I say chop-away! as long as you have the skills to pull it off. If not, dont fuck with it! The choppers one is bad ass, and the ones rikster and kustom2 posted prove that it can be done, but it can be pretty tricky from what I hear.. and that pink one does Rule!!
It's yours man, do what you want. Personally I like '40's as Rods with no chop. I found a nice one once, and it's just about done. Currently getting an interior, after that nerf bars and a few details...we're rollin'. Johnnie.
zibo, Chopping a 40 is no mean feat; you've really done your homework and it is paying off. Please continue to post pics of the progress; I really want to see a car come out this project.
Chop it! just don't take more than 2" and get busy with an english wheel because anything flat on that car other than a license plate is just plain wrong. stu
First off....... great way to practice..... Second ....... a few coupes, IMO, don't need a chop ..... your 40 is one of them. It needs to me lowered & have a slight rake .... but a chop - NO. It's your rig though so do what you need to do to make your car..... your car. Best of luck. Paco
Like many on this post, I am a traditional "do not *&ck with the 40" roof. I still have an unchopped Tudor that I love and sold this coupe a couple of years ago that I also loved.... I say do your own thing, brother!
Zibo, Those are first pattern Magnesium Halibrand's, 15x8's on the back, 15x4 1/2's on the front. They look a little light in color right now as they were recently blasted, once I get 'em out on the road the will darken considerably. The tires are Coker Redlines......... Johnnie.
Fadeways..........Beautiful.......I wish that my pops would dig out his old custom.........Damn.....I like fadeway's. Chris Nelson Kansas
I love a chopped 40! I've seen a heavily chopped 39 or 40 on a low rake at the Stray Kat 500. I think it looks great. Keep cuttin'!
after seeing this 40 i told myself if you every come into money i need to make this car my first purchase. im not a chopped 40 fan but i guess if its right,its right. this is a local car i never get tired of seeing
hahaha, I was just thinking of how much I hated them on 40' Fords, they just don't seem to transition right, from the big round original fender. I don't care what "custom hero" built it (Not a shot at your dad, just an "in general" statment). Anyway, there's a picture of a maroon 40' thats chopped and sectioned floating around. I'll post it if I can find it. it's the perfect 40' Custom IMO. Drew
I guess I'm just an old dinasaur but I think it's just wrong to chop a '40 coupe. Eugene Gregorie designed it along with Edsel Ford. They were also the creators of the 32,33,34, '36 Lincoln Zephyr '39 Linclon Continental, and the '49 Mercury (without the help of Edsel). Not a bad resume for somebody that only had a high school education. That being said, the progress you are making on your coupe has me intrigued. What I am seeing is something more than a '40 coupe. It's beginning of something new. Keep a fresh outlook and take it in a direction we haven't seen before. Who knows, you may just do the only modified '40 coupe that looks right.
++++ Real quick this was what inspired me for the stink bug, thanks Don Montgomery!!! [/QUOTE] Small world. I have Bill Yates russetta trophies for his 40 coupe. They are the Gasselles club high point trophys from 1949. And by the way don,t touch the coupe.It is perfect asi\ is.
Hey aussiesteve that's really lucky and cool! How did you find them? This was our re-enactment of those pics, just with a stock merc flattie though and way slower speeds! then after rattlecanning it... These are the pics that makes me love the way they look stock-bodied!! TP
Dude I love the chop you did on that body, so cool looking! Makes it look like its going 92348723948723497mph just standing still...
Sorry, gotta go with the no chop crowd. Looks sweet the wat it is. BUT, its your rig, do what ya want. Just make is OL'Skool and keep it Kool!!!
Voicing ones opinion about not liking chopped '40's is one thing but I also think people are thinking about their own skills as a fabricator and eye for style when they are telling you not to do it... Maybe I'll buy the hulk when he's done practicing on it! Sam
Hey guys, I have owned a 40 Ford for the last 49 years. It is one of the most beautiful and functional cars Henry Ford ever built. I have driven mine all over the southern half of the country and was clocked at 148 mph and still pulling once by a state trouper in Alabama. (364 nailhead). I don't know why you would want to chop one, but if you must, try to find one in bad shape to start with! My dimes worth...
This is a 1/25 scale model I chopped a few years ago. Chopped very mildy but a little more in the back than the front, with angled back windshield. Slighly longer doors and humb removed from the rear of the top. I did seperate the top from the roof sides to pie cut section it in the back. So the roof line would be lower in the rear.
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