Drop Topping without Lowering

[Bierkan]

My current project is a 3-window 50 at a somewhat standard height. I've kicked around for my next project a drop topped, lowered, fenderless truck. I got to thinking that maybe I combine the two (garage space is a premium, afterall) and wondered what an open top truck would look at its standard height.

Thoughts? Opinions? Anyone done this before?

[alaska gasser]

Just to confirm you mean a convertable top? If so, I saw one on EBAY awhile ago and it sucked. I showed my wife and she didn't like it either.

Now if room is an issue and you want something different, you could angle chop it like my extended cab.

[Bierkan]

Yea, convertible without the cloth top and mechanism. No, I want to see the sun and don't like feeling cramped, no chop for me. I'm not that skilled a fabricator, anyway. :-)

[mr48chev]

Stock height trucks look like the pits minus the top as Alaska Gasser said above.

Somewhere in my pile of photos from before I had digital I have a couple of photos of a truck that was at the Goodguys show at Puyallup several years ago. I'm not sure what they used for suspension but it sat real low and didn't have running board meaning the bottoms of the doors were about five inches off the ground. It had a shortened bed and they had built a convertible style windshield header rather than just cut the sheet metal down above the windshield. it was complete with all four fenders and hood.

These cabs weren't designed so you can remove the fenders and have them look presentable like 1936 and earlier cabs can. I've seen one that was half way presentable and that truck had a full hood with custom built hood sides running up to a trimmed down grill that was GMC if I remember right. It didn't spin my wheels but it did look finished when you looked at unlike most of them that you see that have that rat rod " I spent one whole Saturday putting it together and now it's done" look.

[G&R's57GMC]

Here's a few pic's ....

[Bierkan]

Yeah, I was planning on leaving the fenders on this truck. The fenderless idea was on my next project. Lowering this one wouldn't be tough - just like lowering a 1972 C10. However, I'm planning on this being a semi-daily driver and would rather keep the clearance.

Pretty much every truck I've seen with a dropped top has been lowered. It *could* look like a highboy, albeit a very weird highboy.

[dubie]

tough to find one that isn't chopped. If it was me, I'd lean more towards that cool little orange number posted above. That is so damn cool looking!!!

[Indian113]

This is the nicest one I've seen!

[mr48chev]

The green one in post 7 and the green one in post 8 both look pretty well thought out.
The one in post 8 is probably the best looking one I have seen that had the top cut off to make an open truck. The header on the top of the windshield actually looks like a convertible windshield header while when you look at the gold one in post 7 it looks like someone did a quickie saw job and didn't plan it very well. Attention to the little details means a bunch in the end.

[nhill]

The green one in #8 looks like the lift off top is behind it.

[mr48chev]

That it is. I've seen photos of it somewhere with the top on it. I didn't realize that until you pointed out the top.

[mr48chev]

This one was in the 2011 Portland roadster show.


No photos with the top off though.

[Atommik]

The green truck in post 8 is a forum member's.

Check out his build thread,

Oldman3
http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=459839

[_Ogre]

all the above would look like dog poo without lowering them.
the nice looking ones without running boards are seriously low.
the little blue on is a foot lower than stock and has a sectioned cab.

[Bierkan]

Thanks. I'll keep thinking about it. Still leaning toward keeping this one stock-ish appearing and keep these ideas for the next project. This one will be the parts hauler for the next!

[Speedbumpauto]

Initally I thought the same as most everyone else but got to thinking. I had a 1970 Blazer back in the day and those tops came completely off. So when it was off, it looked like a convertible truck for the most part and i think it looked pretty good....and it was higher than stock with bigger tires. I don't think the AD lends itself to doing it but the TF could, I think, but it would need a windshield grafted on that was swept back and curved around to take up a little of the door bulk. Ones like on the Olds and Caddy's would work, you'd just have to fine one close enough to the right width so you could use the stock glass. I'd still have to lower it, but I've kicked around the idea some.

[G&R's57GMC]

OR .... you could buy one of these ....

They're in the mid $ 20's now.

[mr48chev]

I've got a cab or what's left of it that one of my buddies cut the roof off to use to repair his cab years ago that has always been on the back burner to build a topless truck out of. I keep thinking an S=10 or G body will show up cheap enough that I can cabbage onto the chassis and set it down on the frame with no risers and no running boards. That would be about ten projects back though.

[Speedbumpauto]

I really liked those things when they first came out until I saw the rear. To me it looks like some guy was on a deadline, spent all his time doing the front 3/4 of it which is pretty retro sweet, then had to finish up late one night so he could turn it in the next morning.

[G&R's57GMC]

Originally Posted by Speedbumpauto

I really liked those things when they first came out until I saw the rear. To me it looks like some guy was on a deadline, spent all his time doing the front 3/4 of it which is pretty retro sweet, then had to finish up late one night so he could turn it in the next morning.

You mean like this ?

That's why I added the chrome strip on the hood and the spoiler, centered the Corvette emblem with the tail lights and added 5" tail pipe tips on the rear.