Does anyone have photos that they could share showing the treatment of the "A" pillars on a '32 Ford Five Window Coupe top chop?? This would be the treatment without lengthening the top, thus slanting the "A" pillars back. I'd like to know the ideal places to cut and bend. Also, I'd like some input on the treatment of the doors where they meet the pillars. It's odd to me that all the photos I've ever seen showing how to chop early cars, I never found pictures showing the most crucial area of the procedure, the "A" pillars. Thanks for any input.
How much are you chopping the top? Mine was chopped 3" in the '50's, and we re-chopped it another 1.5". That really changed the geometry of the top hinge, and makes the chop very difficult without lenghtening the roof, and I didn't want to do that. Randy Bianchi leaned the posts back by cutting along the top of the beltline moulding, and kind of leaning the whole cowl back. This eliminated any bump at the bottom of the posts because I hate that. You basically have to cut the top hinge box free, and realign it with the bottom hinge. The end result is worth it though.
Another thing about leaning just the posts ; if you lean them too far, then the lip of the lower windshield opening(the part that keeps the w/s frame from going in too far) now does not follow the the windshield bottom. The backside of the lower frame will hit in the center of that lip and won't close completely on the outer lower ends. It's hard to explain what I mean. Basically you would be only leaning the sides of the windshield opening, but then the bottom of the opening is not in the same plane.
Hey, The lower portion of the windshield frame must be cut and tilted back, in the same plain as the A posts, for this very reason!
I think chopping a five window and tilting the A pillars is a cop out. DON'T DO IT, DO IT RIGHT. Extend the top, do it right or not at all. Sorry. If you want to to do it right send me a message and I'll tell you how to do it right.....
If you go tilting the whole windsheild area, then you also mess up the dash mounting. Is it really necessary to tilt the whole windsheild when only chopping three inches? Probably won't have too bad of "corner projection" on the windsheild frame.
Mine has a 1.5" chop and it looks like they leaned the pillars a little. I cant'see where they extended the top from the inside. I'll have to look. If I remember right, they took out the chop above the hinge. I need to look at it tonight.
Its a lot easier to just drop down the frt posts on a 5 window and then compesate elsewhere.... I typically do not cut the roof untill Im over 2" of chop.... I line up the frt posts first,then I pull the body together tightening up the lousy door lines created by 75 years of dirt road driving! Then I very slightly lean the rear of the roof forwards at it's top.... This is accomplished by cutting just above the REVEAL stamping that goes around the base of the roofs rear pillar....and then re welding the seam and grinding it smooth...... I cut around it, till I am about half the way of the posts width there.....
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