I cut the top on Sat. I don't know but I think it will be easier to 1/4 the top look at the pics and let me know what you think. Remember this is my first chop. I want it to look good. RUSTY http://picasaweb.google.com/rusty50f1/DropBox?feat=directlink#
Thanks fellas; Remember this is my first chop so I am depending on all you that are PRO'S at this to help me get it put back together and look good.LOL Need all the help I can get. RUSTY
I chopped my 49 COE 4 inches. I quartered the roof. My roof was not straight anyway from too many hay bails landing on it. By quartering the top you keep all the stock pillar angles and I think the end result looks better. My opinion, your truck do what you want. I got a donor roof to get the pieces I needed. Also kept the rear window stock height by cutting 2 inches above and below the rear window. See results here:
Looks like you got it figured out now get to welding. Have you decided if you are going to quarter the top or just align the windshield posts and lengthen the top a little?
Hea brewsir;; I think I'm going to 1/4 it. I can't figure out what to do with the rear door post I have the same sticking out under the top as the front. Nobody said any thing about that, How do you pull it in and not mess with the doors fitting right. 1/4ing the top seems to make more sence to me at this point. With this being my first chop. I don't know about all this pie cutting, and making it look right. LOL I'm not a body man. I'm a 1/2ass welder at the least. I have a mig and I can tack so I will tack it all the way around. If you have any other ideas, I'm all ears. RUSTY
I quartered mine. As far as welding, those cheesy little harbor freight butt weld clamps are worth their weight in gold (or Bondo!). Good luck.
Hea Roothawg; I thought you were gone on vacation, I got a wild hair on Sat. and did it, Don't know if it is right or wrong but it's done. RUSTY
Looks real good man!! Real nice cutting! I did the same as 38Chevy454 with my back window and it came out real nice. The 1/4 cut roof I feel is a little easier to deal with for a first chop. the lines line up real nice that way. Remember don't cool the welds! I did because I am stupid and had to hammer and dolly the shit out of my roof due to the v shape it took on. I didn't find this site untill it was too late. Well you live and learn! Good luck!!!!
quarter it and use the pieces you cut out to fill the gaps. The hardest part for me was the back of the cab...lots of little spot welds...don't let it heat up too much or it will suck in just do spot welds and skip around a lot. I also love the little panel clamps from harbor freight ...they work wonders on flat panels. If you look at the pics I showed you before you see I cut the center out of the roof and used a donor top to fill it back in...I have done this on a few tops and it keeps a nice shape to the roof and you don't have to work out in the middle of the top...everything is pretty much near the edges where you are! I cut the hole and layed the donor piece on top until it looked right then spray painted it from inside the cab...that gave me a cut line...I cut it slightly larger than the hole,sprayed some weld through primer and overlapped the top...I don't think it will have more than 1/8 in of bondo anywhere...which is acceptable for me!
Thanks brewsir;; I might try that with the top, I have a Jag that I took the IFS and IRS out off. I"ll look at the top of it this week. RUSTY
just be careful where you cut the hole...too far down on the curve of the roof and it will look flat.
Just make sure you keep the crown on the roof and door tops when you are lining everything back up. On my truck I used a piece of flat stock to line mine up and it looked good up close but standing back it looked dipped in. I had to cut it loose and try it again, my first and only chop so far.
If you cut the top in quarters and have a donor top, you can eliminate half of the seams by cutting the extra top long in width and length. You'll end up using two opposite corners of the original roof and two of the donor roof. Get what I mean? Anything to save welded seams will help when you do the bodywork. You took the rear window out in one piece which is an excellent idea, but personally I would not have cut the height out of the door tops until you had the roof in place where you wanted it. It's much easier to make the door tops fit the roof cuts than to make the roof fit the door tops. A donor cab would also provide extra door tops, which you could cut long to save another welded seam at the tops of the doors. A rusty cab would work since you're only using the top. Well worth it.
Hi,looks like you have a good start.I chopped mine 5" and only 1/2 the top.I welded one side of the back and "c" clamp the other side into position.I pie cut the front and the whole thing turn out OK??? I not very picky though. good luck on which ever way you go...Milo
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