is there any spesific size for this? i am planning to cut 5 inches , any comment or idea about my size?
thnx

 

I was interested in doing it to mine, but how do you go about modifying the windshield?

 

they produce new one,they come and take the meausre and give the new one in about 15 days.should costs something arouns $200-250

i did it before with beetle np

 

but ok there is difference between this car and bettle i did efore,in bettle you can drop the top with a single cut. but on this one steps i will follow will be
1-cut the top from the car
2-cut the top in two pieces from the middle
3-weld small pointing welds to car
4-take the measure of the missing part in the middle
5-produce missing part
6-weld missing part
7-remove small weld point, remove the top
8-finish all top welding outside and hammer some
then install it on the car, here i will need front glass to make sure it fits

 

not sure what you are chopping(year?) but most of my chops have been done in one piece;not stretching the roof.I have just canted the A pillars back to line up to the roof. The B pillars still attatch straight up.
Keep in mind that 5 inches doesn't sound like much,but it will leave you with mail-slot windows and be uncomfortable to drive.2 to 3 inches is the norm.

Graham

 

my car is 56, ididnt start cutting but i looks it needs an additional part in the middle,
i dont have the exact measures etc, i just received the car two days ago

did you ever cut 56?
if yes did you do it in one piece?
thnx

 

i know pillars are straight but if you look at the car from front you will see that they are not very straight.they go a bit inside to the top and if i remove app 5 inches there will be a difference i believe... but these are just my guess for the moment...
i will do all measuring stuff in a day or two and will post all my ideas here.
its excellent to meet some one who did the job that i am planning...
hope we can discuss this together,if you have time
thnx

 

I just cut my'56, but did it the other way...I stretched the cab a total of 22 inches to make an "extended cab" just like Iron Dragon's.
I was a little nervous about cutting vintage tin, but it turned out really well!!!

Graham

 

cool!
do you have any pics that you can send?
thnx

Timucin

 

I will have a gallery as soon as I can afford a camera and scanner-the truck comes first!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Graham

 

off course the truck comes first!
do like i did borrow camera from friends LOL

 

gtkane, I know how nervous I was when I made the cuts on my truck, and I hadn't seen anyone else do it before either. I'd certainly be interested in pictures as well.

and with the chop top, I've seen in done both ways, it all depends on if you want to keep the windshield at the current angle, then you have to add to the roof. If you want to rake the windshield (angle it back) you don't need to split the roof.

 

iron ; do you have any pics?
i am just curious about the front windshield strongability. cause a little stress on it causes a crack in the first hole/stone/speed bump on the road .
i dont care too much about the original angle all i care is the strongess of the windshield

thnx too much for input ;

 

first I'm not speaking from experience...just from reading... Jon is much more experienced than I.

I considered this seriously for a while...but from everything I've read and those I've talked to I gathered this...

The top of the cab is narrower side to side and front to back than the bottom of the cab.. if you drop the top, you're gonna have to spread it (split 4 ways) and add filler pieces in the center...front to back and side to side like a cross...

A 5 inch drop is pretty radical leaving you about a 3" window in the back and giving you a very good possibility of putting a new crown in the top from your head. the norm is from 1.5 to 3".
Anymore than that and you ruin the proportions of the cab IMHO.

As for the windows the consensus is grinding to reshape the glass. You make a paper pattern ...transfer it to the glass and use a belt grinder to remove the excess.. I've talked to guys that have gone thru 5 windshields at 200+ a pop to get one that doesn't break... The glass guy will do as many as you like till he gets a good one... but you pay for all of them.

I considered this at first but the amount of work and money involved turned me away.. there have been whole books written on chopping tops. If you're serious, I'd consider buying one of the Motorbooks available and study some more... I'm sure Iron dragon will tell you it's a bunch of work... worth it ??? that's up to you and your monthly bank statement..

later

John

 

Give me some time, and I'll get pictures up. I have read a few articles, and one book that had great instructions on how to drop the top on one of these trucks. I'll have to dig around here to find them, but I think if you seriously want to chophe top on your truck, you may want to invest in the book, it was well worth the money. I'll get back soon with the title, I'm pretty certain you could get it from one of the major online bookstores.

Also, I know there was a recent article in one of the classis truck magazines that dropped the top on a 40's cab, went throught it step by step, with lots of pictures, I'll see if I can find that as well