This is a chop we did last night. It's almost together in 3 hours with "the nightshift" crew. There's a few tips in here for making chops easier. Thanks a ton for taking video, Aaron Casey.
I use plasma and regular torch bottle sets to do all my cutting and notching on frames and spring buckets ECT when I build asphalt and dirt oval track modifieds and super stocks. And I do same when I do
Nice work gents! I have two mid 40s cabs that were both on the Alaska Highway build back in the 40s! One is a right hand drive. I’m ratrodding the other one onto an 85 S15 frame w built 400 chev, line lock w rebuilt TH350 and narrowed firebird rear end w Eaton 308 posi. Can’t wait to drive it. I was thinking I would just channel the cab and leave it stock height, but you have me thinking of a chop! We’ll see. Thanks again
It's nice to see someone share their techniques. Been working on a 28 ford sedan for a couple months now, some time in the 70's a guy had a dodge colt with a caved in roof and thought it would be a good idea to widen the A body, stick it on the dodge colt floor pan (unibody) and basically let it live as a dodge colt, aside from the sketchy front end that was just haphazardly welded (if you want to call it that) together. They even left the leaf springs on it which meant leaving a big ass ledge on the back. The body itself is so rough I'm going to leave it as is but I'm transplanting it onto an 02 2door blazer 4wd, with a 4 link and no more weird floor pan sticking out the back. The old timer that built it didn't know it but according to my tape measure it should fit the floor pan and wheel base of the blazer almost perfect. Hell of a first project eh?
Hahahaha sounds fun. And yeah man.. I have nothing to lose or gain... these are kinda just "sometimes we film while working" videos. Just how I do things around here... And if it helps someone, I feel good about it. I never had anyone teach me how to do any of this and I wish we had the internet to help us along in the beginning.
@@VillageCustoms I'm learning on my own as well, since literally almost nothing already online applies to this particular project, luckily i have the tools I need, unfortunately I don't know how to use some of them (welding) yet. But that's half the fun and my "built not bought" sticker will be legit. Even if things are a bit ugly.
This man that lived across the street from my sister had a 64 Chevy truck cab shopped in his garage. I wanted to buy off him I knew he was never going to do anything with it but take up room in his garage. I was building a 1970 truck at my sisters
I don't get why you didn't brace the inside of the cab. I do like that you kept the back window full size. That's one of my pet peeves. I like the rest of the chop.
I do this for a living, for people who are going to attempt this you should show them the proper bracing needed to do this so nothing twist and they end up more in trouble
I did not brace anything.... nor do I ever on these cabs. O do it for a living too... and 99% of these cabs are already crooked. There is no point in bracing a sideways cab. O would rather fix door gaps and metal as you go, rather than brace them. On cars, I brace everything as needed unless they too are crooked.
Nice vid I am with Nick I am building a 47 wanting to chop the top. Never done anything like this before. No one around here to help. Could you show on back window install. Thanks guys keep vids coming helping me alot
Jim Corman basically we cut the rear window out if we don't want an equal chop to it... in this truck Aaron wanted a larger rear window so we cut it to the size he wanted, and then trimmed it into the hole.
Well. It was about 90% welded within the 3 hrs. Just had to finish the back window the next day. The guy filming had to leave early... so technically we didn't catch the end. But either way.
What is your measurement on your Z cut? I have a 40 Ford Cab that I'm wanting to chop. And do you ever entertain visitors at your shop, I'm just down the road in Fremont, NC.
We dont have a shop at the moment. In the process of building a new one and moving. Bit yes... we do tours. The z is just whatever makes sense ususally. I dont carry it into a curve. We are doing classes this fall and winter on doing chops (incase you would be interested)
Nick Bastien basically when things don't line up you find the worst area of misalignment and cut a line on both sides. Usually it's in a curved pocket on the roof or on the back wall.
good video, I've watched it several times already. If any mistakes, I wouldn't sweat it. You learn more from a couple mistakes than all the first time perfections. Its a procedure I've feared for the two years I've driven my '47. You've shown enough for me to swing my axe with confidence. Much thanx
im working on a 49 ford truck and im wanting to chop it but on my dads 46 plymouth we had to have another cab for extra pieces did yall have to have an extra cab for pieces? bc id like to chop mine without using another cab
the relief cuts u made does it cause any small wrinkle in the metal, bc my rat im thinking about 5-6 inch chop and ive been asking around for awhile and all the people that answer always tells me to hit up ebay, but ima poor boy and u cant find many old trucks lol
Renee Tidwell if it wrinkles it... do another. But we had no issues here. Like I said... I've never chopped a truck and needed another truck to do it. And I've done dozens
All I do is rollers or open wheel rats. Right now I'm only chopping 20s and 30s car's because of the work load I have. Can't keep up. I charge 1k to do them.
It wasn't really there. So we removed what was left. This cab was pretty rough... we straightened it and leveled it first and tacked doors shut before starting.
Basically when the metal has no possible way of lining up or if you habe created a "bubble " or "oil can" in it... just a slit will help it come back together correctly.
What an abortionistic way of chopping a cab. Apart from the fact the cab is not supported by barring the inside,you have way too many cuts in such a short area. There are shops on You Tube who do a way better job & a lot neater.
Congratulations on being negative. What would the point of supporting a crooked cab be? Or... did you once think that we fixed the crookedness of the cab as we went....? Now it's nice and straight and looks great. I've had dozens and dozens of people thank me in person for this video.... so glad there is just a few that want to be negative behind their keyboard.
@@VillageCustoms I do this work here in Australia not to mention the guys I have seen do the same work in the US. Accept the fact, there are people in this world that do it better without the need to cut,cut cut, especially with a plasma cutter,which would be the last resort. Rat rods seem to be the way to go with some shops in the US & that's fine because it doesn't take any talent to build that rubbish,but if your doing a full blown custom on a 3 or 5 window coupe & your building show quality, look at the other vids on You Tube from other builders,you might just be amazed at how they do it. You can slang off all you like about keyboard bandits & the like,but fact is,you may be able to fool some of these plebs here,but sooner or later they all wise up & might just understand there are better ways of doing the job & better builders around who do that job,both in the US & here in Australia. Seeya!
@@myredute dude... I'm no better than anyone else. Maybe you are looking too far into this. I'm 1 guy in a garage... I'm not trying to be better than other people, just helping people if I can. I wouldn't sit around and look for people to degrade. You're just an ass. Get over yourself
@@VillageCustoms No good getting all bent & twisted over a few negative comments that point out a better way of doing things. Doing something & bragging about the time it took only tells everyone one thing. It was done quickly & not professionally. Other builders,like myself & in the US take time & effort to do the job without thought to how long it should take. It's like watching Boyd Coddington build a car & then watching the same job done by Chip Foose. Just no comparison. You might be just one guy but if your not prepared to take negativity about the work you have done,then your not prepared to learn. Calling builders who have been in the game for over 40 years an ass makes you look stupid & childish. This isn't Facebook where trolling is the name of the game,it's a media site viewed by people with common interests.The Internet just makes it easier to write & view valid comments.........end of the story!
Rat rod bob says 3 hours to chop a top is bullshit. Aint no way he says... im sure you used camera magic. haha lol look that big hole in the middle. Cant you measure?
Almost always in both. Not when I'm talking to a camera though. If you caught a frame with someone without ppe... I probably yelled at them at some point.
What I learned from this was how NOT to chop a top in anything properly.Hack job.just sayin' Get in touch and I will show you how to do it, but not in three hours Ha Ha.
@@12121149 put out a video if your so good! This is good stuff this guy is a actually doing and giving pointers, most have to have three time as many relief cuts and no one in 1940 cared about a perfect body seam.
