Hot Rods Chopping a 35-36 Ford pickup cab, pros please weigh in.

I am planning on chopping my 36 Ford pickup. I have had this truck since I was a kid. I drove it through high school. It's my keeper, never sell truck. With that said, I want to make sure I do this right.

I am looking to do a mild chop. These trucks seem a little too heavy. Maybe 2-3" just enough to make folks wonder if it has been chopped.

I would prefer not to split the top into multiple pieces if possible and I don't want the rear window to remain the same size. I do have an extra roof, if I do need parts to stretch the roof.

I will post some pics from different angles. If you don't mind, give me your input on chopping the cab. I have chopped one car, but I want this to be perfect.

Thanks



Sent from my iPhone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app

 

That's a nice looking cab.

One of my buddies was showing how a guy he had worked with cut the middle out of the donor roof like a big filler panel for a coupe or sedan roof and then split the original roof so that everything fit up square and used that filler so he could weld it up out close to the edge rather than across the middle this way and across the middle that way. We did pretty much the same on my roof when I took that "80's" sunroof out and filled the roof back.

 

Just a question
Are you chopping it because it will improve the look?
Or you chopping it because you have had it so long you are bored with it?
36's are beautiful stock, like 40's. Oh you can chop them, but if you miss you miss big.

 

No, I am not bored. I just think they are a little top heavy. I don't want a heavy chop, just a little.

I was thinking, if I take 2.5" out of the center of the rear window, I could take the same amount out of the front. The question is, will it be noticeable if I lean the A pillars back?

 

What did Gene Winfield do on his '35 Pickup?

 

Not sure. I really love this truck. This one is a 2" chop. Our own Royboy did a feature on it.
http://royboyproductions.smugmug.com/Cars/Shoots/Jerry-Curry-1936-Ford-Pickup/i-FsjBHd6

 

I too, think they are a little top heavy. I had a 36 back in the 80's, extra cab and a few other pieces, I took a picture of it and sliced it to get a feel for the look, that would be a cheap way to determine what would like good, to you, and you are the only one that matters.
I sold it, not sure what happened to it.

 

Hot Rods - '35 Ford Pickup - Austin Speed Shop build | The H.A.M.B ...

 

this one looks good to me, i think it was done at austin speed shop.
tom

 

Here is my '36 stock. These things have a bit of a tractor cab from the factory.



But 2 inches off the top gets them down where you can stand to be seen in it.



I split my roof lengthwise to keep the original A pillar angle and ended up with about a 1 1/2 filler strip from left to right. Pretty basic chop, you can do it start to finish in a weekend.

Good luck, -Abone.

 

You can kinda see the cut lines in this pic. Again, not much to it. It is two guys, most of a weekend and a little less than a case of beer worth of chop.



-Abone.

 

How tall are you? They don't have a lot of room in them stock..as you know.

 

I have been studying this one closely.

 

6'2" but they have a seat riser that can be easily removed to make up the difference.

 

Are you scared of a 6" chop?

 

Found this link re Gene W's truck--state 3 1/2 inch chop: http://www.drivingline.com/articles/custom-styling-of-the-60s-gene-winfield-s-1935-ford-truck/
Sure looks like rear window narrowed and pillars laid back.

 

Don't go wild with the chop. The truck looks good leaving it alone. A 2" chop will look good.

 

Anybody have any pics of one of these with an extra half inch taken out of the front? I think they are a touch square, and wonder what a slight slant would look like when chopping.

 

Didn't Street Rodder do a good How-To on a slight wedge chop on a '35/'36 cab in the late nineties? Seem to remember that...

 

Its a 2" straight chop on a '41 with the posts laid back, they cut out the back window and kept it full height. If you think it will help you I can scan it and post it, fairly detailed.

 

1 1/2" to 2" max chop. Watch any lean back on the A pillars, don't let them get back much more than the angle of the grill.

Just my 2 cent opinions, go with what looks good to you and fits your driving comfort. Individule varity is what keeps it all interesting.

Ed

 

2 inches sure looks right. I agree with RidgeRunner about keeping all the angles (grille, A pillars, etc.) the same.

 

Anybody have pics of one with a 2" chop and the posts laid back?
I may be doing a chop on one in the near future.

 

The way I was taught by a MASTER metal man was to never lay the pillars back unless you can drop the back lower than the front IE.=cars. Trucks look funky if you try and drop the back lower than the front so we never leaned truck pillars back. If you just lean the pillars of a truck back and chop it 2-3" and then stand back and look at it, it looks like someone fucked up. All the trucks we did at the hotrod shop we split the roofs. He had the best eye for kustom cars/trucks and always said to make it look like it came from the factory. Most all trucks we split into 4ths. Straight across the middle front to back and side to side. It's a lot of work but to me looks the best. Just my opinion, iv seen lots of jacked up chops.
Also if you chop a truck a lot they look stupid if you dont shortin the bed. Again just my opinion. Don't want this to turn into a argument. Btw the ol man never leaned the A or B pillars back he always said it looked stupid. He made them look factory just shorter. Never cut off the drip rail or round the corners of the doors. Just my thoughts

 

FWIW, I also agree with not leaning the posts back on a truck.

 

I leaned the post back on my truck.



Sent from my HTC One_M8 using The H.A.M.B. mobile app

 

And you shaved the drip rail!!
Or is just hard to see?

 

Yup. Broke all the rules.

Sent from my HTC One_M8 using The H.A.M.B. mobile app

 

Thanks for the input. I was out of town all weekend, so a little slow replying.

 

I leaned mine back to. Better then that looooong weld a crossed the cab.