39/40 Ford Pickup - to chop or not to chop?

I've started piecing a 39/40 pickup together, it'll be mostly stock, running an 8ba early g/box fully fendered, and initially at least an undropped axel albiet lowered in the springs, stock chassis, with 16" steelies. sans bumpers, stock length bed (probably)

I'd like to give it a bit of a hair cut however I'm struggling to find any pic's of these pickups with a small chop and not super low look any good.... following??

Anyone got any pics??

Cheers

Outback

 

39 and 40 are two Very different trucks and both are Very small inside. I have been driving a 39 everyday for 17 years and it will be unacceptably tiny if its chopped. By that I mean if you DRIVE it, if you only drive it on rare occasion you may not care

 

Pease don't do it!...............The proportions will be ruined........IMHO

 

Look up Dan Collins' '38 or '39. Old Gold Garage. Proportions look pretty good to me. Also, Gambino Customs is building a '38/9 with a '36 car front that is coming together nicely. There are some nice pics of the chop process. If you have a '40/41 I can't think of any good examples but am sure they are out there.


Sent from my POS phone.

 

You ask to chop or not. I say not, as Ed Wrath stated above, it screws up the poportions.......just because you can doesn't mean you should.

 

39 to 40. definitely a difference.

Some samples.
38, always liked this one.


39,

1940, ooops picture is huge. Sorry

 

2X, but if you do keep it at a 2" cut.

 

have seen examples of both, love the cabs at stock height.... but to each his own and i dont think 2" is too much

 

Here is some older pics of mine as Alex Gambino is beginning the chop . If the chop is done right ! you will not lose the proportions. Alex is the man! ... search this thread and see how it is done, Technical LETS CHOP A 39 FORD TRUCK CAB 100's of pics and vidios

before


after

 

I drive a 39. Full fender,stock bed. Not chopped but cab is mounted on the frame without the wood mounts. This make the truck appear lower without giving up interior space. Removed 2 front springs to lower it,looks good,rides good.

 

I swear up and down that R&C had a chop article where only the rear of the cab was chopped and the windshield stayed the same height. it takes the "hump" out of the cab and was a great improvement.. I thought I bought the magazine but can't find it for love or money. May not have been R&C. Can anybody verify this?

 

Saxons examples above only confirm the feelings I've always had, chopped cabs on these throw off the proportions. No chop gets my vote. But in the end, the decision is yours.

 

if it is a 39 chop it...if it is a 40 do not chop it

 

Yes they are some extreme examples, maybe those are a little more then asked for.

Although that green 38 looks a little funky, I like it. Could be the overall finish of the truck.

Just a trim looks good and this is coming from a guy that has a 38 that will not get the blade.

 

no to the chop

 

I think 2 to 3 inches is about all I would do on it. so yes to chop

 

Winner ^

If I did one, i'd remove some of that ramped sheetmetal under the windshields, and maybe up top of the w/s too. That's why they look like crap as far as proportions, if it has a moderate to heavier chop.

 

I like the proportions without a chop.

Drop it not chop it.

 

I prefer the 40 pickup chopped..in my eyes it improves the look of the cab...it looks less gawky.

 

If done right either cab looks right. A chop only improves proportions on the early fords- except of course with the '37-'40 coupes!

 

39 chop, 40 never chop!

 

My '41 pickup is already small enough inside. With the stock top, I look through the top third of the windshield. At the very least, make sure you have a seating plan that will work before you start cutting metal. It would be a shame to have a bitch'n hot rod pickup that you don't fit into, or can't see out of.

 

Hey Outback have 2 pix hope it helps, looks good without IMO ..Rod


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Found one more..hey Dick and myself have pickup projects also...


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I chose to channel my 40, and I like how it came out

 

Chop it !
Would look grate I'm working on a 37 ford P.U. had a 4" chop on it

 

We chopped my 40 PU 2" and left the back window stock height, also built a new seat riser that sits 2" lower. Take a look at Gambino's as mentioned above, it's the best I've seen.
GOOD LUCK!

 

I vote for stock height. Although the '38-'39 cab is a totally different animal from the '40-'47 cab, the amount of interior space is about the same. I'm a big guy--6'5" and 265 #--so I wouldn't want my '38 to have any less head room or leg room.

 

chop

 

Do NOT chop.