Not immediately planning one, just curious... if one were looking to do a traditional style sled ('35-'54 coupe or sedan) what body are the hardest to chop? I've always heard that Ford shoeboxes are difficult owing to their geometry; ditto Buick/Caddy sedanettes. By comparison, what would be easy? Seems like an early 50s GM business coupes and Chryslers would be relatively simple. Basic question for experienced choppers... what's would you recommend as a good stock body to hone chopping skills on?
Mike, I believe shoeboxes are easier to chop because they have lots of "meat". Cars with curved windshields are harder, and fastback designs are hard (not that you would want to chop one). I would think that cars/trucks with straight pillars would be easier, like early trucks/sedans. There are several books on chopping, why not get one and read up on what's involved. Find a car you like FIRST, then decide if you want to chop it, and how you might go about doing it, BUT decide on a car FIRST. Is this going to come after your roadster and chopper?
The hardest chop I've done is a VW beetle. I would never do another. The easiest would be a model A. It also depends on what type of chop you are doing...straight or wedge. 55-57 chevys are actually quite simple. Every car can have its problems, so the best one to chop is, one you think you love.
35-54 sled...? Why not just cut the whole roof off And make a carson top? (Or is that the "Shit-I-messed-up-on-the-chop" back-up plan?)
General stuff to look for. The more, easy to cut, flat laminted glass it has the easier it's going to be. That's why a '49-'51 Merc is popular, flat windshield(s) and the back glass on the '49-50 lays down easy. The '51 is harder to chop drastic because the corners of the different back window dig into the 1/4 panels. Wrap around tempered back glass can't be cut and is a pain to "lay down" because of the corners needing to go somewhere. A rare few cars have laminated back glass and can be cut. Fast back styles, to do "right" nee to have the trunk lid pie-cut sectioned to flow with the top chop. Curved side glass cars are difficult because the tempered side glass can't be cut, although some windshields can be cut to fit some of them. It's mostly about making the metal fit the glass. Steel bends, glass doesn't. Laminated glass can be cut, tempered can't. trucks and VW's have those double walls in them making them difficult to chop because you can't get inside to hammer work the metal after welding. (unless you cut out the inside, but it's there for structural strength)
I just did a shoebox.... not that hard if you get the math on the rear window down first. I wouldnt do it if it was your first. But then again, they cost nothing so what the fuck. Model A Coupes are easy Truck cabs (29-34) are easy My 34 Ford 3 window was very easy, do the homework first and you can do it (including the doors) in one long day. 1940 Mercury. 10 on a scale of 1-10 of things that can go wrong and look stupid. Hard chop (top comes down and front window goes up) and expensive cars. 1949-1951 Mercurys are no harder than a shoebox but suck to drive around with a bad chop. Rear windows go wrong fast and you will have 1,000 people telling you that at the next show you go to. Not that this happened to me Those are the only cars I have chopped. And that's all I have to say about that.
I would think that something in this era Mopar would make a cool sled. This is a 49 Chrysler. Sheet metal is thicker than a shoebox making for less warpage potential. Those big Mopars were tanks, dunno about the Plymouth/Dodge alltho they looked similar.
My Dodge was of the same body stampings as that Chrysler, called the club coupe. Shuffle around the front sheet metal and trim and you have Dodge/Desoto/Chrysler. Anyhow, I wanted to chop mine but that slanted B pillar threw me for a loop. Plus as with the Merc rear window, Mopar went to a fuller backlight in '51 that has the same glass-metal interference when you go to lay it down. Easy fix with donor glass though. Never did do the chop. Chris
My first and only chop is my '53 belair 2 door post. lot's of guy's said not to do this style (turret top) as my first one. the contour curve's of the top with the wrap around back lite make this kind of involved,and there is no flat metal anywhere.I solved the back window problem by grafting in shoebox ford back window and sheet metal(lot's of tin work to flow right). I'm stubborn and didn't have the money to pay someone else to do it, so i took the plunge. i will agree with them, it wasn't easy and after 7 months off and on and working basically alone, i'm just about finished with the top! There was more work involved than i thought, as ussual, but i'm glad i did this as my first. I really think it'll make the rest i do that much easier. I think this style of car, not just chevy's,but the rounded top cars, are pretty involved. Also, the amount of chop has an effect on the difficulty as well.I cut mine 5" but thats just me... Rat...
im gonna have to say the easiest i could imagine would be my 28 dodge. the only one ive done, but so easy, i couldnt imagine anything easier. unless something is a 100% straight chop, this is pretty close. trey
My 49 Chevy coupe was an easy chop. I did'nt completely cut out the back glass surround,Ileft about an inch attched at the bottom and leaned it forward to meet the rest. a few relief cuts and some filler pieces to get everything to flow nice.Slanted B posts. It looks good. they also dont have the stainless moldings around the side glass like shoeboxes & Mercs which is a project itself if you want a peroid look. Hard chop: 47 Ford tudor sedan. Remove rear fenders, cut along trunk floor, about 2 inches from edge all the way across. Then at the rear of the quarter windows make cuts following about 2 1/2 inches below the drip rail to meet the cuts of the trunk floor. Relieve package tray braces.Chop the cut the A & B pillars the desired amount and the roof will come down & forward without altering the roofline of the car above the drip rails. It's basically channeling the decklid & surrounding metal over the rear of the frame. Most of the work is centered around the c pillar area & reshaping the rear fenders (they have to be shortened because the body actually gets shorter) but the roofline stays the same. ALOT of work but the end result is killer. These are my experiences, your opinions may vary. Billy
There were a few articles throughout the summer in Rod and Custom magazine abuot how to chop a shoebox Ford. Fairly detailed and lots of pictures. A little more metalwork than I know how to do though
whatever you do decide to chop there will be plenty of people willing to help with info. I reccomend laying the rear window down and keeping it the same size as original. That;s what I did with my packard I am working on and it came out awesome. Pic attached of the packard. I took out about 5" I will be doing an article on how I chopped it for the hamb, once I get it done. Shawn
The easyest ones I have done are Model A Coupe's and one sedan. The ones that just came out nice without me having to fight it ( you know, sometimes it just flows out of your hands ) are a '39 Stude ( 2" ), and a '52 Chevy ( 4" and 6 1/2" angle cut ) The ones that kicked my ass are a '63 ( or was it a '65? ) Chevy Truck ( 6" ) and a '54 Ford Truck ( 4" and 5 1/2 angle cut ) The customers were still very happy, but I was not because I lost my ass on those 2 Trucks.... Oh,well...
here is a pic of 49 merc chop in progress. i,ve done 3 mercs this way . they are not hard if you take your time . doin 2 more now---ray
Mike, there is an article in R&C a few issues ago about chopping, I have it if you would like to take a look. I'm in Chicago. Matt
The easiest bar none I ever chopped was the Ol' Ladies '23 Dodge Bros Coupe. They are dead flat on the top and the sheet metal comes loose from the bucket. They are a real telephone booth so 5"+ is a must. I took the bottom glass (about 6") and left the upper tilt frame out front (we don't usually have a/c). About any coupe from the 20s is pretty simple. I do away with the wood framework and build a conduit frame for the lid (never learned to be a cabinet maker). Not traditional but it makes it a simpler/stronger top. The quarter windows in a 5 window coupe make them difficult but they are dooable, obviuosly. Measure twice and cut once. Hell your best bet is take some pictures and chop them first 'til you get a couple under your belt. I think the hardest car I ever hammered was a '63 Bisquane (not traditional) when I was in high school. It looked pretty simple but... The front and rear glass ended up sunk into the cowel and trunk (with a little help from an old guy). The kid ended up building an altered wheelbase lifted car out of it. What a waste. I'll never do that again. Boat fenders and cars with a lot of compound curves are the roughest. But anything can be done. Hell, just find what you want and grab an axe. If you screw it up start over.
I bought a 67 VW bug with the top already removed. I chopped it 3" and it certainly was a challenge. I left the center of the top open for a snap-on vinyl insert, using aluminum strap for bows. Getting the 1/4 windows right was the hardest part. I just did it to see if I could. Put it in the classifieds whenit was done and sold it to the first looker. My 33 ford pickup was my next "victim" and I chopped it in the old traditional way.
I think the 50s Fords, Mercs and Lincolns look coolest with chopped Carson tops installed. This one is EXACTLY how I would do it... <img src=http://i1.ebayimg.com/03/i/00/9c/2f/d3_1.JPG> <img src=http://i17.ebayimg.com/03/i/00/9a/87/4d_1.JPG> Probably easier than re-fitting the stock roof, too. I just think it looks killer on a Kustom like this one! The color combo, interior, and overall look on this car just DOES IT for me!
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