The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Paint and Body Shop Chopping the top on an Art Deco ?

Any one chopped the top on an Art Deco?
I plan on doing mine and have a few questions.

John Sandoval, AKA Steppenwood, has a '42 photo journal that he chopped. It may give you some ideas or maybe PM him directly. Have fun and good luck
Dan

Thanks, I'll check it out.

There are some "Rod" customizing books on the subject.

This might not be what you want, but, There was a guy a while back in the Stovebolt pages who lengthened the cab down the center and lengthened the doors too. He kept the ceiling height and made the truck look chopped. I loved it! Got a chopped look, No loss of headroom, more leg room and easier access doors.

Shame on you!

Denny Graham, Preservationist II
Sandwich, IL

Easy there ole Preservationist II, he only wants to chop and channel it with a little french work on the headlights. It'll be ok...
BIG CHEVY Perversionist I

Like a friend of mine said once, "You can't save'em all Dennis" and like I answeered back, "no, but I can save the one I'm driving!"
I don't really have a problem with somebody customizing their ride, like I've said a hundred times, it just makes the original ones that have been restored worth that much more. Every once in a while, (about every ten years) you hear of a cherry all original '32 or '34 Ford and where you could pick one up 20 or 30 years ago for around a grand, they now go to the Barrett-Jackson Auctions and bring BIG bucks.
All I have to do is remain the caretaker of my old gal for another 30 years and........ oh well, never mind, Ill be a hundred years old by then and won't even remember my name!
Denny Graham
Sandwich, IL

My feeling is, if it's complete and in good shape, then preserve it. But if it's allready somewhat of a rustbucket,... what's the harm?

Easy fellas! It's a rust bucket.

If everyone did the same thing (original resto), it would get boring visiting classic car/truck shows. I like custom and original vehicles. I went original on mine except for the engine and power brake booster.

I have never seen an authentic restoration of an art deco truck. I have seen gobs and gobs of modified ones.

Mine will be all original except for the engine, trans, brakes, rear end and suspension, gas tank, seat, steering column, wiring, radiator, tires and paint.

Hey, you stole my truck.

Let me make a correction in my grammar and substitute "correct" for "original" in my post. I’ve often used the term “original” when dealing with the truck restoration to describe the appearance of the vehicle. I’m making this correction since there appear to be some students of semantics participating in the forum discussions who are purists in their own discipline. So if ya’ll are one of them students of grammar and insist that “original” to you means completely untouched, never had a part replaced nor a wrench put to it, never had a panel repair or had the paint touch up, and expect that it had never been washed or that it had the "original" oil, gas and air in the engine, tank and tires, then I’ll use “correct” in your presence.
Yes I’m just being facetious, but every time the term "original" is used in a discussion it seems like this rears its head. So “period correct” will be the correct term for me from now on when talking about my truck. However, there still is a whole bunch on my truck that I haven't touched that is actually "original". The original, paint, original engine and trans, original starter and generator, original bed and wood, original rims and brake drums, original glass, original headliner, original radiator, original heater, original glove box door, etc.!
Denny Graham
Sandwich, IL

What we will never see in these old trucks is the "original" drivers!

you might want to check out this website.
http://www.killbillet.com/

they are a bunch of guys who have done chops and mods on every year truck there.

leonard

I've started the chop. The pics and advice I've gotten from steppenwood have been really helpful. Considering it's my first attemt it's going pretty well. A few new pics on webshots.
I've decided to name the truck "Shame on Me"

I just checked out those pictures. The chop is looking really good! Sure makes a difference.

Thanks John,
I've had a few people stop by to look at it since I've gotten the roof back on. My neighbors think I'm crazy! The chop really changes the attitude of the truck. I like it!