob) a call and just kinda check in. I was surprised to find out that he knew who I was and what this was all about. I went through the drill about Jesse and authenticity etc.. He understood and saw his place in it all. To say that I was encouraged would be the understatement of the year.

We talked $ and distance. He offered to meet me half way and pick up the car. Well, talk about an offer you can't refuse.

 

I had made a dolly for the body, so all that was needed was to load it in the trailer and meet my transfer guy.

 

GOOD LUCK......we'll be patiently waiting for some GREAT results!

 

We will be waiting for a ton of pictures .

 

Alright cant't wait to see the progress pictures

 

it's getting really good now Jer !... Can't wait for progress pictures...