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another chop job

134K views 373 replies 32 participants last post by  knight hawk 
#1 ·
I know there are alot of ''chop'' threads and questions, but... I'd like to know if anyone has chopped a "48 Dodge 4dr post " with suicide doors,. I did a pick up once , so I know the basics. Question is, with the center door posts, I'm assuming the top can't can't be shifted ???
 
#178 ·
up date on the chop

brakes are hooked up, steering is done, started on the wiring.... installing the harness from the '85 parts car leaving out the 'lean burn' crap . It's working good for connecting the electric seats and windows, but pain in ***** to connect to the old dash ! Am using the '85 318 wiith a dist and modual from 69 to 72 , but having a hard time finding the 'pigtail' harness to connect the two . Any suggestions ?
 
#179 ·
wiring location ???

so, I'm putting the battery in the trunk , have to run a battery cable forward. Also want to re-route the harness that usually goes along the door sills(seats and taillites ). I'd like to put them on or along the tranny hump, but then I'd have to splice and make them longer.... BUT... I've been told put them UNDER the car and run them in or along the frame rail. Any suggestions ??? Road salt would not be an issue, just maybe water and mud ????????
 
#180 ·
knighthawk said:
so, I'm putting the battery in the trunk , have to run a battery cable forward. Also want to re-route the harness that usually goes along the door sills(seats and taillites ). I'd like to put them on or along the tranny hump, but then I'd have to splice and make them longer.... BUT... I've been told put them UNDER the car and run them in or along the frame rail. Any suggestions ??? Road salt would not be an issue, just maybe water and mud ????????
You should keep the battery cables out of the car for sure.Water and dirt won't hurt them.
As for other wiring under the carpet, should be okay as long as you don't use oversized fuses.
 
#181 ·
I'd like to get this car running today !(just can't wait any longer) So.......I haven't bought a diifferent carb yet, ( alittle short on funds ) So what I have , is the'lean-burn' ('85 318 ). I thnik it's a Holley 6280,,what is the ''Duty cycle solenoid '' ? And is there anything I need to do to the carb , to get this thing to run, without the computor ?............thanks.
 
#182 ·
more pictures.....

FINALLY ! got it wired enough to get it running and outside for some pictures !....Re-cap : '48 Dodge 4dr (suicide doors ) chopped , "85 Chry. 318 drivetrain and suspension, power disc brakes, power steering, cruise, electric windows and door locks, all from the '85 (plus seats ) wheels also are from '85 (free) but don't think I''l keep them.....still haven't deciced on a grill yet ........
 
#183 ·
I believe it was 'Henry Highrise' and/or 'Homebrew' told me at the beginning of this projeact, that it could take 5 years to build a car. I said 'no way !' But now I think I kinda believe them. I'd like to hear from, "Rise' and 'Brew' , see what they think so far ....
 
#184 ·
I've been following along with your build and love what you have done!! :thumbup: :thumbup: Looks like you will be able to drive it this summer.

Just goes to show what a lot of perseverance and ingenuity can do. The amount of use you got out of your donor 85 Chrysler is fantastic!

Do you have any idea how much money you have in your build?

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#185 ·
I'd like to say, I'm around the $2000 mark, The '72 electronic ign parts were probabley the most expensive so far . BUT, it won't be too long before I need to spend about $400 for rubber parts, window channel, glass gaskets, door seals , etc. The priority here is keep the cost down, but then there'l be something like a 69 - 72 carb, maybe a re-buildable one ..... some glass, floor mats , ......
 
#186 ·
Just thought you'd like to know; I've used about 90% of the wiring harness out of the '85. I used the the main harnesses cause it has the wires for the electric seats , and all the electric windows and door locks, used the fuse block and firewall connection, left in the fusible links Lot of the dash stuff I don't need, left out the heat and AC for now, window and doo controls will be from the door panels of the '85, and of course removed all the computor stuff. It has wires for door chimes, buzzers, dome liytes , trunk lite, electric trunk lock................
 
#188 ·
sorry for the delay in answering here .....yes I have the diagrams, plus I cut open the harness, follow wires , etc.... I'm using a 'Haynes' ( I think it is ), it has the worst, poorest selection of wiring diagrams.... they only print the ones THEY think you'll need ! Normaly, I try to get a shop manual for each car I try to fix up, but I thought I'd try 'cheaper' ??? BUT, i figure if I can get this working.... I'll save $500 for Painless or some other brand, with all the accessarys, but then on the other hand, it taking a month to do this........
 
#191 ·
Chop it?

BOATBOB2 has the right idea. This s how I work out these things on paper.
Get the side photo...enlarge it on a copier....then take another piece of paper and lay it over the photo to do a tracing. (a light table helps but you can tape it to an outside window and get enough light thru it to do the tracing.
Trace the outline of the car, the windows, and any other important lines you need. Leave out the stuff you don't need.
Make that tracing and you'll have a simple line drawing.
Make about 20 copies of that line drawing...and then with an Xacto knife you can cut the roof off, and begin to place it where you think you want it.
You can cut chop and section all the paper pieces, and when you get the shape you want you see the blank spots that need to be filled, as well as all the "challenges" involved.
Good luck!!!!!!! Sounds like a project.
 
#198 ·
grill pics

Here are some more pics knighthawk sent to me to post for him.

The grill opening is formed with 5/8 copper tubing soldered to the fenders and hood, then cut in places so it can be removed as part of the fenders and hood. note the instant 'rust' due to the solder ( and lead) flux. I have more pictures of details, if intrested. Today working on recessing '53 Chev parking lights to use as turn signals..





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#200 ·
Morning, and thanks 'Brew'...yes the copper tubing is the soft kind, that piece was about $33 ! The steel conduit would be easier to weld, but harder to make the small radius bend, and the electrical supplyers bender makes a bout a 12 '' bend. This copper tubing bent really easy using the spring tool ( I don't know what it's called ) that you slide over the tubing, to keep it from getting any flat spots, and bent it around a small gas (welding ) bottle. The hardest part was getting the solder to hold to the sheet metal. I'll take a picture of the back side showing more of the 'welds ' .....
 
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