Projects The Chris Casny Shoebox Chop and build progress, my first Custom project.

Great workmanship, very very nice work, super job! Enough said!!!
Barry

 

Just a quick update.
I got a Gambino Notch kit from Alex, during the Ventura Nationals, had some time to install it. Gotta say it's a good product, I can highly recommend it.
Although I have no plans to airbag the car, this kit is the easiest way to notch that frame.

Test fitting:


I cut the wheelwell just enough to clear the kit.


Notch welded in place, frame section cut out, ready for the lower piece.

Cut out frame piece.

Finished notch, I also boxed the rear section of the frame, for strength, since I'm still running the leaf springs.
I'm still gonna add a "bridge" to tie the notched sections together.

 

Nice work dude. You're a pro!

 

looks great

 

Excellent work! profile looks killer and the Gambino notch kit is going to get ya a killer stance.. cant wait to peep it out some day.
Cheers!

 

Enjoying this thread, nice build!

 

Hey, while the trunk floor was out anyway.... nice job.



CBB

 

Why the notch? Was it out of travel at the height you have?

 

these things have no travel in the rear Groucho, as I am learning quick with mine.
looks great Chris!

 

With the ride height that I wanted, the frame would be sitting on top of the axle (touching), it had to be done.
Yes, the Gambino notch is is a bit much for what I'm after, but at least the frame will be ready to accept airbags, if I or a future owner decided, to go that route.

 

Very nice work. I look forward to seeing a 30 foot shot!

 

First of all great job! This has got to be one of the best chop jobs ever. Usually when you see a chop job there is ugly bubble gum welds, non-strategical cuts, poor metal work, and it always looks like they rush the job (most likely because they want to get it done asap because it is a little intimidating having the roof off of a car and trying to get it back on with sections missing and such.) I love how it looks like you took your time and thought it through. The use of a wooden buck for the window frame areas worked great! What kind of wood did you use? your chop is just so clean and well done. I teach auto painting technology at my towns regional occupational program and I am going to track the progress of your build and I have been showing my class the proper way of chopping a top without ruining the structural integrity, minimizing the amount of bodywork due to great metal work, and how to make templates. (its a great visual using the masking tape.) Thanks so much for posting. Many of us h.a.m.b.ers (as well as my class) will benifit from seeing how to do things properly and your work has and will continue to inspire people to not be so intimidated to chop their tops on their projects. this makes me want to chop the top on my 55 chrysler lol

 

Chris,

You are really impressing me with this build. You have a good sense of design. Keep it up.

 

Looks great Chris.....are you going to weld the seam on top of the rear fenders? (T molding)

 

Already did. What a messed up job that was. There is some sort of rubbery insulation in between the fender and body, you cant just take out, so when welding that seam, it bursts into flames and smokes sporadically
Fun fun fun.

BTW, the best way to remove that bead is with a sharp wood chisel.

 

I went through the same shit also....I was told the T moulding is or was Zinc coated and man that mother fucker almost kicked my ass. Now I can see your shackles look like in the photo.

 

So, that's what you were talking about on the phone...Looks great!

 

That is on nice shoebox chop. Thanks from myself and probably a lot of others who will save the thread to refer to when we need to figure out how to shape a corner for a project or make a pattern to make a filler panel. There will probably be more than one Hamber out in the garage this weekend shaping a piece of wood to use as a buck to shape a piece of metal he has been fighting with.

 

Awesome, amazing work!!!

 

very nice work.

 

cool ass chop

 

I was hoping there was a better way of doing that then grinding it off...

Regarding the notch, are you going to make the cover at the same level (as the top of the notch) all the way across, or step it down since you aren't running bags?

 

Very nice.The clean cuts with butt welds look great.It pays to take extra time to do it like this.I see inexperienced guys overlapping there panels and welding. It leaves a step on the panels that need a lot of work to finish off . Yours is in good hands,it's obvious the guy knows what he is doing.Your going to have one cool looking ride.

 

air chisel works extremely well

 

Still looking great

 

I like the chisel/air chisel idea . I'll most likely make my rear seams go bye-bye too .

 

done a few and an air chisel is the way to go and then theres welding them up always fun.b.

 

Great work Chris, keep it up!

 

Good looking chop, nice welds, and work that progresses fast... Thumbs up!

 

Quick update.
Did some body filler and primer, my least favorite part of the build.
The primer hasnt been sanded yet (and you can see a low spot in the second picture), gotta fix that.
I plan on "spot painting" the car in stages with that orange/red color.