228 replies to this topic

['Chop']

could you wrap some rope over the joints so it looks more like wood lashed together like in the pick above ?

Hmmmm, I'll have a play with some jute rope

[silve1999]

Looking awesome as always chop!

[Will16]

Looks awesome. Some great craftsmanship. Love the 50's sun visor. I've a question, as you plan to make it road legal, what about insurance? I've been dreaming up a cut up shell and wondered if you would need a special policy?

['Chop']

Looks awesome. Some great craftsmanship. Love the 50's sun visor. I've a question, as you plan to make it road legal, what about insurance? I've been dreaming up a cut up shell and wondered if you would need a special policy?

Had a word with my insurance company.... admittedly it was a few years ago, and they didn't seem to think it would be a problem..... I'll have to phone again fairly soon- just to make sure

['Chop']

Did some early morning painting before work this morning, plus some evening varnishing and started cutting carpets and mounted the harnesses.   

 

Also spent ages yesterday cutting, bending and welding brackets to hang the exhaust from the rear cross member in the (used to be) boot.

 

Why does making 'one off' brackets take SOOOO long?

['Chop']

Tonight's tinkering....

 

A bit of progess, which I'm chuffed with.

 

For the first time in 14 years 'Chop' has a side window, admittedly only for a short while, and in perspex- just to make sure the templates are right before I have the glass made up.

 

Also did the door windows in lexan too, to make sure I worked out everything OK.

 

Need to do another ACCURATE windscreen template, as I'm seeing the 'glass man' on Monday. Woop, woop

 

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[rally515]

How will the front windscreen and rear be made with the bends accurate from a flat piece of perspex Chop ?

 

Also you should really really really really........ Get some of these bad boys!!!! #

http://www.theminifo...pefully the 1st

['Chop']

How will the front windscreen and rear be made with the bends accurate from a flat piece of perspex Chop ?

 

Also you should really really really really........ Get some of these bad boys!!!! #

http://www.theminifo...pefully the 1st

The rear is easy. I've done it from lexan.... and I've made a template for the front one which'll be glass. The screen is the same width as a standard one, but has 7 1/4" cut out of the top. The radius of the top is the same as standard . I just hope the glass cutter gets it right

 

I love those wheels, saw them a few months ago..... very 'trick'

[MrBounce]

Still looking fantastic Chop. Can't wait to see it when it is finished! It's brilliant!

['Chop']

Glass being cut

 

....and for a bit of a change, I made a rear parcel shelf from the usual ply, 1 inch thick foam, coffee sacks and beer bottle tops.

 

This took about 4 hours to do..... Gawd, I must be keen/ mad/ need to get out more

 

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Photos blurry as my camera is all but dead

[BlackJester]

Hello
I've had a mini project for a while with the intention of a 3inch roof chop. how have you guys gone about it,? i like the idea of lowering the pillars and widening the roof without flaring the pillars or anythink. but does anyone have a guide or rough explanation of measurements ect please.
any help if appreciated.
awsome build by the way

['Chop']

Hi Jester,

 

I don't know how other people do their's, but this is how I did mine...

 

Stripped the car and removed the rear wiring loom up the A pillar and along roof.

 

Removed doors and measured 6 inches (3 in your case) on the B pillar ( I chose 6" because that seemed right to cut that much out and still keep a good radius for the rear quarter window.

 

Cut the pillars all round (allowing 6 inches HEIGHT on all pillars) the screen pillar (A) has about 7 1/4" cut out because of the layback on the screen pillars.

 

I then cut out the centre of the roof, leaving a 6 inch strip of the roof all the way round and sectioned the remaining roof/ pillar into 6 (one for each pillar)

 

I made little spigots that fit into the A and B pillars so I could slot the roof into position. These were spotwelded to the lower pillars and would allow me to move the roof sections up and down a little.

 

I replaced the 6 sections on the pillars and lined everything up, taking loads of measurements. I found that slipping wooden dowelling in long lengths (or bamboo would've done I guess) along the gutter sections proved useful for holding everything.

 

Welded the pillars in and then cut infills from another roof I had to fill the 4 inch sections front and back and 2 4 inch sections forward and backwards of the B pillars

 

That left me with the roofline exactly right, but with a HUGE sunroof! Got a section from a roof and placed it on top, cut to size and zipped it up with the welder. Sorted.

 

The doors were made by simply cutting down the pillars and rewelding the upright offcuts along the top of the door frame (when they get lower, they get longer) I used pieces of wood wedged into the door frames to keep everything aligned. These got burnt out when I started the welding, but held everything in place for long enough.

 

Tada!!!

 

Wished I'd have taken photos at the time, but I did the major bits in a couple of days and then lost interest and stored it away for nearly 10 years, before starting it again last year. If I'd have known the interest it was going to generate, I'd have taken build piccies. As it is, I have just a pad full of sketches and random measurements scrawled on whatever came to hand!! It was only done for a bet and a bit of a laugh

[hoody99]

Awesome parcel shelf bud wel worth the 4 hours put in lol

['Chop']

Awesome parcel shelf bud wel worth the 4 hours put in lol

Ta.... most of the 4 hours was spent DRINKING the beer to get the bottle tops.......   (NOT)

[lulu85ritz]

I just went right through this and absolutely love it what a masterpiece! I would love a chop as I'm short anyway.lol