Well, i am a little nervous since this is going to be the first time i have ever done this. I kind of wanted to keep the top the way it is, but everyone i show it to says i should chop the top. So, what i have done so far is; i measured off of the frame up to where i felt the rear window of the cab could be moved down without allot of changes. I then took a level and walked around the truck with the level and drew a line where i am going to make the cuts. I too measured down 4" inches since i am taking that much out of the cab. My lines are now all the way around the cab and doors. Here are the pics of my layout and i will be cutting the cab off with a sawzall.
I know before i make the cuts that i need to reinforce the cab, so i will be using heavy rebar and weld it to the inside of the cab.
Wish me luck.......oh, and i added a picture of the rims i am planning on running.
Nothing really to show today. I fabbed up my center piece for the cab, tacked it in place and started the slow (very slow) process of welding it. Weld, and cool, weld and cool.......Once this part is done, i will take a few more pic's.
Aight, here is the passenger door complete. The gap in the photo of the top of the door looks bad, but in person, it's a great fit. If you look at the picture of the inside, you can see the gap is good.
Today i worked on the drivers side door. This one was a little tougher to do since it appears i cut on the wrong side of the tape with one cut, so i ended up with a 1/2" gap from the bottom of the door to the window frame. I used some some 22 gauge steel as a backing plate, drilled a couple holes and welded the backing plate to the inside of the window channel.....after several tacking and grinding events to get the right alignment...I think i ended up with a pretty decent door chop.
Woohoo, as of today i am done with all of the welding and fabrication work on my top chop. There are still little things i have to do to truly finish it up, like grinding and sanding, but the main work is done...........I am so freakin excited, i can't believe how well it turned out.
I gotta admit I didnt think it was possible at first,but not only did you pull it off ,you did a heck of a job...your without a doubt ,a hotrodder and THAT is a hotrod....
that's what i am thinking about.......would love to make that work.
I have had a great time doing this and everyone in this thread has been so damn helpful. I had doubts that i could pull off a top chop, but thanks to the positive attitude everyone showed me here, it is complete and i am so freakin excited. I too think it's cool that i am now considered an actual hotrodder, i love it. There hasn't been one part on this build that i had to have someone else do either, everything from the c-notch of the frame, building my box, setting up my front end correctly and of course, chopping the top........thanks a bunch to hotrodders.com and the great guys here.
We are thrilled to be a part of your project and I for one plan to continue to watch this project through to being streetable if you'll keep us posted .
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