Hot Rods 31 Chevy chop

Need help in chopping a 31 Chevy coupe with wood frame and not burning the wood when welding back.
Any thoughts?
Thanks

 

I would remove at least the section where you are welding carefully so you can reinstall after welding. If it's the original wood it won't take much to ignite it.

 

All new wood. It would be quite difficult to remove wood as is screwed and nailed into place

 

Maybe replace wood with metal. Go all the way .

 

After spending the $$$$ for replacing wood, not an option.

 

Sounds like the project is just a bit out of order. Should be Metal work first then Wood work to fit as needed. Sounds like you need a Cabinet Builder more than a Body Man. Those early year Chevy's aren't much more than an Apple Box with Tin cladding as an outer shell nailed on with Carpet tacks, and a lot of them. Here's a photo of my Insanity Project that I often wish I had never started. Good luck with yours. If you figure out how to weld over wood be sure to give us the details.

 

Hey Pist-n-broke, Do you know much about that 34 Chevy in the picture?

 

If the top is chopped, won't the wood need chopping also?

 

WAY MORE than I would like to. Like from what should have been Scrap Iron to Maybe some day it could be a Car again, that is if I live long enough.

 

Well pist-n- broke, that isn't quite how the build on the old Chevy's are, carpet tacks etc, but if u try to do much body modifications without the skeleton inside and u just have jello shaking all over the place. A cabinet maker would be in total confusion sorry to say. Only looking on ways to weld and still protect the wood or not chop. One or the other.

 

Hmmm, maybe your Chevrolet was built in a different plant than mine. Upon removing the metal door jamb covers mine exposed small nails holding the Body metal to the Wood inner skeleton. At any rate once you figure out successfully weld your body skin where the Wood is making contact I'd like to know how you do it. Also how you Chop the top without doing some kind of modification to the wooden inner frame work. Is the wood already modified for a drop in the Top metal?

 

P.S. I did all the body mods in the photo above without any inner structure in place then installed, make that Hand Built the metal inner frame work. Would have been the same job if I had done the inner in Wood.

 

Hammering and dollying will be tough to do with the wood in place too.

 

Don't chop it unless you are going to remove the wood and do it right.