48 ford coupe chop with drip rails. Is there any thing out there with photos to help with planning out a chop? I have a really nice donor car and I just want to make sure I have a solid plan before I start cutting and have to go backwards. Just looking for more ideas and suggestions.
Lot of good info in this. Be sure to click on the photo link in post #7 too. https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/any-pics-of-41-48-ford-coupes-getting-chopped.483223/
Drip rails on any chop are always a challenge. Well worth the extra effort! Sorry I don't have any photos for ya.
A great resource is Tex Smith's "How to Chop Tops", several '41-'48 Ford chops shown, also in May 1990 Street Rodder, Dick Dean does a regular coupe, July 2004 Street Rod Builder chops a Business Coupe. Gather as much information as you can before you start cutting metal because these are very difficult cars to chop properly.
Hi Highboy 32 ! What model -48 Ford coupe ? Club coupe (long door) or business coupe (short door) , two different chops . General advice , start to find a picture of the chop you really like , I think the -41 -48 Ford tops are together with the -39-40 Mercs have the worst FoMoCo general issue of the top skin and door window opening slanting forward from the B-pillar which I think is uggy , The masters of the time chopped a substantiell amount more the rear compared to the front in order to get the GM general proportion of the top skin and doorwindow peak in or around the center of the door . For -41-48 Ford club coupes this is a pretty redicules amount more chop (7-8") in the rear to make that happening , this results in that the rear sidewindow becomes non existant which needs to be cut out and made into something that flows with the top (like Jesse Lopes -41 Ford) , that also brings the issue with the driprail that needs to be cut out and repositioned . Maybe thats why the driprails were never reattached even if I think it looks better without them but lets not open that can of worms , lol ! If you have a business coupe the above is almost impossible to achive , aka top of the roof skin and window opening arc in the center of the door but to get close helps the flow of the chop . Since your posting this question in "trad customs" part of HAMB I take it for granted that we are talking about a full blown traditional custom your shooting for ... I suggest to research Riks Fotki and pic something you like . Then its a matter of "reverse engineer" = figure how to chop in the way to achive your dream chop . I attempted to help a friend with his -41 Ford , that was without driprails and without B-pillar so that doesnt really apply in this case , if I remeber right I think it was 2 3/4" inch in the Apillar , and then we dropped the C-pillar until it looked good . I make a structure in the rear window before cutting it out prepairing for clamping it to two adjustable angled brackets to the hatrack , when the A-pillars are set and the C-pillars and the rear windowframe are adjustable a ruler layed flat on top of the top skin down towards to the trunklid and from a distance 8-10yards it can be figured where the C-pillars and rear window needs to be located to work with the new lowerd position of the A-pillar (needs to be cut in the bottom so they follow flat with the upper part of the A-pillar) . All the holes remaining needs to be filled with shaped panels ... for that you need a english wheel , clecos , shrinker and streacher , a angle like temperament and alot of time ! Wolf
Maybe something like this topchop is what your looking for ? Dont know this one , maybe someone else that knows , i swiped the picture from the KUSTOMS BLUES ! I NEED TO SEE SOME KUSTOMS .... thread at this page ! Wolf
Maybe this will give you some ideas: https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/1947-krustom.1244777/
One night I had a chopped 46 - 48 Ford pull up beside me at a light and then it took off. I followed it a bit. I never was a fan but seeing a chopped one with attitude it looked really good. I saw this thread on chopping a a 46 that looked like a person may be able to do without a metal magician. This may be of some interest. https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/vernon-mckeans-46-ford-build.982797/#post-11454741
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