top chopping

elwood · January 29, 2007, 12:39:10 AM

hello all.
im looking for help with my 29 2dr sdn chop.
i have some books but there not helping me.
anyone here have any experience they'd share ?
thanks in advance.
elwood

Grandadeo · January 29, 2007, 08:50:06 AM

Elwood, saw your question over on the Ford Barn also but would rather respond with this here since the info comes from one of our own. See Don's Hot Rod Page for the pictures and text of his coupe chop, link below.

Lee

http://www.donshotrodpage.net/Project-30/TopChop/Page02.html

GPster · January 29, 2007, 09:18:42 AM

Check on dragrcr50 posts and get to his site and ask him if he took pictures of his during the chop. His is listed as a vicky but the job above the belt line should be tha same as most Model "A"s only the top would be shorter. While we're on the subject, the guy that bought my pick-up project feeld that he wants to chop the top on it. If anyone has a site or an idea of a place with pictures on chopping the cab on a '47 to'55 AD Chevy/GMC truck steer me in that direction. He doesn't have a computor (how can anyone think of building a car with-out one)but I would print pictures for him. GPster

1FATGMC · January 29, 2007, 10:46:09 AM

Quote from: "GPster"Check on dragrcr50 posts and get to his site and ask him if he took pictures of his during the chop. His is listed as a vicky but the job above the belt line should be tha same as most Model "A"s only the top would be shorter. While we're on the subject, the guy that bought my pick-up project feeld that he wants to chop the top on it. If anyone has a site or an idea of a place with pictures on chopping the cab on a '47 to'55 AD Chevy/GMC truck steer me in that direction. He doesn't have a computor (how can anyone think of building a car with-out one)but I would print pictures for him. GPster

There is a link here:

http://purplesagetradingpost.com/sumner/techinfo/techinfo.html

Go down the page some. It isn't great, but it is the article in an old Rod n Custom I used.

elwood what are you stuck on???

c ya,

Sum

Dave · January 29, 2007, 12:18:15 PM

thtas one of the easiest chops to do on an a .. cut it below the top hinge cut out the amount of drop you want and start welding it back together . At one time i poseted the link to my 30 pics with the top off and back on. It can be a little intimidating but once you get started it will b easy.
Dave

link to my page below.........

http://home.comcast.net/~n8dc-8/hotrod3.html

chopped · January 29, 2007, 03:46:02 PM

Is this one that you may want to keep the rear window intact or almost?

35WINDOW · January 29, 2007, 05:11:55 PM

I'm right in the middle of doing the Chop on my'35 5 Window-before I picked up Saw, I read every Article I could find on chopping my Car, and planned-A LOT.

Jusjunk is 110% right-it is a relatively easy Chop to do.

I would highly recommend you buy Tex Smith's "How to Chop Tops"-I believe your Body Style is in there.

One word of caution-there is more than one way to skin a Cat, so plan accordingly-I saw at least 3 or more ways to cut my Car, so I picked the one that looked like the easiest for me (and my Skills), as I wanted the least amount of Metal Distoration as possible.

Charlie Chops 1940 · January 29, 2007, 05:24:10 PM

The guys covered it pretty well. Have at it. I did my first chop at age 15, a pals '30 coupe. Brazed it back together and rattle canned it with Sherwin Williams flat black primer. Done. Haven't a clue what happened to the car after we were out of high school but he didn't stick with cars.

Do the reading and then pick the method you are comfortable with considering your skill level.

Charlie

Dave · January 29, 2007, 05:54:29 PM

I wish i was near you also. Id come over and show you how to do it. If its done right there is very little filler needed. Filler doesnt scare me and ive used it a lot but with careful planning and taking your time about the only place you will need it is around the rear corners. Of course thats a 3 inch chop and anything over 4 gets tougher in the a and b pillar area. It takes some splitting and stuff if you really hammer it good. Man the more i think about the more i waish i was there to help.. Ya i like to tell people ill show em things then i just go for it

Dave

:!:

river1 · January 29, 2007, 06:00:34 PM

a fellow is writing a blog on the building of his 29 tudor sedan. check the archive (at the bottom of the page) it has a couple of pages on his top chop.

http://web.mac.com/marcandlauren/iWeb/Marc%20and%20Lauren/Rod%20Blog/Rod%20Blog.html

later jim

bigdude · January 29, 2007, 06:44:49 PM

Oh hell -grab your chainsaw and have at it! Study all you can and dont be timid when you start.

elwood · January 29, 2007, 11:47:57 PM

hi guys and thanks the responses to my post.
i have been pondering and pondering for a while, i have books,
" how to build a hot rod ford model A "
" how to chop tops, by tex smith "
the problems im having are these.
first off, the b pillars arnt alone, in side them are wood filled structural supports pillars, and between these is some sort of fiber glass insulation, and rust, oh yea, rust.
so, thus my first problem, you cant just weld all this back together , welding the b pillar to the support pillar.
i think im goanna weld the b pillars on the out sides and then remove the inner supports so i can weld the inside of the b pillars and then weld the support pillars back together.
next problem is the A pillars.
i cut 5 inches out of the top, and the top is proubly a 1/4 wider than the bottom at the a pillars, tex smiths book shows him using a big ol jack to spread the bottom to fit the top,
any thoughts ?
thanks guys.
elwood.

Dave · January 30, 2007, 09:24:33 AM

Quote from: "elwood"hi guys and thanks the responses to my post.
i have been pondering and pondering for a while, i have books,
" how to build a hot rod ford model A "
" how to chop tops, by tex smith "
the problems im having are these.
first off, the b pillars arnt alone, in side them are wood filled structural supports pillars, and between these is some sort of fiber glass insulation, and rust, oh yea, rust.
so, thus my first problem, you cant just weld all this back together , welding the b pillar to the support pillar.
i think im goanna weld the b pillars on the out sides and then remove the inner supports so i can weld the inside of the b pillars and then weld the support pillars back together.
next problem is the A pillars.
i cut 5 inches out of the top, and the top is proubly a 1/4 wider than the bottom at the a pillars, tex smiths book shows him using a big ol jack to spread the bottom to fit the top,
any thoughts ?
thanks guys.
elwood.

The wood comes out easy and thats all the should be there is wood. You can spread the body to match or vertically cut the posts and weld metal back in to make em match.
Dave

Charlie Chops 1940 · January 30, 2007, 09:25:57 AM

The width problem isn't a big deal. I usually go in the back side of the post bottom and make a slot across it so that you can tip it in a little, then do the same on the top outside if necessary to tip it out and the mating surface will maitch. Likewise you will see that the post isn't the same thickness top to bottom so you can run a slot up and down the post spreading the thin one and closing the thick one.

It's good to take the wood out and weld behind it. If their is insulation in there someone put it in later in its life. I'd clean it out.

Charlie