Project I have been working on. Body is in very good shape for being 83 years old. My plan is a 4 in channel, 5 in chop. I bought the frame from Boling Brothers early iron in California. This is my first model a build, and build thread at that.Going for mostly a 60's style look. Picture below are what has happened since I picked it up in January. The hamb has been very informative so far, thanks for all the information.
Good plan and nice looking project. I fear this is going to turn into a please don't chop thread. God I hope not, this is a hotrod forum after all and he's not asking if he should or not.
Im all for a chop..... but that much chop, and that much channel, you must be a midget or plan on laying down to drive it.
Thattta boy! I think it would look too disproportionate if you didn't chop it. Mock-up thus far looks great and the body is very nice.
I see you appear to be using the aluminum 'low boy' ron davis radiator. I am using the same radiator in my Model A. I would like to offer some friendly/helpful advise, since you're at the perfect point at which to make a slight modification to your mounts. Typically these radiators come with weak/thin aluminum L brackets which are used for mounting the radiator to the car. Over time, the vibration from driving, your engine, and the road will cause these weak/thin L Brackets to fatigue. They will then break at the weakest point, which is at the bend in the aluminum. Last summer as I was driving down the Interstate through downtown Minneapolis when both my L Brackets sheared at the bends. I noticed my radiator and grill shell wobbling and pulled over. I used my damn shoe laces to tie the radiator and grill shell to the frame until I could pull off the Interstate and get my truck and trailer. -We made new double gusseted L Brackets, using thicker aluminum. -Placed rubber between the L Bracket and radiator mount -Used the Spring/Bolt radiator mounting kit ($5.00) from Speedway. Here is how it turned out. You don't see any of this as my grill shell obscures the mounts. I am much happier with my beefier mounts. I can't believe they put such weak mounts on a $500.00 radiator. Sorry everyone for my rambling, I just want to save all you guys the headache I went through.
Laying out lines for the chop. I measured off the window post to stay parallel, and did the same off the rear window. I pour concrete basements for a living, so when two lines aren't square I notice them. That is the issue I'm having a problem with. It's throwing me off as I'm not sure I'm going about this the proper way. I believe all will slide down the lines and line up. Anybody else run in to this?
Looks just like the way I did mine. You will have to tweak it a little once you set the roof back on. And you will have to put a vertical slice in the rear corner to get it to line up also.
The Jalopy Journal
