james curl Posted January 10, 2007 Report Posted January 10, 2007 Tim, the neighbor who has now moved is, or was the best body man in central Texas. Has built very many hot rods and usually paints them black. The hardest thing he ever tried was chopping a 55 cheverolet pick up. He cut the windshield by using duct tape in many layers on both sides of the cut line and used the smallest nozzle on his sand blaster to cut the glass. He went through three windshields before getting one to install. After about a week on the road that windshield cracked. The 41 Dodge which he painted black was a very attractive car, you knew that something was different but it did not really looked chopped. If it was not parked next to another 41 Dodge most people would never guess that it was chopped. Quote
Allan Faust Posted January 10, 2007 Report Posted January 10, 2007 I don't want to modify my roofline either, although, as it can be seen by the pic attached, it would probably look good..... why I won't modify it.... because I know I can't.... yet.... if I had just a shell.... well, that would definitely be another story...... Allan Quote
Plymouthy Adams Posted January 10, 2007 Report Posted January 10, 2007 cutting glass with a sandblaster..the patience of JOB...I have blasted designs on glass..most detailed work I ever done was shrinking the Norton 850 Commando logo and putting it on very thin double sided tape then cutting the letters out with an exacto knife..took a bit but when I frosted the mirrors on that bike..man what a view..them things got praise everywhere I took that bike..The man who bought it was nervous and asked where to buy them if he should break one... Quote
Normspeed Posted January 10, 2007 Report Posted January 10, 2007 Allan, that's a nice example of one that was well done. If it was also sectioned like that shoebox ford, it would be hard to tell what kind of car they started with. Quote
Allan Faust Posted January 10, 2007 Report Posted January 10, 2007 Norm, I don't believe mercs should be sectioned, nor ours... mainly because of the fenders and the way they meld into the doors.... that is one of the things I like about the styling......the buick sedanette is another one I wouldn't section.... same reason. I saved that pic as soon as I saw it, because I find that its a perfect example of a good chop, and a good chop on a model like mine (however, mines a 4 door).... As for sectioning, if you've ever seen the Monster Garage episode that had all the "old masters" together to do up an old chebby (if I'm not mistaken) and they chopped and sectioned it... if you notice when he's driving it at the end, he's all scrunched up in the drivers seat.... that I did not like (although the car looked superb....).... Allan Quote
JIPJOBXX Posted January 10, 2007 Report Posted January 10, 2007 This was my 31 Packard that had a chop top and if you look closely that me by the front fender. It had a Cadilac V8 tank engine for power set up with a LaSal transmission. The top was about 6 inch high at the windshild. Big Big car weighed in at about 2 and 1/2 tons! One great fun machine. Jon (1961 picture taken) And the car was painted at Earl Shibes Quote
Brad Lustig Posted January 10, 2007 Report Posted January 10, 2007 cutting glass with a sandblaster..the patience of JOB...I have blasted designs on glass..most detailed work I ever done was shrinking the Norton 850 Commando logo and putting it on very thin double sided tape then cutting the letters out with an exacto knife..took a bit but when I frosted the mirrors on that bike..man what a view..them things got praise everywhere I took that bike..The man who bought it was nervous and asked where to buy them if he should break one... Acid etching gets you about the same look. Not quite as white as blasting, though. Pick up some from Michaels if you want to give it a try. Quote
knighthawk Posted January 10, 2007 Author Report Posted January 10, 2007 The original ''retired hobby'' I had chosen was stained glass, which I have ben doing as a hobbie for 10 or 15 years. Anyway , etching with the acid paste works really good. Getting back to my car : I think if the roof could be pancaked (?) and the rear window leaned forward,.but , then the rear window glass is curved to match the exsisting roof...............what do you think??? Quote
Plymouthy Adams Posted January 10, 2007 Report Posted January 10, 2007 agreed..laying down the glass is needed to work the hump out of the roof at the rear...another alternative is finding a smaller rear glass to put back there..common again with this type of work. Quote
knighthawk Posted January 10, 2007 Author Report Posted January 10, 2007 I didn't consider a different rear glass, that maybe an answer, on the other hand, this one is already here and it is basically free. That reminds me............how do you get the trim off from the front and rear windows ???.............Tim , got another picture for you to post. ( rear hangers ) Quote
Allan Faust Posted January 10, 2007 Report Posted January 10, 2007 Knighthawk, When pancaking the roof, if you looked at the article I mentioned, the cutting is mainly done on the "side" of the rear window, as well as above and below..... keeping the window intact. You may have to add metal to some areas, but you wouldn't necessarily have to change the window size..... the "bubble" usually forms above the rear window due to the excess metal in the rear.... once its cut above and to the sides, the rest should conform.... My opinion anyways.... Allan Quote
knighthawk Posted January 18, 2007 Author Report Posted January 18, 2007 I'm still studying the lnes of the roof, for the chop..I got most of if figured out, the rear quarter window will be the most challanging, still working on that. Remember this is a 4 door. Where i'm looking now is the area from below the rear window and first part of the trunk. The trunk has more compund curves than a potatoe chip ! I'm thinking when I lay down the window, there's going to be a up turn or high spot , at the top of the trunk, meaning the top portion of the trunk will have to pancaked or flattened. Any comments on this ??? Quote
Plymouthy Adams Posted January 18, 2007 Report Posted January 18, 2007 I think if I was up to cutting the sedan..look for a sqaured off back and the grafting of a minivan rear lift gate..go for a neo-panel look. Then throw a few weasels from Who Framed Roger Rabbit in it and head off to Toontown blea blea blea..Thats all Folks Quote
knighthawk Posted January 26, 2007 Author Report Posted January 26, 2007 I am looking for a flatter rear window , than what's in the '48 Dodge. I want to lay it down a little more. Do you guys know if the Plymouth is flatter , as I think I know where I can get one pretty cheap.? Quote
Plymouthy Adams Posted January 26, 2007 Report Posted January 26, 2007 Look to 50's pickup trucks for flatter smaller rear glass that may be more at home in your chop than a sedan or coupe glass... International has nice sized glass I know... Quote
Young Ed Posted January 26, 2007 Report Posted January 26, 2007 This may be a little small for what you want to do but I think I have a donor cab that could give up the rear window opening from one of these pickups. Quote
Merle Coggins Posted January 26, 2007 Report Posted January 26, 2007 I'm not familiar with the early '40's truck glass, but the Pilot-House ('48-'53) glass is all simple flat laminated auto glass, except for the corner glass. If Flat glass will work for you, you could have any auto glass shop cut a piece to any size you need. Merle Quote
Young Ed Posted January 26, 2007 Report Posted January 26, 2007 Merle I believe he would need the opening from a donor vehicle to blend into his roof section. The actual glass if flat is the easy part. Quote
Plymouthy Adams Posted January 26, 2007 Report Posted January 26, 2007 Knowing that the removal and installion of the metal opening with the pinch weld was assumed...another word to the wise here is that most trucks of this era did not have a garnish molding but had an inner shell usually half way down the back of the cab..be prepared to cut both panels to remove the section..piece of chalk and a template to guide you will go a long way. Also find you a truck cab that has rubber available at a reasonable cost.. Quote
Young Ed Posted January 26, 2007 Report Posted January 26, 2007 Tim the 39-47s do have a garnish molding on the inside. The window is installed with the same stuff you use in that U channel for door windows. Quote
Plymouthy Adams Posted January 26, 2007 Report Posted January 26, 2007 Most excellent..could be the glass of choice..for some reason I do not recall that on my 41 Dodge..but that was long long ago...And hey..as you have a spare..could be the makings of deal.... Quote
knighthawk Posted January 26, 2007 Author Report Posted January 26, 2007 thanks guys , for the quick responce ! Lots of good thoughts here. Never thought about flat glass, maybe , if the opening is the right size, but I'm thinking a slight curve will work the best. I guess it's off to the junk yard ! Quote
knighthawk Posted February 1, 2007 Author Report Posted February 1, 2007 just thought you guys would like to know, I did the ''chop job'' , 3'' on A pillar, 3'' on B pillar, about 2or 2 1/2 on C pillar , D, whereever it fit. Top of rear window came down 2'', rear of window , down about 1/4 ''. Result: the hump is pretty much gone. Now, I got to finish fitting the doors, rear quarter windows, and alot of welding. I've got some pictures , if and when I figure out how to post them.....................thanks guys Quote
Allan Faust Posted February 2, 2007 Report Posted February 2, 2007 Worst case scenario, send em via email to me, and I'll post em..... I can't wait to see em..... Easist method in my opinion is get a photobucket account, upload em there, and use the links in your replies.... Allan Quote
Allan Faust Posted February 2, 2007 Report Posted February 2, 2007 Hi, Just posting Knighthawks pics..... Because of the size knighthawk, all you have to do is click on post reply, go down to the "manage attachments" button, where a new window will open, click on the browse button beside the line (upload a file from your computer), select your photo, and click upload.... (which is what I did). You see each of the files appear in the "current attachments list". Since the files are under 71 Kb (71 000 bytes), it'll take them automatically.... if they are over that size, you have to resize them manually. Quote
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