Just wondering. Has anyone ever chopped the top (not convertible it) of a Scamp or dart? I am thinking it's not possible because of the rear glass. The concave shape. I could be wrong but maybe cutting the glass could be harder than most. Another thought is could it be possible to chop the the top so the rear is normal height but the front lower. I think that would look cool with a 1.5" maybe 2" in the front so it raked. I know it would be alot more work. Also have the suspension raked about the same. But 1" or 1.5" rake on the suspension if the roof is raked at 2". Thoughts anyone?

Actually chopping a convertible maybe easier, and would make the car look real cool. The hardest facet of the project would be the windshield & wing window area. The rest of the project would be lengthening top bows, cutting the lifting irons, and adding in a length of the side irons over the doors. Not a lot of fussy sheet metal finishing, fitting a new top; easy, farm it out…

I have seen photos of mildly chopped convertibles. They look real good, and one can’t tell what was done without a bit of study & head scratching. I think a straight side class A Body rag top would take a mild chop real well.

As for a straight side glass sedan or hard top, I don’t think the rear windshield would be any more work to cut than the front glass. Both are curved glass.

All this is of course if a pro is doing the work…

_________________
67' Dart GT Convertible; the old Chrysler Corp.
82' LeBaron Convertible; the new Chrysler Corp
07' 300 C AWD; Now by Fiat, the old new Chrysler LLC

I was under the impression that the classic chop top lays down the rear window. It's the front that gets cut down. I'd love to see it done!

_________________

madam im adam

Somewhere I have seen several pic's of a 63 to 66 Dart that was chopped several inches. I don't really remember where I saw it, though I doubt it was on this site, could have been on the HAMB. I am thinking it was about a 4" chop, looked really good.

I might think about a lexan rear window if I were to do something like that.


TopHat

radarsonwheels:
[quote]I was under the impression that the classic chop top lays down the rear window. It's the front that gets cut down. I'd love to see it done![/quote]

There are many books that will guide one through a chop. They are cheep on line. I find the subject fascinating, and will attempt a chop sometime once my metal working skills are improved a bit, no, aah, rather substantially more.

Front windshield can be lowered, cut down, laid back, or all of the above…

Treatment of rear window placement varies per vehicle configuration, personal taste, and skill level.

A straight sided car such as twenties/early thirties vehicle the rear window generally would be dropped down in elevation, and also reduced in vertical dimension. A highway fats, late thirties early to early fifties car, the rear window can be slid back closer to trunk opening, or can retain it’s relationship with trunk opening, and is laid down at a more aggressive angle as the roof’s elevation is lowered… dealer’s choice contingent on vehicle configuration, eye of beholder...

Late fifties cars with wrap-a-round wind screens, 1957-60 GM cars come to mind, are handled several different ways. Sometimes they are lowered into a specially constructed step down cavity, cut down to fit into existing channels, tilted, or all of the above. These cars pose the greatest challenges.

Personally I understand the concept of chopping, relief cuts, and filler panels. What is beyond my pay grade, is being able to see how a top will look before any cutting takes place, so as to know just were & what to cut & move & add from an unrelated donor car to please the eye. That is an art, some of us gut it, and some of us ain’t gut it…

If you get a chance ask some guys that did a chop them selves, and they will point to different areas of their car and say; this section came from a 58 Buick, over here section of 54 Ford, oh, the rear quarters were extended and I worked in those 59 Desoto tail lights… How do they do it, How dose someone catalog all those sheet metal shapes in their head, and than put it together so it doesn’t look like the result of a bad acid trip?

Here is a square back VW that has been chopped & lowered, with rear quarter's extended to host 1953 Chevy tail lights. When I asked; “how come Chevy tail lights?â€￾ The guy said he always uses Chevy tail lights on all his projects…

[img]http://i294.photobucket.com/albums/mm87/wjajr/Other%20cars/100_1021.jpg[/img]

[img]http://i294.photobucket.com/albums/mm87/wjajr/Other%20cars/100_1022.jpg[/img]

What is left to say?
[img]http://i294.photobucket.com/albums/mm87/wjajr/Other%20cars/100_1023.jpg[/img]

_________________
67' Dart GT Convertible; the old Chrysler Corp.
82' LeBaron Convertible; the new Chrysler Corp
07' 300 C AWD; Now by Fiat, the old new Chrysler LLC

If you want to play with what a chop would look like try this as a starting point.http://www.the-blueprints.com/blueprint ... ge/page/2/

good thoughts. I've been pondering the idea of chopping the top for a long time. I still don't have the skills to do it. As for that VW. Wow.

nice one oldblue. take the pics into mspaint.