A general question on chopped tops....

I see a lot of guys doing chopped tops, and other serious body work, on this forum. I see a lot of pics of cutting metal, welding, grinding, filling, painting, etc. and lots of 'oohs and ahhs' over it.

What I don't see anyone ever talk about is are they doing anything to properly preserve their work? In other words, no one seems to talk about what they did to ensure their work is 'quality' in terms of rust proofing, rust prevention. Did they just cover up raw steel and weld slag with a glue on headliner? No one talks about how they fitted glass that doesn't leak water in, and how they made sure the troughs around the glass will properly drain water. How is the trim attached? Is it done with care that it doesn't create future holes for rust? Is the trim removable/replaceable in the future or is it a real mess to get off later?

So my question is.....are these details being ignored or does no one find them interesting enough to bother talking about? IMO they are 90% of the game - they separate the pros from the hackers.

 

If you look inside a pillar on an old car that has just had the top cut off you will see a lot of bare metal with a light surface rust at the most. Weld the top back on and you haven't created anything worse than was already there. You may be over thinking this. I figure the outside panels will get bodywork and paint just like any other part of the body and the inside should get a coat of primer or satin black Rustoleum or ????. Most cars I've chopped had no paint on the inside to begin with.

 

All the hard to reach spots are bare to begin with like Kev said. If I know the area is going to see weather I try and put primer on it, and ill primer the stuff on the inside of the car around the welds especially since te weld metal will rust first. You cant get to everything though....

 

another thing fun about welding compound curves back together during the colder months of the year...is when you park it out in the sun at a July or august show, after a nice metalflake roof paint job. the roof sheetmetal tries to expand, pulls, then oil-cans. owner cries

as for weeping windows, that's why some cutters cut a few inches of metal around the top of the window opening, so its free from the roof, and just lean it towards the middle. everything stays one-piece, and attach the roof to it if the curves allow.

and, of course,there are the people who just don't take it out in the rain

 

Hey,

Whenever I can, I usually try and shoot weld-thru zinc rich primer into any weld joint, especially gas welded areas. I don't know why, but freshly welded sheetmetal jus seems to rust faster than surrounf\ding metal. This was really a problem in the days when we still brazed repairs together. The acid in the brazing flux, once it came in contact with water rotted out the repair under the lead, plastic or primer/top coat
Once you've primed a welded or metalshaped panel from behind, a piss coat of undercoater (asphalt roofing mastic cut with thinner) shot thru a parts washer type gun and some vacume hose, make for some good protection. If your repair part included a box section be sure it included drain holes when you repuilt it!

" Meanwhyle, back onboard the Tainted Pork "

 

I usually wire brush and POR-15 the backsides of any metal I weld into a car. Including chops. I am also careful to put back in any reinforcements I cut, even adding more if I think it's necessary, as when you lower the roof, some of the strength is taken out of the entire car body.
There have been good threads on stainless trim modification, if you search, on chopped cars.
I also put up a reply to Brian...with the Gold chopped 57 Caddilac (with Stude fins) when he was asking about cutting and fitting up a curved glass windshield for his car. He even thanked me later, telling me he followed my suggestions, and was successfull in getting real glass in his car! I think his screen name was PhatCaddy?