Need Help ***Chopping the Top***

[FlatBrokeRacing]

On my 81 Stepper...

Remove the glass
Brace the cab to prevent distortion

Then I'm lost...

I want to cut about 4in out of the roof line and have no idea where to start measuring and cutting.


Can some of the veterans give me a hand with this ?

[Captkaos]

Picture aticle from an old truckin' mag...
http://www.73-87.com/7387garage/exterior/chop_top.htm

[Malo83]

Unless your a Master Metalsmith I wouldn't do it there is a lot more to it than just cut and weld. Find a Body shop that does Custom work and get some answers before proceeding.

[FlatBrokeRacing]

Thanks for the article Captkaos...

Malo83,
Nobody around here would even attempt it. I'm no Master Metalsmith, but I can get a cab from a bone yard and give it a shot.

At least I could say I tried.

Right.

[Malo83]

Originally Posted by FlatBrokeRacing

Thanks for the article Captkaos...

Malo83,
Nobody around here would even attempt it. I'm no Master Metalsmith, but I can get a cab from a bone yard and give it a shot.

At least I could say I tried.

Right.

Good idea take lots of pics on your progress

[piecesparts]

Hints to think about.... I know a guy that chopped his 87 truck cab 4". He went through 4 windshileds, they all cracked in the upper corners, UNTIL he decided to glue the windhsiled in (like a newer truck is done--instead of using the rubber windshield seal).

Another hint--cut the glass FIRST, then make the cab fit the glass. That way you relieve a lot of the stress points on the windshield and the cab is not distorted and you are trying to fit the glass to the cab. Four inches is a lot of change.

Do you have a GOOD glass cutter available? How does he cut the glass---does he grind it down, or does he cut it with tools. The best is the ground down glass---I had mine done in Kansa City by a company that has done a lot of hot rod glass.

[killthewabbit]

You could talk to smashingchuck, he has a chopped top

http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=272219

[FlatBrokeRacing]

Piecesparts,
That is good info to know about. Never heard of (or thought of) doing the glass first. Makes sence to me though.
I recently spoke to a glass guy locally, he said the last one he did he went through 6 before he had a good one to install.

Killthewabbit,
Thanks for the link. May see if SmashingChuck can offer any words of wisdom here. Thanks for posting that link.

[OJOE]

i have a friend in millbrook that has done a lot of chops, piles of work on our trucks. as the top comes down it gets bigger all the way around so the tpo has to be quartered. the top is only a small part of the work. you also have to cut and fit 2 doors. would be a good time to change to 1 peice windows. good luck. pm me if you need waynes # in millbrook

[smashingchuck]

Originally Posted by OJOE

would be a good time to change to 1 peice windows.

It would be a good time, but keep in mind the side glass is going to be custom made.

[piecesparts]

Originally Posted by smashingchuck

It would be a good time, but keep in mind the side glass is going to be custom made.

There are companys out there that make the one piece glass kits, and the length is not the maojor concern here. The glass can be shortehed or just not rolled up all of the way. That is "IF" you keep the standard cab lines and not deform the shape of the door edges. A really good glass guy can make the new side glass pieces, if needed.

[piecesparts]

Originally Posted by FlatBrokeRacing

Piecesparts,
That is good info to know about. Never heard of (or thought of) doing the glass first. Makes sence to me though.
I recently spoke to a glass guy locally, he said the last one he did he went through 6 before he had a good one to install.

Killthewabbit,
Thanks for the link. May see if SmashingChuck can offer any words of wisdom here. Thanks for posting that link.

I purchased my 68 with the top chopped 3" and the guy that did the work, had the glass cut and then he made th etop fit the glass. The glass that was used for the pattern, got broken, so I took the truck to a place in Merriam, Ks and this shop has done work for people all over the country. They are rumored to be the best in special glass fitments. The guy cut ground down a new windshield and got it right the first time. he then did a custom modification on my back glass that required drilling holes in the glass and getting the piece tempered. The whole bill ran around $600.00, it could have been a alot more. Remember the glass shop owns no damaged windshields in this process---you buy them ALL.

The guy that chopped my top; quartered the cab roof and made the welds to the point that you cannot see the cuts. I am impressed with his abilities.

[FlatBrokeRacing]

Thanks for all the tips guys.

OJOE,
I might just take you up on that offer. I would feel much more comfortable with someone local doing it.

Thanks again everybody.

[knightlife]

wow... that article is nice... I cant wait till I inherit the 85 dually crew cab... I gotz planz for dat! lol

[piecesparts]

Anything past 3" is going to take the cab to angles that are hard to make look good.

[streetmaster42]

Yeah if i ever get mine all back together again, and ever do decide to chop it, itll only be chopped no more than 3" or 4"

[FlatBrokeRacing]

About a 4in chop is all I was thinking about.

Is there any way to recess the factory glass down in to the firewall area.?

[smashingchuck]

Originally Posted by FlatBrokeRacing

About a 4in chop is all I was thinking about.

Is there any way to recess the factory glass down in to the firewall area.?

it would be WAY more work than it would be worth... and a real pain in the ass. And it would look like poo.

[JohnnyG.]

get online on amazon or something like that and get the tex smith book on chopping tops. they do one of these and he tells you step by step. talks about cutting glass too. we did a 72 out at school (wyotech) and if you lean the front pillars back to match, you wont have to cut so much out of the glass. another thing with cutting glass is having someone that does sandblasting for a living cut the windshield for you. have heard of a lot of people doing this and this was how we cut glass out at school too. pm me if you need any sugestiong. i also work at a kustoms shop in cal.

[FlatBrokeRacing]

Smashingchuck,
A real PITA it might be, But in my opinion (mine only) What some people call too much work is what other people thrive on. I'm just not the kind of person that is happy with bolt ons only. I gotta do something to be different.

JohnnyG,
Someone on another board suggested the same book from Tex Smith. I might just contact you in the next few months to see if you can pass off some of that Wyotech knowledge to me.

Thanks for the feed back guys.

[chopper tom]

Heay flat ,got some parts for my clone !!!Be startin soon!!!

[JohnnyG.]

looks a little funny with the flat roof. if you take out about an 1/2" more out of thefront it might give the trucka *****en rake.

[chopper tom]

can anyone on hear photo shop that for me and make it lay rocker too?

[piecesparts]

This truck belongs to a guy that owns his own body shop. He has went through four windshields and they kept cracking in the upper corners. He finally glued the windshield in like the later model trucks are done and the problem seems to have gone away. He has a 4" chop and it is not a bad job.

[JohnnyG.]

heres a quick photoshop. i think i took about an inch out of the front.