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Chopping The Top On a 49-Ford Truck Cab?

Discussion in 'The Hokey Ass Message Board' started by lrs30, Mar 26, 2007.

  1. lrs30
    Joined: Jan 30, 2007
    Posts: 2,214

    lrs30
    Member
    from Kentucky

    Any body have any insight, advice, pics, mistakes to avoid, on chopping a top on an 49 Ford F-1. Have the tools and metal skills(I hope) to do it, just want some advice from others who have dones this.....
     
  2. pimpin paint
    Joined: May 31, 2005
    Posts: 4,937

    pimpin paint
    Member
    from so cal

    Hey,

    I beleve Gene Winfield chopped a '49-'51 F-1, someone posted
    pictures on the HAMB, maybe 1-2 weeks ago.
    The F-1s have alota shape goin on in a small area, to get one to
    flow and look good will require several step and releaf cuts.
    There were no F-100 until 1953.

    Swankey Devils C.C.
     
  3. My 50's been cut 3". If you want pic.s or whatever I'll tell you what I did wrong. PM me.
    Charley
     
  4. metalman
    Joined: Dec 30, 2006
    Posts: 3,297

    metalman
    Member

    It's an easy chop other then the roof skin has to be split. Got lucky on the one I did, found another cab and doors the was gone (rotted out on the bottom, used the front half of the roof and door frames, saved fabbing fillers and a weld seem. Lean the pillers in and you don't need to quarter the top.
     

  5. pimpin paint
    Joined: May 31, 2005
    Posts: 4,937

    pimpin paint
    Member
    from so cal

    Hey,

    If at all possible, don't quarter the top panel. Cut as large a section
    as possible, from the middle of the roof. Cut and foreshorten the
    header, cant rails, and the rear rail keeping your filler pieces to as
    small and managable a size as possible. This will have the added
    bonus of keeping most of your welds to the outer areas of the roof,
    making them easier to hammer weld.

    Swankey Devils C.C.
     
  6. 49ratfink
    Joined: Feb 8, 2004
    Posts: 18,829

    49ratfink
    Member
    from California

    I know a guy who cut the top sideways down the middle. just fucked it all up as far as I could see.

    another buddy made a few relief cuts here and there and slanted the front post back a bit. everything lined up good. it 's a nice looking chop. there is no need to cut the top into 2 or 4 parts
     
  7. lrs30
    Joined: Jan 30, 2007
    Posts: 2,214

    lrs30
    Member
    from Kentucky

    Thanks Guys for all the insight anybody have any pics, or how to articles with pics..,or links to how to articles. How about some actual pics of chopped F-1's
     
  8. brewsir
    Joined: Mar 4, 2001
    Posts: 3,278

    brewsir
    Member

    On the one I did we took about 5 inches out (if my memory is working today) We started by marking centerline on the cab roof. Then we cut a big hole in the roof...maybe 2 x 2 1/2 feet...I basically cut at the apex of the edges of the roof. Then we quartered the roof and dropped everything down to where we wanted it and used a donor roof and doors to fill the gaps. Then we cut up a old roof section from a 40 merc (yea...my old leftovers) to get the compound curved filler piece for the big hole we cut originally. This is where the centerlines matter as we drew a centerline on the donor roof also and just lined it all up when we were filling the hole!
    I just overlapped the metal,drew a line all around the patch piece and then cut the hole about 1 inch larger than the patch. Then when we welded it we left the overlap...this made a strong weld without much warpage and really takes very little filler.
     
  9. lrs30
    Joined: Jan 30, 2007
    Posts: 2,214

    lrs30
    Member
    from Kentucky

    I've seen it where it people just cut all the way across the very front of the cab from driver to passenger side, then the A and B pillars allowing for the A pillars to be laid back a bit then cutting the section of roof that overlaps the front section, but I'm not sure how the compound curves line up right doing it this way. Anybody have a good how to article with pic's? Some one mentioned a Gene Winfield Article baut have not been able to find it..
     
  10. 52lomofo
    Joined: Jan 29, 2005
    Posts: 788

    52lomofo

    love it if you could send me some pics of your truck im working on a 52 what you using for drive train???
     
  11. old beet
    Joined: Sep 25, 2002
    Posts: 5,750

    old beet
    Member

    Chopped my 51 around 35 years ago. Split in three pieces. Added about 3/4 inch over rear window. Added about 1 1/4 inch side to side. Gas welded it all, still drivin it........ Cut K-MEMBERS last year four pieces......OLDBEET
     
  12. CharlieLed
    Joined: Feb 21, 2003
    Posts: 2,463

    CharlieLed
    Member

    Ron Covell has an excellent DVD on chopping and sectioning a Stude truck...should be close enough body style to help you with yours.
     
  13. Retroline
    Joined: Aug 20, 2002
    Posts: 1,125

    Retroline
    Member

    I did my '51 a few years back, no cutting across the roof, just a little post tweeking.Chopped under the rear window to sort of even them up. 2 1/2 inches is all they need for a better looking truck but if you want the average joe to know its chopped then take as much as you need to.
    I think the same year Chevy pick-up looks neater with a heavier chop. Just my 2 cents.
     

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  14. lrs30
    Joined: Jan 30, 2007
    Posts: 2,214

    lrs30
    Member
    from Kentucky

    anybody got insight on leaning the front posts back?
     
  15. shook
    Joined: Mar 19, 2006
    Posts: 137

    shook
    Member
    from austin, tx

    Make sure you take lots of pics/notes and post them here. I'd like to do the same to mine one day.
     
  16. Frosty21
    Joined: Jan 25, 2007
    Posts: 958

    Frosty21
    Member
    from KY

    You didn't happen to buy more than one F-1 right?

    I sold about four an couple of weeks ago...
     
  17. What Brewsir said!!! Oh and the windshield is only chopped 4" while the cab is chopped 5" that got rid of the fourhead.
     

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  18. k-member
    Joined: May 25, 2002
    Posts: 2,114

    k-member
    Member

    Yeah, when you do that, it always looks like the windsheild post are bent and it does not flow as well. Here's a few pics...
     

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  19. lrs30
    Joined: Jan 30, 2007
    Posts: 2,214

    lrs30
    Member
    from Kentucky

    I will post as I go along.... The truck is going the way of I quess an altered....No fenders, Bed, gonna build are own frame, rear Buggy spring, straights axle, gonna go old school style. Beg borrow, steal, swap parts...We are acceptting donations of parts(lol), anything that will fit, lets trade.... could use good doors......
     
  20. REmember your gonna need 4 doors or at least the tops of a second set. Good news is that all the big trucks have the same roofs and door tops. They seem to be easier to find for cutting up.
     
  21. lrs30
    Joined: Jan 30, 2007
    Posts: 2,214

    lrs30
    Member
    from Kentucky

    gonna go hard top doors no windows spring/summer fall car.....cheap....
     
  22. 1uglybucket
    Joined: Oct 16, 2006
    Posts: 2

    1uglybucket
    Member

    I am in the middle of chopping my F1 also. I have chopped it 4" and decided to split the top and not lay the windshield back. I prefer more of an upright look to the front glass. I also split the middle front to back to allow for better alignment of the back glass and does not require leaning the posts in for front alignment. This does mean that it is in 4 pieces as some have suggested against. I did not need more than one door top I saved the pieces I removed and used them to fill in any gaps. I decided this route after much reading and since there is not an abundance of HAMBER's in this area I am tackling this on my own with the assistance of my 13 year old son. At least he is not on the XBOX. Have I made any mistakes? probably. I guess exactly what they are I am not sure as I have just begun tacking pieces together. I have pics if you are interested. This s my first chop so if you are interested in my progress as I am in yours feel free to contact me. I am in the Cincinnati area if you are in the northern part of KY let me know maybe we can help each other out.
     
  23. big otis
    Joined: Apr 3, 2007
    Posts: 65

    big otis
    Member
    from omaha, ne

    when we did mine we took 6 1/2 out of the back and 7 out of the front. we 1/4'd it and chopped it with the doors on it. that made it a lot smoother getting the tops of the doors to match back up with the top. we also took out a few inches under the back window, set the entire window down, and then chopped the window. it looks cool and you can see out of the thing too. here are some pics.

    http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=295054&d=1175721400

    http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=295056&d=1175721400

    http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=295053&d=1175721400
     

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