I have replaced car floors, rockers, quarter panels. Many times. But the job of chopping a '40 Merc coupe is "complicated". Lots of measuring and fitting. Is there a book or video that actually gives the exact places to cut and is a step by step instructions? I don't want to screw it up! Thanks for all your help.and no, I can't afford to pay someone to do it.
Check out all the sledge Kustoms posts. I think the place most would fail, is in making the new sail panels blend into the roof. This is one of those parts you may make a few times until it fit and looks correct. Cutting a roof and tack welding it in pace is easy. Finishing the metal work, making the A pillars and rear wind flow correct. Would take a few times to get it right. There are several post here you need to see how they done it and finished it.
There are just some cars that the roof lines are perfect right from the factory. A mercury coupe isn't one of them...Chop away & Good Luck!
Someone I know thought they could chop a 47 Chevy coupe. After the chop and approximaely 50# of mud it still looked like shit. Good luck.
There are no definite plans for this sort of thing because of the variables involved. How much looks good to you in subjective. Also, cars like the Matranga Merc had the windshield opening enlarged after the chop but lots of other cars did not. Do you have an English wheel? Otherwise, you need lots of slits in the "C" pillars to line things up. How about a reverse curve where the roof meets the deck? There are lots of ways to mess this up. When done well, it looks great but seeing where you are going is something else.
40 Merc's do have a odd shaped top and that makes them one of the more difficult to chop and make look right. Do a lot of research before you just start cutting. Mick
Sorry, but if 6 posts about the difficulty of a 40 Merc roof is enough to now make you be thinking about a Carson top instead, then you might need to "seek professional help" before getting out the saw. I'm not saying to jump right in, guns blazing, but you don't undertake a job like this without a few late nights staring at the ceiling, and making your imaginary cuts as you fall asleep, especially if you've never chopped a car before.
Buy a cheap junker and chop it to get some insight on the procedures,it doesn’t have to be a classic a junker Kia will do. Make your mistakes there and improve your technique,just my 2 cents
September 1999 Street Rodder/October 1999 Street Rodder has a great article on chopping a 40 Merc. "Matranga style". Work was done by Bill Hines, sail panel patch panels were cut from a junk '40 Ford deck lid. Hope that helps.
Not a car I ever gave much thought to, but understand why you would want to do something to that roof. Bob
The Jalopy Journal
