or getting the stance right. Which comes first? Both have an effect on each other so what do you guys recommend? Should you set up the suspension and get it down to an appropriate height and stance, or chop it right away and set the ride height to what looks appropriate according to how much you took out of the roof? hotrod-40's recent thread on his chop got me thinking about the order of building these crazy things. Here is hotrod-40's thread. http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=255245 Which path should I choose for my own '31.
I say stance first. Its pretty hard to visualize a chop with the thing in the air. But really the best thing is to do a rendering or photoshop and plan the WHOLE thing out first.
stance, then chop. especially with a model A, the chop will be level and flat. so it'll be easy to visualize. get the whole thing moving in the right direction, then give it a whack (4inches).
I say it does not matter. it's not like there isn't 100 model A's around with different chops and stance so you can know upfront what your car will look like before you even start
49ratfink has a good point (plenty of examples to look at), but in general I agree with the others that the stance needs to come first. Besides, it's a lot easier to raise or lower the suspension an inch or two after the chop than to raise or lower the roof another inch or two after setting the ride height!
I didn't even look at the picture. I guess that's what I get for relying upon the word of others! Still, the advice remains: stance first, then chop. No matter WHAT the car is. (Nice Chevy!)
cool model A!!!!! build the whole frame, rolling stock and all, motor/trans mounted, THEN chop. you can start out simple as 2" and always cut more out....but you can't add raise the top if you chop it and then build the frame/rolling stock..... just my .02
?? am I the only one who can visualize what a car is going to look like using my brain? it's a model A fer cryin out loud. 2", 3", 4", 5", 6"... we,ve seen them all.
No it's not, read back a few posts and look harder at the grille . I don't get all the pictures due to blocks on my work computer
You know I was going to put Chevy after '31 but I figured that it did not really matter. It gets redundant to state the make every time I mention it. The principle is still the same I guess. And as for the fact that we have seen 2",3",4" 5" before. That is true. However for someone building and chopping their first rod that sort of statement does not hold much weight. We have pretty much seen every trick in the book when it comes to Model A's but that does not mean that visuals don't help along the way. I mean we still go back and look through old issues of Hot Rod Magazine right? I don't think that chopping a car is a formula as much as it's a feeling. But as for what most of you guys saying that stance should come first. I was thinking along those lines also. I figure that the chopping of the roof is sort of a ceremonial ritual that should come later in the build. Thanks for the responses. Keep 'em coming! Also thanks PBRmeASAP, I thought it was a pretty cool "model a" myself.
im not sure i realy which id go about first, probably stance. it changes alot of things. but on the note of referenceing the million already build model A's. if 9 of 10 ppl thought it was an A even though its a chevy. then id say A's are fair game for chop/stance comparisons.
take a shot from dead side on...post it up here and the photoshop faeries will set u up with any stance/ chop you desire..cheaper than getting springs re-set over and over...ask me how i know.. Oh nice Model A !
Here's some inspiration... another Model A... short a couple pieces of glass... I know, I posted the pictures elsewhere the other day, but it just struck me as such a nicely done job all around... maybe it'll inspire ya a bit.
Well, I actually was not looking for help in the visual department through photoshopping (my occupation is an Art Director/ Senior Designer). I was just seeing what were the steps of most builders, and what they consider to be a well thought out process of building a car when considering these two very important modifications. From what I am seeing most people are saying that the suspension should come first. And those who did not agree with that, more or less said that it did not matter.
I chopped mine before I set the stance. I like the way it turned out. I just cut the top until I got the proportions they way I liked them. But with that said I do think it is good advice to set the stance first. Mat
hahahaha.... first step in building a model a frame get model a wheels...build everything and then chop a model a... get the ride height figured, gather friends and chop away, and everyone that helped chop gets a section of body for there efforts.... any ideas on what you are going to do with the model A wooded area when you chop it? i put my model a in metal so i could weld the metal to metal after the chop, not sure what you can do when the wood gets cut...don't know how to re-attach it after the chop? i don't thing i'd trust brackets to hold the 2 pieces together....something to think about
I'd vote for about 2 1/12 to 3 inches. I like to drive em and like some headroom and see stop lights too. I'm so tall I can't even have a chopped car, though I like the look. Show us the Hemi!
Well PBRmeASAP, I was thinking along the same lines today. I figures that I could replace some of the wood with relief cut metal and weld it back up. But seeing how I was at the Auto Fair again today and a man with a tech bond station asked me to come look at his demonstration, I might be able to bod the wood back together. This stuff was really amazing at face value. Now does it actually work over time is another story. I guess I could always take the wood our and cut from the ends like some of the other guys were saying. These damn Model "A's" and their wood right? I am looking for those wheels as we speak. I wanted 16 x 4.5 in back and 16 x 4" up front but I also wanted to run 7.50 and 6.00 respectively on tires. I might have to go to a 7.00 tire or a 5" rim out back seeing how the tires won't work on the rim. The car is not going to be ridiculously low. I'm however not going to leave at the height that it is now even though I have a real respect for early 30's drylakes cars. And as for the Chop? Not sure yet. I am 6 feet tall but I can afford what feels to be a 6" chop on this thing with a comfortable seat also. Maybe that's a chevy thing though. Not that I am actually going to go that far but the option is open. I was thinking a 4" chop. Some times when you go beyond that the quarter windows start looking misshaped. 3 windows you can chop silly I bet. Pics of the hemi are a coming. I have to take some pics perhaps tomorrow. Oh and junkyardroad, I seen some Chevy fenders at the swap today. $850!! Did not take mine because it was pissing all day.
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