Hair brained drip rail idea

[hgs_notes]

I was recently reading threads on shaved drip rails. I like the look, but most people said it's a royal pain. I was not really considering it for my truck, then about 2 minutes ago, I wondered what it would look like to just cut off the outer edge. Leave the flat part and maybe mold it in a bit to the roof. Would it look goofy or maybe just different, but in a good way? I can't recall ever seeing it done before, but maybe some of you have. Any thoughts or opinions?

[original_balzer]

I remember seeing one at a car show that had the lip cut off and was smoothed in kinda half round so it was more like a ridge. door side it was 90 degrees but the roof side was sloped. Hmm dont know how to splain it very well. Anyway it looked sweet but the guy said it should have been done with lead rather than bondo cuz it chipped pretty easy. Finding someone who can lead might be a pain and its gunna cost ya when you do. But if you only leaded the drip rails it couldnt get extremely expensive.

The hardest part I can think of is cutting the edge or lip off clean and straight.

I wonder if thats why that guys chipped too easy? you know like the cut wasnt straight and bondo was used to repair the "peak" of the ridge.

I say try it see what you can come up with, that truck looked sick like that, buy you could tell it was a trailer queen.

[hgs_notes]

I think I can picture what your saying. I don't think getting the cut would be too gard cause you can just follow the edge of the rail. Also, since it's not being cut completely off, you have some material to work with to straighten it out. Heck, a good hand file would finish it up nicely I'd think.

Another thought is like what some have done on the firewall, with that channel that runs across. They weld some strap over to smooth it. You could weld some sheetmetal around it to smooth it and use way less bondo or whatever to smooth.

[original_balzer]

I like the idea, I think you should try it. Im not a body guy by any means so I can only guess on how to do it. I idnt enev think of weldong in a piece of rounded strip that could make the whole thing alot easier and stronger.


Yep you should get on this right away and do a write up.

[camaro__thunder]

I will be doing mine like this if I chop the top 2"

[hgs_notes]

Originally Posted by camaro__thunder

I will be doing mine like this if I chop the top 2"

That looks kinda cool. Got any more pics? Maybe showing around the windshield?

[jugernot]

Originally Posted by original_balzer

I like the idea, I think you should try it. Im not a body guy by any means so I can only guess on how to do it. I idnt enev think of weldong in a piece of rounded strip that could make the whole thing alot easier and stronger.


Yep you should get on this right away and do a write up.

I agree, instead of a total shave just remove most of it and then weld a 1/4 inch round bar to it.

[BP68]

Check my build thread. I have pics of how my bodyman did it, and I cut it off. Taking if off was no big deal, but his skills produced the finished product. I will have pics with paint this weekend.

We simply cut it of as close to the roof as possible with out the metal seperating, then he stich welded it back up and ground it smooth. Then a little filler and a skilled hand, and we have a pretty nice finished product if I do say so myself.

It did not seem as bad as I first feared, but I have found there are many ways to accomplish this.

[gn4u2c2]

yeah I have saved a few it only takes a day to do it all and get it in primer actually pretty easy. Yes lead filler is the way to roll.