OK...I'm goin for it...I'm Sectioning it, (maybe) Looking for Moral Support & Answers

OK This is the last time I'm tearing this thing down...I made a deal with myself that I WILL finish one project in my lifetime, SO it went back in the garage (these are the pre taken apart pics...I'll start a build thread soon) I also made a deal with myself that there will be NO shortcuts....if it takes longer, so be it, but its rolling out of the garage with a glossy coat of paint and detailed out and going straight to interior after that...I'm going for simple and clean, not alot of flash...

Well I was ripping the truck apart and got to lookin at it...seems to me the cab and hood could lose a few inches and help tie in the cab to the bed...the intention being lower the beltline a bit closer to the bed top...I'm thinkin 2-3 inches....no more than three as I'm 6'4" and at 3"s I'll have to lower the seat an inch to give me an inch of space between my head and roof....

So whatcha all think two OR three inches. The bottom of the beltline is 5.75" from the top of the bed....

I've chopped quite a few tops but never sectioned....whats the best way to not bugger up the door striker/latch assembly in reference to the door hinges? (I'm sure If I grabbed a ice cold soda and sat and looked at it for awhile I can figure it out but....you know, the power of the HAMB...) I just want to ensure everything goes back together as it should...just sectioning the cab/hood shouldnt be as huge a deal as doing an entire car but I rather think it through in its entirety first...

Then theres that naging doubt that I should just leave it be....

Whatchall think? Any photochoppers willing to take a stab?

My wife thinks I'm nuts.......My pops thinks I'm cool....I dont know what to think...

 

you could just channel the cab a few inches, and section the hood, less work but you'd achieve the desired look.

 

I agree, channel the body and bed, and pancake the hood to match.

 

most i think i would do is section the cab and hood no more than 2 or 2.5 inches. i would'nt get carried away. before i did that i think i would lean the windshield back a tab. it just looks too straight up and down to me. i did a 4.5" chop and leaned the A-pilars back on my 48 truck. it looks MUCH better than the stock angle with a chop.
the new body S10 bed is a neat trick. it works for me. i kinda dig it.

 

If you do section, I would go 2 1/2 " cab, 3 1/2" pie cut hood.

OR, a body channel and losing the running boards would really slim it
down, as well.

Nice job so far!

 

I think the truck looks good like it is. I'd find another project if you have all that energy.

 

A truck is not nearly as difficult to section as a car. I say go for it, if your welding and hammer and dolly skills are up to the task!
But you'll be surprised how small that interior gets, even by only taking out a few inches!

 

here is a link to a thread I did about my sectioned 60 c/20.
The door part might be what you are wanting to see.
remember the section dosen't have to follow the same line all the way around, it is best to cut equidistant to the point that is the furthest out.

http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/showthread.php?t=280904

 

I took 5 1/2 inches out of my hood and cowl. then channeled the rest of the cab 5 1/2 inches to bring the doors down to match the bottom of the front fenders.
it wasn't that big of a deal.
check "shop truck build" at www.oldcarglassguy.com

on your truck I think 5 1/2 all the way around would do just fine with your bed

 

I'm working on one of those right now myself and I agree with the 2 - 2 1/2 section. Is does line up nicer to the bed and takes some of the bukiness away. I agree with the roof chop (3ish) and lean the "A" pillars back. Is that the original roof? It looks different somehow. Hmmm. I disagree with the channel. Did that on a F100 and it just takes away headroom - quick. I could see Z-ing the rails to achieve the same look and still keep the headroom. Or airbagging it for a similar low look. On our 52 the hinge placement didn't matter as we are flipping the hinge side for suicided doors. On the hood chop, there was a good article here about 6 months ago where the person pie cut the hood and slid the top half forward to make the pancake easier, less welding, then built a patch just for the back 2-3 inches of the hood. I haven't done mine yet, but was going to give that a try. When you're done, you could louver the hood to take out any oil-canning or strecthed metal from the welding, then front or side hinge the hood for yet another farily easy change. That one is always big bang for the buck. On the bed, you can drop in spacer to make up another inch for bodyline flow, move the fenders and filler down and I agree with ditching the running boards. It does clean up the look. These are just some ideas, you do whatever you want, just know you're not alone out there!

 

Nice truck. Go for it. It would compliment the chop.

 

as far as channeling....thats out as I'm already bagged and can lay the running boards 1" off the ground (that 1" was built in as to not scratch paint)...That and my tire clearances are already streched to the max with the airbags....

I've got quite a bit of space in between of the dash and my knees (read 6-7" on the left leg and 5" on the right leg due to the dash drop in the center)

Thanks for the photochop...I like the pancaked hood...

Hmmm I like the idea on leaning the A post a tad....that may happen now as well...

As far as having all that energy and needing to start another project....I got a few....gotta get one done first...

This is the next one....it has a chop in its future as well....

 

Do a stock floor body drop (yea I read that in mini truckin haha!) You basically section the framerails beneath just the cab so it drops down but you lose no headroom...believe me one inch is not enough headroom and it's very uncomfortable sitting on the floor for any distance. You can weld in a piece of 2x3 steel tube (heavywall) on it's side along the bottom framerail then cut off the top half of the frame...that should give you a couple inches at least. That should put the bottom of the doors almost sitting on the running boards. You still have to pancake the hood, but that would give it the sectioned look.

 

we're talking about JUST the cab, like brewsir said, set the door bottoms right down onto the running boards.

 

Hey,

I'd run with the section @ 2 3/4 middle of the B Post, than step cut
down to the rear of the cab, the flat area of the rear cab panel, say
2-3'' above the floor. The doors are sectioned from the middle of the shell, but NOT the skins! Peel the skin back from the shell, section the
2.750 outa the shell, and trim the skin off the bottom of the door,
dolly over the flange and weld the skin to the shell. The A Post is cut
at mid point, step cut above or below hood hinge area, and section firewall at flattist area.

Swankey Devils C.C.
"Meanwhile, back aboard The Tainted Pork"

 

Your truck looks aswesome as is. I'd leave it alone. You've never sectioned before, it would suck to ruin such a sweet truck. And cost a fortune to have it fixed.

 

AHHHH grasshopper....I can be taught....I get it...worth looking at...

Thanks, I appreciate that BUT I'm goin for the total package, make the lines flow front to back....me thinks a section or channel will drop that beltline just enough to make you step back and go WTF??? Not worried about ruining it...its just steel and steel is malable...plus the only person that gets paid to work on this heap is me...

Plus in the event that I did ruin it....I saw a pretty solid 50 cab for 5 bills....

hmm I think ya'll might be talkin me into it...

 

Find the article about the restoration of the Dream Truck and they chrinicle how to reskin the doors like PimpinPaint said. The article was supervised by Neil Emory, of Valley Custom, who did the dream truck first build. Might check Rikster's site as he probably has it.

 

Channel does not work as the front fenders become lower than the rears and the board do not line up. Like pimpin paint said the doors are sectioned in the middle with the skin cut at the bottom and rerolded. Z cut up the front post to the hood area and pie cut the hood. We used a Merc hood top on my 4" section with a 3" chop and A pillars leaned back. Good luck.

 

Another, with a raked screen pillars, raked forward rear roof and a slight bit more chop. I think it really softens up the roof line very nicely. (its the last one - the others are to compare to).

You could maybe do like Brian Bass and put a Merc grille shell and front bumper on it, just to really confuse everyone!

Do you have a front shot?

 

Your torn between your wife and pops, then you ask 40,000 friends for their opinion ?

My 2cent...

Only you know what your looking for. Your ride looks great now and if you took the truck this far, it's goin' to look kill'r when your done.

Do what I learned when photochop wasn't around...
1. Take a 3 or 4 pics of your truck from different angles.
2. Scan, enlarge, blow up, etc.. your pics.
3. Make a bunch of photocopies of each pic.
4. Cut and Paste! Use scissors and cut your photocopy and tape where you want the pieces.

Instant channeling, sectioning, top chops, etc...

At least you will get an idea what it may look like and it's cheap!

Best of luck to 'ya.....

-jr.

 

Forgot to mention...

When the HAMB Photochop Wizards work their magic, their is no comparison to the cut and paste method. They do AMAZING work.

Good luck again,
-jr.

 

You forgot step five - After you cut and paste, or photoshop - put the picture away for a month and don´t look at it. You´ll have fresh eyes when you see it again. Normally, something will leap out at you as either looking good or bad.

 

Actually if you channel just the cab and move the fenders up on the cab it should work fine.

 

Salty, When you decide what you wanna do, give me a call. I wanna see how you end up doin it and I'm a professional tool-getter-guy just so I can hang around and learn.... and maybe ask a few dumb questions.

 

hmmm lots to think about here....

looks like the section is a go...as well as the A-post slant... Not a fan of the B-post rake though....me thinks it looks too much like an SSR at that point...

Thanks guys

 

Looks pretty good to me. I think I would leave it.

 

On my '53 Chevy I chopped it four inches and sectioned the cab four inches. Definately would be small inside if you're over six foot. I cut it at the widest point around the back of the cab and doors so everything there lines up without much hassle. Then followed the fender line up the cowl and cut across the top of the fiewall. It actually is easier than chopping the top. With the '69 Nova subframe on it and the chop and section the top of the roof is about comes up to my chin and thats with the suspension at normal ride hieght. Sorry, no pics, compatability issues between Kodak and Vista.

 

I sectioned one several years ago, alot of work! The cab wasn't too bad but the hood sucked.