I like em the way Henry built them, but that said, I have seen a few that were chopped very slightly where you had to stare at for a few minutes to figure it out. I always thought that looked cool but that's a lot of work for an inch or two. The way the roof line flows into the trunk kinda reminds me of the curve of a womans back, and if you get to hacking that up too much, it kind of ruins it(to me). I never cared for a severly chopped 40 or an overly customized one either. To me, 40's look good hot rodded..........
You guys have no vision! This one would be perfect with a carson top, "valley customs" style...I dig it. If he screws up the chop, theres always that route.
keep cutting up the rusty body you have looks like your really saving a near hulk from the grinder. save the stock one for someone that has too much money.
Probably as long as it did for you to look up that dumb ass quote. Seeing that you have over 9000 post on here you must be the coolest HAMBer in the world. Is there a statue of you some where that every one can go to and admire your awesomeness?
whoa, someone (g-lover) can't take a little ribbing.....looks good so far Travis, too bad you couldnt have had it all squared up on a frame before you started. but it's definately a different chop than any other '40 I've seen.
I agree with the majority. Don't chop your coupe. Ford got the proportions right on this one 68 years ago.
whoa, someone (g-lover) can't take a little ribbing,,,, Nah I can take the ribbing, I thought it was damn funny actually. I just wanted to see if I could ruffle any one elses feathers. For the car however, I think they look good either way, I just like the looks of a stock 39-40 Ford Coupe.
Good morning guys... Thanks Dan, fortunately with the green 40 it wasn't difficult to square it up to the correct dimensions. The other thing is i've been photoshopping it and there's a big difference in small changes of body placement, so making a frame/suspension to fit the body will be funner and will make it look right. (besides the fact that there is no floor or bottom uprights to fit a frame too!) I've been considering a mild section and a mild channel, over a little taller frame... door #2... Hey scott! the shop got small quick, my brother runs another business so we have a common tool-room, but he is able to bring in some bitchin tools that I need to learn! Like 296 said earlier, if the green 40 was chopped it would only be 1-2 inches, the curves and angles would be way easier vs this almost 4" chop. The thing that makes chopping a nice car is that the metal is straight and clean, not rusty and tweaked, so the outcome would probably be that much better. I'll probably just start saving up and look for another shell/project though. There is alot out there on ebay, and my brother has kinda become the guardian of the green 40, he's been storing it so I don't get any alcolhol fueled ideas! TP Rikster your crazy with those models, but that amount of work would be tough on the real thing, worth it but tough!
This zigzag door cut didn't result in the adding of a small strip like the other side did. A little bit of shaving of the outer curve though but somehow it all fit really easily. and the new side profile... TP
Hey Travis WHAT are you doin to that car man. We all miss you over here in Ventura County. Come on back now!
Hey DANNY lets make a deal for that Hemi you got stashed away! I'll be up there soon, hopefully the week before primernats... TP
Hey Travis.... About 10 minutes after your done with the chop on the Rusty Coupe, You need to run down & buy an 18 pack & a bottle of Cuervo. Go straight back to the shop & CHOP THE GREEN COUPE !!! I cannot believe all the NAY~SAYERS here.. They all love the Shit Box BOBBER TRUCKS but cant even entertain the idea of a nicely proportioned '40 Coupe Chop Top. A stock '40 kinda resemble a Camel with 1 big ass hump on his back.
...He he...Rick I think just a couple cheladas and some makers mark or patron will do! The whole hinge base will need to be fabbed up, was thinking of hidden hinges even though I like the outside ones. TP
It looks fantastic. WAY better than stock proportions, which, in my opinion, are awful. I'm really digging how you did the quarter window, to get things lined up...it's the same way I did my Hudson, and how I intend to do my 3 window Zephyr too...nice job.
Thanks i'll post some photoshops in a minute, its surprising how much lowering makes a difference, in the side profile anyway... TP
Looks good, I'm diggin' it....but quit screwin' 'round with that rusty one..... Chop the green one......haha....
Go Travis Go! Looking good man, looking good. Maybe you should call this one the Cheleda Special! Paint a hooker on the door for good measure.
ok finally these things loaded, like stated earlier big difference in ride height to make it look right. stock, well 17a style stock, but reversed... This is stinkbug high, with chop... the angles of the 2 pictures were off so the thickness of the roof would actually be less. (green shot was from lower angle, rusty shot was higher angle...) ok but needs a little help... This is way lower just with suspension. The tires on it are 16-7.50 LT's, big f*ckers and the fronts are 6.00-16's. I think I'd drive this one! This is sectioned maybe 1-2 inches not much. I kinda like it from the side view. This is a possibility cause the bottom of the doors are toast, and so is the rear body part that the fenders attach too. Then just the hood needs to be sectioned the same amount... TP
Oh yeah on the photochops there is no stainless centerpiece in the front window, like on the stock one. I like the idea of the '40 convertible style windshields with the sheetmetal center, like on the rear split windows. Since the whole cowl top has to be redone/replaced, that will be on the possibility list... TP
I'm by no means one of the 'NO CHOP' purists, but I gotta say the 'after photochops' do nothing for that car... To me, that particular chop addresses none of the 'issues' that exist with the stock top. It's just smaller... The hump in the back of the 'turret' is still there and the top looks way small for the body, even with the body lowered... It might work with a section, but to me, that top doesn't work at all on that body...
That's ok kilroy. The thing is the top isn't really smaller, its the same size just shorter. Only 2.75 inches needs to be added to the rear decklid area. I guess i've always liked the profile of '36 roadsters/chopped 3-windows that have that longer rear decklid with the short top. (but thanks for backin me up that the stock 40 has issues) kinda low superlow This is the unsectioned photoshop with a '41 merc lower door section/runningboard. If that section could be found i think i'd do it. TP
Hey zibo.. car is looking good man! I assume you're already done? I was just thinking that the door post on the profile shot is proportioned now a little thick. What would you think about narrowing that up a bit? Here's a PS to show what I'm talking about. Screw em man.. you've got a plan, stick with it. I think it looks good. Just don't chop the green one.
No you guys are all up to date right now! Its just a bare unchopped body, and slowly the finish welding is getting done tack by tack, centimeter by centimeter... I'm trying to figure out the hinge setup and then its on to a frame. So many options right now for the frame, just dont know if I wanna use my traditional junk lyin around or go lowbuck streetrod... That door post did get thicker once it was chopped! I'm not sure if I want to tackle it cause I can still use the stock roll-up windows, other than the windwing part. Thanks! TP
The Jalopy Journal
