Nice weekend to chop a 34 5 window coupe.

I am really happy with the way it is coming out and so is Greg! Over the years I have seen many how to stories in magazines showing different chops and some of the stuff I have seen as been pretty bad. I have noticed people seem to think because it was in a magazine it has to be the right way to do it. I think I am just saying to keep an open mind when looking at how people do this kind of stuff. I think this chop is coming out great, plus were are having FUN! Looking forward to tomorrow, only half a day....Dentist

 

Kev, this is coming along great and I'm having fun following your progress!

Your approach on lining up the rear roof corner is well executed.
When we chopped my 34 5/w (4"), keeping the quarter window shape was one of the tougher areas to get right. It was a Bear to flow the rear quarter window reveal into the lower/rear window corner. Spending extra time on window shapes during a chop pays off big time. I've seen a lot of heavily hammered A coupes that suffer from egg shaped quarter windows.

Your welds look plenty strong, and there's nothing wrong with a skim of filler to make things perfect. I used to feel bad about using filler, until I watched a few episodes of Overhaul, etc., where they skim coat the entire car with a filler.

 

Looks great kev. Anyone who has done a chop like that knows it's being done right. I have chopped a model a sedan, and my little pickup, but that is like working at the pie factory compared to what your doing there. I had no clue there was that much cutting, and fitting for that chop. Cant wait to see it finished. I would like to live in your back yard.

 

100% right as far as I'm concerned. A little filler,prime and paint and they all look the same. One of the nice things about gas welding is you can fill those small gaps very easily.
I like the way you cut and moved the rear corners. I have always heated both the top and bottom and reshaped with a hammer and dolly. Keep up the great work.

 

Great thread, nicely done!

 

It's nice when you can work outside and not worry about it raining on your bare metal!!

 

I really like this paragraph Kev.

It's exactly how I feel. I think some people are paralysed by the fear of not doing it perfect. For a long time I was a bit like that. Accepting that there may be more than one level of "right" is very liberating. That doesn't mean it's OK to do crap work, just that we can't all be master coachbuilders and that is OK.

Love it so far Kev.

Pete

 

Thanks for posting the progress of a real nice job!

 

Looking good Kevin!

 

Nice to see how it is done step by step. Keep up the good work.

 

They say there is more than one way to skin a cat. The more you do it the better you get at it. After this one maybe you can work on your own coupe. Good luck at the dentist, I hope he's as talented as you.

 

I can't say anything that hasn't been said already, but thank's for the inspiration to go out and finish the chop on my sedan.

Ron

 

Can someone explain "hammer weld" to me. I hear it all the time but still I don't know exactly what it means? I know you hammer each spot, but why and how?

 

32ford5 here you go ,my mate pauls first chop
http://www.nsra.org.uk/newforum/showthread.php?t=21658&highlight=chopping

 

Great work Kev, any chance of a pic from inside looking out?

 

atleast you are doing it, and doing a GREAT job at it. the stance, profile, and porportions looks SPOT on!

 

Great job on the chop and the documentation...got me wishing I would have went more than 3.5" with mine.....That will have a classic look.

 

Pretty neat.

 

VA HAMB.....Here is a good explanation of Hammmer Welding by Sam Foose. I have never managed to gas weld very far with no filler rod but even with filler rod is an excellent method for getting full penetration and at the same time shrinking areas that would buckle as you go.

 

Cool. Whodathunkit?

 

Kev, I would say that you should not belittle your own skills. You are not afaraid to take on this kind of job. I am sure that this Coupe will look KILLER ! when done .

41 Dave

 

looking good............

 

Too Cool!!
u da metalman.

 

Got the rear window corners tacked in this morning and also the cowl strip filler panels are tacked in. The fitting and tacking is now 95% complete. Keep in mind it is not just me working on this project. Greg has been busy too.

Rather than fit a strip in the opening and butt weld it I decided it would be alot easier to make a strip wider than the opening, step the center of it up in the bead roller so it will be flush, install it from the bottom and mig weld it. Alot less chance of blowing holes or warpage. I don't see any problems with the double panel in this part of the cowl. In a big flat area you might notice something on a hot day with different expansion rates but with all the curves in this small area of the cowl there should be no problem. Some parts of the cowl are already double thickness.

Made the first stepped piece 20" long then 2 more stepped pieces to take us to where the cowl is double skinned.Easier to make and fit 3 pieces than one long piece. In the double skinned areas at the ends we fit pieces in the opening that will be butt welded.

 

You gonna lead that piece in Kev?

 

Everything will be fully welded. We are just fitting and tacking together right now.

 

Go to You Tube and search hammer welding.

 

Kev great post...
real hot rodding at its finest.....

 

Really great thread Kev. Wish I would have waited a year and read this before raking my windshield.

 

Looks good Kev...thanks for the post