Stovebolt.com Forums The Shop Area The HiPo Shop Chop a 5-window

Anyone ever choped a top on a five window?? How did you work the rounded rear corner glass??

I did mine out of plexiglass.

I haven't tried it yet, but I would think that if the chop is done properly, taking your original glass ones to a good auto glass place and having them cut them down should work. Giving them access to the truck would be best, so they can be sure of proper fit up.

Gear, those corner glass are tempered and can't be cut. Tempered is the glass that basicly "explodes" into tiny 3/16" fragments when it is broken. Ir will do that when you try to cut it. Now I have heard of magical shops that cut it with laser or sand blast it, but that is just in the comic books as I have never really seen it happen to tempered.

If you have a bad one to experiment with, try using one of those very thin cutoff discs in your grinder. If you have a "soft touch" I would bet it could be done.

Not so--it's plain old glass with the plastic between layers. Tempering came much later. I would think they could be cut--I've even seen it done by adventuresome spirits on a windshield.

Guys, maybe I should make myself clear...I have did it. I chopped my truck as my signature says in 1975 and those windows are tempered. If you want to put a dollar on it, I'll bet ya.

Gear, you COULD NOT cut one with a die grinder. It WILL explode. I even tried wet belting it at a glass shop, it broke.

The curved glass in cars had been tempered for many years before '48 even. It was the cheapest way to do it. Heck in Europe the WINDSHIELDS were tempered up till only about 15 or 20 years ago!!!

I've seen a chopped top 5 window at Gatlinburg, TN "Shades of the Past" show where they sunk the glass below the lower lip. In other words the top was cut and rewelded and the glass was not cut it sank below the glass opening and rested on a lip and was hidden with upholestry. I didn't ask if it was weather proof though. Has anyone else seen or done that? It looked good.

I was stearing at mine last night pongering it. Thought about taking two inches out of the back of it way below the windows then taking two inches out of the window posts so the cornered windows wont change at all. Anyone tried that before? Thanks

BBBowtie, I have seen dropping the glass into the body, it is an old trick. I don't like it at all, just seems hokey to me.

mallard, I am not sure I understand you, there is no room below the quarter windows. Not unless you go below the body line (seam)and that wouldn't be chopping, it would be sectioning. You couldn't change the door windows, you would be below the bodyline.

You can chop one and leave the center rear window stock, it is done all the time and was done on the Rod and Custom dream truck in 1954.

I just re-read what you wrote. You are talking about going below the body line but only at the quarter glass while still lowering the top. I thinkif that line was disurbed it wouldn't look very good. Just make the windows out of plexiglass, mine lasted for 20 years till I sold the cab. They still looked pretty good.
I think I have decided to not use them at all when I finish my chop (been sitting for a few years, while I work on other projects).