Note there is a MAJOR difference between cutting down an existing windshield (the service T-V A G provides) and forming a compound curved windshield with new contours. Just cutting down a windshield will NOT work because the placement of the bends in the glass have changed. Please check out the drawing in my "extras" gallery to see what I am talking about. The 53 on windshield is not flat.

 

AX, ok, i think i see what your getting at... i know that 53+ are curved, i just didnt think about the placement of that curve relative to the overall dimensions needed for proper window fit.. so yeah, ax as it right.
i didnt meen to contradict you.
my chop was done to the standards you talked about ax,

is your panels name gracie? thats my daughters name lol.

 

here we go again AX, lol... I know you cant be negative all the time. I will look into this more and if you are right you are the man. Hey if i got to drive around with a plexiglass windshield for a little while so be it. Ill make something work i always do. In washington state they dont even do vehicle inspections like your talking about.

 

You never know man maybe this was the kit followed We will see i got to prove AX wrong on something hahhaha

 

we dont have inspections here either, you see some crazy s*** riding around here. i think if it has atleast one wheel and one headlight your good to go lol.
i'm actually from greenville, NC and the inspections laws there are ruff, you cant get away with nothin!!!

 

yeah cali is really bad also but if i get stationed there hell it will only be for a few years and that just gives me more time to build the truck because im in no rush I want to do everything one time you know.

 

yeah, i always heard cali was the worst on inspections.

 

Yeah man they wont let you do engine swaps unless it was in a later year model same car. Its crazy thats why i wanted to do something that i could put historic tags on and do whatever i want no inspections or smog equipment.

 

Nordvik, I'm real sorry that you think I am negative all the time, if and when you get to know me you'd find out I'm really not a negative person, it's just that I have been building rods, race cars and customs on and off for almost 50 years now (I have a magazine collection dating back to the 50's-60's, when some of these trucks were new!), and have seen about every mistake and dead end that can be done, even built a few scrap yard contributions myself, and I try to pass on some of that knowlege and experience to others coming up in the hobby so there will still be builders 50 years from now. Just about everyone has a limited build budget, otherwise we'd just hand over the keys to guys like Chip Foose or Troy Trepanier and tell them to call us when I can pick it up my Riddler winner, so I try to steer y'all clear of the costliest repeated mistakes . Hell if you were close enough to me I'd have you bring your cab over and I'd help you fix it! I don't plan on chopping Gracie (although it has crossed my mind a couple times...) so I wish I had a good cab (and a helper or two) to do a chop on so I could document how to do it right once and for all.
The fact is I LIKE chopped tops, so I have no reason to be negative about them. What I don't like is seeing what was likely a perfectly good cab and good candidate for a chop end up being crushed for scrap or being sold to some unsuspecting buyer on ebay. Any time I see a chopped cab on ebay without a windshield, I can be near certain that it has the same problem.

Windshields have stopped a lot of builders in their tracks. The first thing Tri-Valley Auto Glass says is to check with then about the glass BEFORE you begin the chop. I bet they have to tell a lot of people that didn't follow that advice that they can't help them. If you don't believe me, give them a call and ask.

 

Hey nordvik
I like your positive additude, Its an additude we share.
I too have choped my top and have cut windshields.... Im on my third now
and Im still positive Im going to make it fit...dont give up.
The first thing you need to do Is make a fiberglass prototype... cut It to fit.
Then you will see what your in for ...I'll be back on mine in a couple weeks
and post my results good luck to ya..

 

Yeah just before this project I was adding a supercharger to my 99 f150 and it turned out the guy that sold me the supercharger didnt know what engine it was for and i ended up with a 5.4l supercharger for my 4.6l That didnt fit it was to wide. Well the guys on my last forum were really negative and said there was no way but I found someone to custom build me some intake runners and a few modificatons to brackets i made it fit with no problem and i havent had any troubles with it at all! So Thats why i keep a positive outlook on things because i am a start to finish type of guy i dont like selling or getting rid of things half finished because i hit a few speed bumps. Thanks for the pep talk keith i like positive people!

 

Nordvik and Keith, I really do wish you both success! I will be the first to cheer should a viable solution be found, it is a lot easier to chop a top without having to expand the roof, so the mods popularity will soar. Keep good photo records so we can all see how it's done.
I keep mentally toying with the idea of splitting and expanding the roof frame during a chop but replacing the skin with a lower crowned panel like from a late model truck to give the cab a stealthy lower profile yet.

 

thankyou ax
Now stop toying with the idea and get out the sawzall !!
I think a chopped panel would be awsome!

 

My two cents It starts too get really hard too fit a windshield after 5" under that is do able. Thanks