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#1 |
Senior Member
![]() Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Lancaster S.C.
Posts: 4,752
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any toppless 67/72 trucks out there??
I've been playing with the idear of cutting the top off a truck and make a roadster. We have a boardmember in Florida do one yrs back but don't recall his name. Anything out there???
thanks Donnie
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#2 |
Senior Member
![]() Join Date: Dec 2013
Location: Gods country East,Tn
Posts: 8,545
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Re: any toppless 67/72 trucks out there??
They have been done before very labor intensive ,They are cut at the A pillar and a blazer A pillar windshield top grafted on to use a cut down version of the blazer removable top and still have a reasonable weather tight top ,also the removable top was hinged to fold and fit in the bed and have a tonneau cover hide it . looked cool !just about like a shortened blazer .I have also seen them hinged to the back of the cab like some custom Dodge Dakota folding fabric tops made by Sims if I remember right
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#3 |
Senior Member
![]() Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: Cadiz, Ky
Posts: 512
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Re: any toppless 67/72 trucks out there??
Mine is at the paint shop. It is a LWB.
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1972 Chevy LWB Roadster 1999 Chevy Silverado 2wd 2015 Chevy High Country 4x4 Crew Cab Last edited by chiefcfd; 09-22-2014 at 06:25 PM. |
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#4 |
Senior Member
![]() Join Date: Dec 2013
Location: Gods country East,Tn
Posts: 8,545
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Re: any toppless 67/72 trucks out there??
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#5 |
Senior Member
![]() Join Date: Dec 2013
Location: Gods country East,Tn
Posts: 8,545
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Re: any toppless 67/72 trucks out there??
Scratch those questions I just looked at your build thread .
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#6 |
Registered User
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: Osceola, Ia
Posts: 2,017
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Re: any toppless 67/72 trucks out there??
You say "A" truck, I hope you mean a different one, that's one cool little unit you got there!!
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Shawn 68 chevy K/20 05 chevy 3/4 4x4 71 short step-sold ![]() 71 chevy Beauville van My build. http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=633039 |
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#7 |
Senior Member
![]() Join Date: Dec 2013
Location: Gods country East,Tn
Posts: 8,545
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Re: any toppless 67/72 trucks out there??
Please don't ! Other than costing a lot of time and money to drastrically reduce the value for resale your better off buying a blazer to have your hair (or lack of it ) in the wind and some would be just down right DANGEROUS in a crash !!
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#8 |
Senior Member
![]() Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Lancaster S.C.
Posts: 4,752
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Re: any toppless 67/72 trucks out there??
Well Im not gonna lie, it has crossed my mine a lot, especially after I hand made the alum. cover on the bed. But grumpy's yr right with the blazer, however I haven't been able to find one that I could afford. But I'm looking!!
Still would like to see some roadsters,,,,,
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#9 |
Senior Member
![]() Join Date: Dec 2013
Location: Gods country East,Tn
Posts: 8,545
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Re: any toppless 67/72 trucks out there??
They sell around here for $1,500 to $4,000.00 you have to know someone to get them cheap ! You have to seriously consider whats involved liability wise when chopping the top off a truck and having someone ride in it and survive a crash ! chopping the top and leaving impaling parts for someone to possibly die on ...Well ... is it really worth it ? better go for the $1,000,000.00 policy and pay the price that some passenger may have to pay someday !
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#10 | |
Registered User
Join Date: Jun 2014
Location: Glendale, Arizna
Posts: 1,642
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Re: any toppless 67/72 trucks out there??
Quote:
But I guess no more dangerous than any convertible, however I would not feel very safe. |
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#11 |
Senior Member
![]() Join Date: Dec 2013
Location: Gods country East,Tn
Posts: 8,545
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Re: any toppless 67/72 trucks out there??
Well when you cut a top off to make a roadster and leave the 2 a pillars sticking up in the sky with just the possibilty of a windshield glass in front of you your asking for a lawsuit
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#12 |
Who Changed This?
![]() Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: Simi Valley, CA
Posts: 10,388
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Re: any toppless 67/72 trucks out there??
...and then the difference between cutting the top off of a truck and a car end up like this- convertibles have their frames seriously beefed up, as would be expected for a Blazer. Can anyone show a pic from the repair manual that shows how the frame for a Blazer differs from that of an equivalent pickup? I'll bet they are different in important ways.
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~Steven '70 Chevy 3/4T Longhorn CST 402/400/3.56 Custom Camper Simi Valley, CA |
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#13 | |
Senior Member
![]() Join Date: Jan 2001
Location: Orem, Utah
Posts: 7,903
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Re: any toppless 67/72 trucks out there??
Quote:
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#14 |
Registered User
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Redmond, WA
Posts: 6,332
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Re: any toppless 67/72 trucks out there??
From my cursory look at the Blazer section of the assembly manual it looks like they just cut down full cab trucks, so you could certainly look to it for guidance (but finishing out the top rail I don't know about).
I have no idea how much the rigidity of the cab is important to these trucks. Usually if you cut the top off something that wasn't intended to be topless it's a disaster. To what extent the existence of the Blazer variant helps I don't know. I wouldn't cut that truck you posted though. Unless it's a 20-footer it looks far too nice to start chopping up. At least buy a rusty practice truck first!
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1970 GMC Sierra Grande Custom Camper - Built, not Bought 1969 Pontiac 2+2 427/390 4-speed Coupe 1969 Pontiac 2+2 427/390 4-speed Convertible |
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#15 | |
Senior Member
![]() Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Lancaster S.C.
Posts: 4,752
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Re: any toppless 67/72 trucks out there??
Quote:
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#16 | |
Senior Member
![]() Join Date: Dec 2013
Location: Gods country East,Tn
Posts: 8,545
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Re: any toppless 67/72 trucks out there??
Quote:
First you have to deal with sealing the elements out ! these are full frame trucks ! the Blazer element has to do with sealing and holding the top on the truck , You have to have built a truck hands on to understand what it takes to have it done right not just bolt on parts provided by some supplier or wait for some body shop to finish what you sent them .Your not building a truck by writing checks . |
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#17 | |
Who Changed This?
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Location: Simi Valley, CA
Posts: 10,388
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Re: any toppless 67/72 trucks out there??
Quote:
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~Steven '70 Chevy 3/4T Longhorn CST 402/400/3.56 Custom Camper Simi Valley, CA |
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#18 |
Registered User
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: Fall River California
Posts: 2,026
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Re: any toppless 67/72 trucks out there??
Anyone made one that the top goes back on? That would be cool, specially if you could hide the top in the bed.
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http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v655/aaronhero/ |
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#19 |
Senior Member
![]() Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: Cadiz, Ky
Posts: 512
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Re: any toppless 67/72 trucks out there??
Well if it was good enough for a Shelby Cobra it will work for me. All the old roadsters were built this way.
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1972 Chevy LWB Roadster 1999 Chevy Silverado 2wd 2015 Chevy High Country 4x4 Crew Cab |
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#20 |
Registered User
Join Date: Jun 2014
Location: Glendale, Arizna
Posts: 1,642
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Re: any toppless 67/72 trucks out there??
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#21 |
Junior Member
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: Scottsdale, AZ
Posts: 1,701
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Re: any toppless 67/72 trucks out there??
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"I was patina when patina wasn't cool." 1973 Cheyenne SWB Sunset Gold / Frost White / Saddle |
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#22 |
Registered User
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: Space Coast, Fl.
Posts: 1,050
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Re: any toppless 67/72 trucks out there??
Roll bars are for sissies... and race cars. I think it as safe as a ..... motorcycle?
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Dad always said, "Son, WISH IN ONE HAND, and ......." -------------------------------------- -------------------------------------- Current toy trucks: '71 GMC 1500 SUPER CUSTOM short/step, orig. dk. blue, 350/700r, ps,pb, A/C '72 Blazer 2wd, ochre & white, 454, tremecTKO 500 5spd. ps, pb, A/C, tilt Last 10yrs of hobby vehicles, had a FEW more in the 50yrs. before these: '66 Plymouth Belvedere City of Miami cop car clone. '70 Nova 406"sb, 13.5-1, solid roller, Brodix, p.glide/t.brake, back halved, 9" Ford, spool 4.88, cage,ladder bar/coilover, 10.5 tire....... SOLD!! '67 C10 short/step side mount spare -- SOLD!! '72 Jimmy 2wd, 350/350, ps, pb, fun driver, lots of bondo & a shiny red paint job..... SOLD!! '69 Nova 350, 4spd, A/C, ps, p.b, ...SOLD!! Last edited by RustyBucket; 09-26-2014 at 09:58 PM. |
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#23 |
Registered User
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: Payson, UT
Posts: 53
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Re: any toppless 67/72 trucks out there??
If you want the top off why not just buy a blazer...
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1974 Plymouth Satellite (driver, project) 1972 GMC 2500 (future project, does drive though) |
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#24 |
Registered User
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: Space Coast, Fl.
Posts: 1,050
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Re: any toppless 67/72 trucks out there??
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Dad always said, "Son, WISH IN ONE HAND, and ......." -------------------------------------- -------------------------------------- Current toy trucks: '71 GMC 1500 SUPER CUSTOM short/step, orig. dk. blue, 350/700r, ps,pb, A/C '72 Blazer 2wd, ochre & white, 454, tremecTKO 500 5spd. ps, pb, A/C, tilt Last 10yrs of hobby vehicles, had a FEW more in the 50yrs. before these: '66 Plymouth Belvedere City of Miami cop car clone. '70 Nova 406"sb, 13.5-1, solid roller, Brodix, p.glide/t.brake, back halved, 9" Ford, spool 4.88, cage,ladder bar/coilover, 10.5 tire....... SOLD!! '67 C10 short/step side mount spare -- SOLD!! '72 Jimmy 2wd, 350/350, ps, pb, fun driver, lots of bondo & a shiny red paint job..... SOLD!! '69 Nova 350, 4spd, A/C, ps, p.b, ...SOLD!! |
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#25 |
Senior Member
![]() Join Date: Jan 2001
Location: Orem, Utah
Posts: 7,903
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Re: any toppless 67/72 trucks out there??
If you're really serious about doing this project, I'd hop over to the Blazer forum and see what Blazer owners do to keep their doors opening (and closing) correctly. You need quite a bit of additional stiffness in the body, not just the frame.
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