The last Grasp Special '34 3 window build

Whodaky...

I've been following your thread and I love the way you chopped the car! You definitely have a good grasp on these bodies!

I want your opinion on my '33 3W... I bought a car that had previously been chopped, but I don't like the way it looks. I knew that when I bought it because I don't mind doing that kind of work and the metal is really good shape. The good thing about it is that they didn't finish the chop!

So, I mentioned that I wanted your opinion. I think I want to lean the rear of the roof forward, which means welding up the previous cut, then cutting the roof free, and then moving it X amount until I guess I'm happy. At that point I could pie cut the roof like you did on page 14 of this thread... and then just add a filler strip at the bottom & in the reliefs?! Do you think that'd be a good plan? I don't want to bring the lid down any further, and the rear sheetmetal is going to be too short.

I guess my concerns are all the welding on the sheetmetal (and just effing up the car) and at the same time I would like to retain & use the original wood. (Previous owner removed the B pillars, so I am in the process of reinstalling them).

The things I am going to do regardless are shorten the roof back to stock and lean the windshield back to suit.

I'll add a few pics in a minute... I have to switch from my tablet.

 

Not the best pictures, but it kinda shows the body. I will take more when I am at the shop today. Unfortunately, the rust has gotten a lot worse since I brought her home!

 

Let me add that I think this chop is perfect. It was on Ebay several years ago and I almost bought it, but couldn't make it happen.

 

hey 3BLAPCAM. Thankyou for the kind words regarding our chop. Tony and I have definite views on how we like a chop to look. As you have seen we have the skills to do it all ourselves, so we can take our time and get it just the way we want it.
As they say nothing is impossible and I am sure with a lot of work your coupe can be redone in the roof to look the way you want. If you have the desire and skills, go for it.
As you saw on our chop we didn't need to lengthen the roof. We just layed the A pillars slightly and basically pulled the lower section of the rear of the roof back to meet the belt line.
We didn't want a big lean on the A pillars, but a slight tilt was required for everything to work for us aeshtetically.
I think you are on the right track in how you have described áltering your chop.
Because yours is already chopped and will be welded before you do the rechop, there will be a lot more stress in the roof because of all this.
Something I am very definite about, is you need to constantly stand back and look at the overall look. Having the ability to roll your coupe down your driveway so you can stand way back to view it. Even when it is just tacked.
I know I frustrate Tony with my constant checking and rechecking, But I think he has seen the light and totally understands how I operate.
I really like your coupe . Just looking at you shots again, I would say that your chop has an equal amount out of it front to rear. Where as with ours we took a slight bit more from the front. If I lived a bit closer I would be right there giving you a hand.
The second body you show looks good. Although the A pillars are probably raked a bit more than we like.
Tony is actually travelling down here to visit for a few days and will be here later on today. So we will both have a look at your post.
A really good side on shot would be good and I could have a play and photochop it.
Once again thankyou for the kind words and thinking that our advice may help you. I really look foward to seeing your progress.

Geoff aka whodaky

 

Hey... thanks for getting back to me... and so thoroughly too!

I can handle the metal work, at least this kind of metal work. I am proficient at MIG-ing sheet metal, so I am not too worried about that. The previous guy was TIG-ing it back together, and I think he was doing quite well. I may even try and TIG what he started because the butt joint is so close together.

I agree that it looks like just a straight down chop. I have some of the sheetmetal that was removed, but they cut up part of the removed pieces for some of the patches, so I'm not 100% sure how much it was chopped. I was probably told, but don't recall anymore. The good news is that I have the removed portions of the A pillars in case I need to extend them to keep a lot of the wedge look out of it. I don't like too much wedge and I obviously don't like the straight down approach... just something in between suits me fine!

Soooo... since there is going to be so much stress in the roof after it's rewelded... do you think I should just leave those tacked until I get the proportions sorted out? I think that could work, as long as the panels don't start deflecting when the roof starts to move around.

I like the idea of moving it out and looking at it from afar. I guess I need to get that rolling so I can make that happen!

I will attach some more pics in a bit, turns out my camera battery needs a little juice.

3blap.

 

Pictures

In the 2nd picture, I cut those 2 pieces out. First, the upper sail panel and the second being the piece filling the gap over the door. I stopped because I felt like I need to hang the doors before I get carried away. I need to keep an eye on door/body gaps before I start welding things silly.

 

Hey 3blapcam (3bc ). Thanks for other images. Tony and I were looking at them and discussing what we were seeing and thinking. We are a it busy here at the moment. I want to let you know our thoughs. I really want to look at the images and think about it more. Then give you what will probably be a long winded reply. It maybe a week or more before I get to do that. As I will be taking Tony back to Port Fairy on Monday and then I will spend a week down there. But rest assured we will be thinking and discussing your coupe.

Geoff ak whodaky

 

Guys I'm back from a long time away and glad to be home. I have just spent a solid weekend on the pickup and can report it's very close I will post pics soon.

 

Tommy good to hear about the progress on the pickup. I think winter may have slowed a few Aussies posting and summer is keeping the Americans too busy to post.

A couple of weeks ago we had a Christmas in July. It was a great weekend. On Saturday @CrcooperPhotography came to my shed and we worked on his tattersfield chev 6 intake then had a bit of an impromptu photo shoot in my driveway before heading to Kialla for the Christmas in July.

The party was heaps of fun with good people, good food, a good band and a car show. I was lucky enough to win the perpetual "koolest ride" trophy whitch is picked by the previous years winner. It was a bit nice to have my car appreciated by others and also special to win the trophy I made 7 years ago.

On Sunday we had Gazza's 60th birthday lunch. More good food and good people.

Here is a link to Chris' photos.

https://crcooperphotography.wordpress.com/2015/07/06/cranksters-christmas-in-july/

Hope you like them.

 

Got an invite to the Christmas in July this year but couldn't make it, looks like it was a good night!
Thanks for the link for the pics,
Cheers

 

WD that is one awesome manifold! Fantastic pictures. Great club

 

This is the Christmas in July trophy. The winner takes ownership for a year and has to make an addition before choosing the next years winner.

 

Great pics WD. Hey Tommy glad to hear your progressing on the pickup, don't forget when it's up and going to come around for a celebration home brew drink. Talk soon....

Hey Geoff I was going over some older photos earlier and found this one of both your now coupes.

 

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Looking good Tommy. How good does that manifold and air cleaner look!!!

 

Hi GaryD it is some piece, Jewellery, I'm lucky to have it
How's the coupe going mate? Looking forward to a beer with you

 

Looking real good Tommy. Those heads are very cool also, I love the water manifolds on them.

 

Thanks Cam,
Fingers crossed I warn it beside my coupe at the Crankster run! Aiming for it

 

Oh man I hope so, it would be great to see it.

 

One more weekend


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Bam!! Did it always have wires? I thought I remembered it with solids? Looking real good.

 

WD I was just contemplating this exact same question this afternoon and had a long chat with Steve the greeeeek about it. I think the pickup looks way better with the wires. I have custom made a full set of 15" solids, painted and fitted new white walls, ripple trims and baldie caps - in my opinion Not Right, just does Not Work. Bolted one of my KH wires to the front and like Magic it works magnificent. It seems to capture the hot rod look we all love and not loose any of the commercial appeal as this is still a truck ! I think this ride needs wire shoes and I am just about to start taking the rear wheels apart to put on wider rims. Would be interested in all my mates opinion on this

 

Sometimes cars get to a certain point where the original plan has to take a side step and they tell us what parts are needed to finish them off.

 

WD - Amen to that

 

Hey Tommy your pickup is really looking sweet. Can't wait to see it finished, my old coupe had really started to come along good in the last week up until last night on a quick test drive around the block it developed a serious noise in the 39 three speed gearbox. Some more investigating needed to know what's happened, I'm hoping it's just low on oil? Wishful thinking we all know how it goes one thing leads to another thing. All good, I'm also still waiting on some steelies? However the 5 slot rims on it now are starting to grow on me so perhaps I will use them every now and then on it just to change things around.

 

Hey GaryD coupe looks awesome I just love those 5 slots as I wrote earlier the shoes make the man and yours just work! I do like this combo especially with the coupes colour. With your gearbox is it shifting ok? Is it jumping out of gear like 2nd gear when coasting? It could just be bearing related, keep driving the pants of it mate

 

Hey Tommy thanks, the gearbox changes and holds in gear fine, it's just really noisy and more so in third gear?

 

Hey Tommy Hangin to see the pickup my friend.

 

Thanks Gaz
Let's have that beer this year!