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Talk me out of (or in to) cutting my car up.

Discussion in 'The Hokey Ass Message Board' started by Indychus, Feb 3, 2013.

  1. droplord49
    Joined: Jan 12, 2004
    Posts: 1,690

    droplord49
    Member
    from Bryan, Tx

    Snip snip
     

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  2. roddinron
    Joined: May 24, 2006
    Posts: 2,676

    roddinron
    Member

    And then notice that even with his skill and talent, he never finished it.:(
    Fix what needs fixed to see if you have what it takes to chop it before you cut up a drivable car. Then, if you decide to cut it, gather up the parts you need to make it a 2 door and make the work/time/money worthwhile.
     
  3. Indychus
    Joined: Jun 9, 2010
    Posts: 134

    Indychus
    Member
    from Irmo, SC

    I think it's worthwhile on a four door... and, as odd as it may sound, I don't want a 2 door or to convert it to 2 doors.

    That's a sick ride you have there droplord!

    So I'm pretty sure I'll hold off this spring/summer and just enjoy driving it for now, as most of you suggested. I'd hate to be stuck cruising the wife's Jeep while all my buddies are out in their hot rods.

    I'm thinking a 2" section and 3" chop would be about perfect though. It seems to me like the section would be easier than the chop since you don't have to worry about the glass. I have cut up a few mini trucks, so I'm not completely green, but I have more respect for this old iron than an S10 or B2200. I have spent a lot of time just staring at it, and I think I can take 2" out of it without too much headache. I have a pretty good idea where it needs to be cut.

    In any case, I'd like a donor roof, and I still have a lot of research to do...

    So maybe next winter I'll do all of the rust repair and bag it, then the following winter chop it, and the year after section... All the while doing small body mods. After the pics posted here, I think it needs to be done.
     
  4. indychus,
    I have sectioned a few over the years and I really need to suggest that you section before drop. When you section you start to notice clearance issues and more often then not of you drop first you will end up changing the suspension after you section, that makes double work for you. Just a suggestion.
     
    Last edited: Feb 5, 2013
  5. manyolcars
    Joined: Mar 30, 2001
    Posts: 9,176

    manyolcars

    most yes MOST cars that are cut up are never finished. Go ahead
     
  6. Chop it and do suicide doors!
     
  7. Indychus
    Joined: Jun 9, 2010
    Posts: 134

    Indychus
    Member
    from Irmo, SC

    That makes sense... I was thinking I'd bag it first because it's easy and already have all of the parts I need... maybe I'll wait on that. I definitely want to chop it before sectioning, otherwise I think the proportions will look really goofy. Maybe I'll try my hand at chopping it next winter.

    I thought this was a hot rod forum.... sure seems to be a lot of guys around here scared of the sawzall haha... I appreciate all of the advice and warnings though. The first cut will be the hardest, but if I decide to do it it will get finished.

    I've been thinking about buying an O/T car to hack apart for practice first... there's a 4-door honda near my house for $500 that could use some trimming.... I'm sure I could sell it to some ricer afterwards and make my money back.
     
  8. Indychus
    Joined: Jun 9, 2010
    Posts: 134

    Indychus
    Member
    from Irmo, SC

    The rear doors are definitely getting suicided... I already have some hinges left over from another project and some bear claw latches.
     
  9. chevydave1965
    Joined: May 2, 2010
    Posts: 370

    chevydave1965
    Member
    from Iowa

    I would just fix what needs fixed & leave the rest be.
     
  10. slammed
    Joined: Jun 10, 2004
    Posts: 8,150

    slammed
    Member

    There. Do it. Loose the Black-n-Red satanic color combo that has been done to death (no pun) for a long time now. Seal up/patch the floors, sound deaden and drive.
     
  11. motoandy
    Joined: Sep 19, 2007
    Posts: 3,334

    motoandy
    Member
    from MB, SC

    Hold off for now. Come to Myrtle Beach for the RUN TO THE SUN in March, then hit the Steel in Motion show in May, through in a little Charlotte Autofair in April. Sleep on it and maybe start next winter. Drive it for now.
     
  12. Driveway builder
    Joined: Jan 17, 2013
    Posts: 588

    Driveway builder
    Member

    Just man up and chop it!!! You will be so happy when its done. I built my chevy over 5 yrs ago... it looked good, but I was never happy with it. I never had the balls to take a saw to it till alittle over a month ago. I'm a carpenter and I did it, you just have to think and take your time where you cut and not get over whelmed. Her is mine... you can check out my build thread. GO FOR IT!!
    [​IMG]
    and finished...
    [​IMG]
     
  13. motoandy
    Joined: Sep 19, 2007
    Posts: 3,334

    motoandy
    Member
    from MB, SC

    ^^^^ damn it man. You suck. Now I need you to come and chop mine
     
  14. redlinetoys
    Joined: May 18, 2004
    Posts: 4,302

    redlinetoys
    Member
    from Midwest

    This is the correct answer in my opinion. Especially so if you have kids around.
     
    Last edited: Feb 12, 2013
  15. Driveway builder
    Joined: Jan 17, 2013
    Posts: 588

    Driveway builder
    Member

    hahahha sorry, just trying to help. :)
     
  16. i , for one wouldnt take a running driving car and do something to it to make it immovable yard art

    from what ive read 1st page i think you indychus could handel doing what you want to do with it (if youve done what you say youve done) your just letting the uncertainty get to you too much all projects are just a series of steps to get to the end result

    but as others have said id just clean your car up and enjoy it and find another car to go cut crazy on
     
  17. 'Mo
    Joined: Sep 26, 2007
    Posts: 7,432

    'Mo
    Member

    Just to play the Devil's Advocate;

    Do you like the Jack Stewart's "Polynesian"? Not my fave, but a definite icon!
    (At least you wouldn't have to deal with glass, stainless, vent wings, etc.)

    [​IMG]

    Having channeled a vehicle, you know what you'd be getting into.

    Valley Customs cut through the door skins, but you may be able to cut the front skins loose and trim the bottom. The trunk lid and hood may not need cutting (but IMHO, looks better when the grille opening is opened up, i.e., not reduced.). The use of side trim can help the eye read true.

    I think a smaller slice would better suit your car (3"?). Try a Photo-Chop, and see what you think.
     
    Last edited: Feb 5, 2013
  18. Squablow
    Joined: Apr 26, 2005
    Posts: 17,390

    Squablow
    Member

    The roof on the 2 door sedan and 4 door are indeed the exact same length.

    I like your plan of one thing at a time, with rust repairs coming first. If you manage to get the rockers, tail pan, and door bottoms all fixed up nice without taking the car off the road for a year, then you're probably up to the task of a chop and/or channel. And if you get the rust all fixed and you decide to leave it at that, no harm done.

    That white photoshop does look damn nice though, that'd be a great goal to shoot for after a few years of individual projects over the winter.
     
  19. gal6xie5
    Joined: Dec 19, 2006
    Posts: 268

    gal6xie5
    Member

    Fix what needs to be fixed and drive it! I'm not against chopped tops but I love original rooflines as well. Bagging and lowering would make it look just as good IMO.
     
  20. JeffB2
    Joined: Dec 18, 2006
    Posts: 9,484

    JeffB2
    Member
    from Phoenix,AZ

    Me too! Just fix the rust issues and be proud of it ;)
     
  21. hbwoody
    Joined: Dec 29, 2003
    Posts: 131

    hbwoody
    Member

    Yours Chopped
     

    Attached Files:

  22. Hey!.. That does look better!
     
  23. Indychus
    Joined: Jun 9, 2010
    Posts: 134

    Indychus
    Member
    from Irmo, SC

    My wife saw this and said, "Oh, shit... here we go."
     
  24. Plan it out, take your time, and the result will be awesome!
     
  25. Chopped and sectioned first pic and chopped sectioned and hood pancaked second pic. The photo chop is a little rough. The section job is about 2-3"
     

    Attached Files:

  26. Indychus
    Joined: Jun 9, 2010
    Posts: 134

    Indychus
    Member
    from Irmo, SC

    Hmmm.... I'm still not 100% on the section. Some look good (the Polynesian posted above), but some throw the proportions way off. I'm kind of afraid of the snowball effect... section it then the hood has to be pie cut to fix the front, trunk has to be cut to match the roof line, on and on. I'm not afraid of the work, but I would like to drive the car some this decade. I'm a very slow worker, so a project that involves modifying basically every panel would take me years to complete.

    That said, I am definitely in for a chop. Is it not possible to remove the entire top where the lower stainless is, remove 2-3", then slide everything forward until the a-pillars match and weld it back up? Maybe extend the roof in the center so the back still matches? I think you could just trim the bottom of the windshield and rear glass, and the side glass would still work, just wouldn't roll up as far. It seems like every build I see takes the height out of the center of the pillars, then basically rebuilds the entire back of the roof around the glass though.

    There is a late 40's oldsmobile in the woods near me that is mostly gone, but the roof looks intact... tried to find out who owns it but no luck. The land is owned by a utility company. I called them and asked about it, but no one there even knew what I was talking about. As soon as I can borrow my buddy and his trailer, I'm gonna go grab the roof and any other interesting pieces.... I don't think they'll miss it.
     
  27. You can slide the roof forward but it won't really work on a more door. More often then not the A pillers get canted a bit and then the back glass layed down and the sail panels reworked.

    A donor roof is a good idea in that case you could in theory not fast back it or cant the A pillars. There will still be some tweeking involved, no matter what you decide on the roof and most common is to fast back them.
     
  28. Indychus
    Joined: Jun 9, 2010
    Posts: 134

    Indychus
    Member
    from Irmo, SC

    I'm trying to avoid the fast-back look... I'd like to keep the sedan feel intact if possible. It wouldn't be too terrible as a fastback with the trunk cut though... better than ending up as a roadster.... :eek:
     
  29. y-oh-y
    Joined: Feb 14, 2012
    Posts: 116

    y-oh-y
    Member

    Just clean-up and drive the 52 you have, pick-up another 52 to do the chop and section to. You'll have no downtime, and wouldn't have to rush to get the mods done.
     
  30. Indychus
    Joined: Jun 9, 2010
    Posts: 134

    Indychus
    Member
    from Irmo, SC

    That was the plan, but the wife shot it down. I only have a 2 car garage, and it's got 2 project cars in it currently. The '52 sits in the driveway, so no room for another car. The original plan was just to daily drive the '52 (which I've been doing) and work on the others... but I can't leave anything alone.
     

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