I borrowed this picture from a previous post, this is DRSmith's panel. I'm planning to make the big window on mine, was wondering if any of you on here have already done this and have pictures of how you did it and of course your valuable input
John

 

If it's going to open to the side I like it. If it's a fold up somone gonna get hurt.

 

My mom has a minivan that opens that up. My explorer does too. I smack my head on them every time they are open.

The last time I walked into moms...I almost knocked myself out. I had to sit for a while before the "stars" went away.

Fortunately, the glass opens on the explorer too. I just open that most of the time.

I don't own a panel, but I think I would like the doors opening to the sides much better.

 

You guys are getting all wrong. It's suppose to look cool! I think it would a lot cooler hinged at the top. Who cares if you bang your head or the possibly of getting crushed under all that metal and glass, just as long as it looks cool. Dick, you're just being too practical, now that's scary!

I personally would rather have it split horizontally in the middle like the old Suburbans, the top swings up and the bottom goes down but then again, everyone will be saying you're trying to copy the Surburban and that wouldn't be cool.

Just forget what I said and do what you want, I'm going to bed.

 

Here's the '57 that was at Knoxville this past summer with its one piece flip up gate.

 

I don't think the first two pictures give perspective on how low this thing is. Here it is sitting next to my buddy Rusty's '57 that is stock bodied, but very much lowered in front. Stu

 

I know it has a top chop, but did they section the body too?

 

Yeah, chopped/sectioned/channeled. Pretty much slammed. The guy told us that when he did the top he had it welding in position but something didn't look right to him. When he went back to recheck his measurements he found it was 1/8" higher on one side than the other. So he pulled it apart and redid it. And to add some insanity, that's a NOS chrome grill that the guy cut apart to do the headlight treatment! Stu

 

Hey , thanks for your replies, I guess I took for granted that you know I already had my doors welded together and working as a hatch, the information I was after was the big window that comes later. That chopped 57 I seen in a magazine, looks great.

 

I guess I'll just get this out of the way now.

Wow that sounds really bad, I hope you recover _____ sooner than the Dr. said. 163 stiches! most I ever had a one time was 54.

 

Just use the parts you cut from between the windows to continue the lip across, making sure to keep it flat and straight. When finished take it to the glass shop and have a flat safety glass window cut for it. The rubber gasket may be the challenging part, might need to go to a universal gasket or cut down a windshield gasket. The glass shop should be able to give advice on that part. I have some strong gas lifts if you need them.

 

Thanks for the heads up ( no pun intended ) I'll wear a hard hat and paint it the same as the truck so every one will think it was an option

 

Thanks AX,and for the offer of the lifts but I have them already. I think that I'll talk to the glass shop before I start cutting

John

 

That's ALWAYS an excellent idea. Glass is pretty inflexible material, and can get REALLY expensive if you need to have a custom curved glass made. Don't even think about using plastic, scratches way too easy for a DD.

That chopped 57, It looks like he also trimmed some metal out of the roof panel above the drip gutter line. IMHO that's the esthetic downfall of most top chops on our era trucks, that high crown of the roof starts looking heavy like a helmet.

 

From an outsider lookin in on the panel circuit I'd say I like the stlit back window style better.
My .02