[KLRS10]

anyone have any pictures of a sectioned 49 pontiac torpedoback? i'm seriously considering this myself, just wondering what it would look like finished i'm concerned with the roof looking really high once i section it though, because chopping the roof on that thign would be damn near impossable due to the gradual slope right to the back bumper, any one have any pics they could link me too?

[Randy Ferguson]

Using masking tape as your guide, lay out how much you wish to remove from the body. Take a few Polaroid pictures from several views and cut then up along the tapelines on the body. This will give you a visual concept of what it will look like from all angles. Same applies when chopping a top. Where are you located? Have members of this forum ever gotten together for regional workshops of anykind?? It's a whole lotta fun! If you need help, I'm sure someone would be willing. Your top can be chopped. Metal is like clay. It'll move to wherever you tell it to go!

Randy Ferguson
Metalshaping & Kustom Paint
www.metalmeet.com

[KLRS10]

i'm an autobody tech so doing the work isn't the problem, however trying to get the roof lines to look proper on a torpedoback after chopping it and trying to get the glass to fit it correctly is very very hard. i have seen one done and it looked amazing but i can't even imagine the headach and amount of hours put in to make that roof as smooth of a transision as it was... i had a busdiness coupe that i chopped and it was fairly easy, but the torpedo would be very interesting... thanks for the tip on the pictures though

[Randy Ferguson]

DUDE!
You just build a new roof, no big deal!!
I forgot to mention in my first post to use scotch tape to join the Polaroid pictures after slicing them. You can use the same pictures to cut up to get a better idea of how to chop the top.
The autobody trade isn't going to teach you much about custom body modifications. You HAVE to think outside the box when doing custom panel work. I too am in the auto body trade (collision shop) but only as a painter now. I hate bondo. Metalfinishing is the way to fly!!

Randy Ferguson
Metalshaping & Kustom Paint
www.metalmeet.com

[KLRS10]

no you don't just make a new roof... the rear window has to stay the same shape because it can't be cut it is curved tempered glass. secondly have you ever seen a 49 torpedoback pontiac.... i have chopped my old business coupe before no big deal, helped chop a 67 chavy half ton, the sectioning isn't that hard just time consuming, cut properly everything basically lines back up and done right the doors will even bolt back on and latch properly no problem, the 54 chevy that they did on monster garage they did it differently than i would... on the back they actually did it so they had to cut the trunk lid down also, on mine i would cut it so that the bumper would be eliminated, hard to explain, but pretty simple to do

[Randy Ferguson]

Easy big fella. Who said anything about the back glass? You can still use it, OR replace it with another if you want. I know the car you have, and yes, it is one of the tougher ones to chop, but it can be done and sometimes it's easier to make new top....If you know how!!
My apologies for trying to give you advice. You seem to already have all the aswers, so I don't suppose you need any further ideas. Good luck with your project. I'll be looking for the build pics. Maybe I'll learn something.

Randy

[lowROLLERchevy]

all i have to say is this ----->

[KLRS10]

no no no i still have lots to learn, which is exactly why i'm not even going to attempt chopping the roof of the torpedo back, that picture is the chopped one i have seen bt it is a completely fabricated roof, i don;t have that kind of time to put into it and that glass a lone would cost a fortune because everty peice of glass is custom molded... the sectioning won;t be a major problem for me i have a spare (rusty) body around also that i'm going to practice on first to see how well the lines match up, that way i know where to cut the second time that might work better... i wouldn;t personallty bother chopping the roof on the silverstreak they look fairly low as it is but i definately want to section it. i do appreciate the help since i havn't been in the trade long and have a lot to learn still but the way i see it is i can't learn if i don't try, so i'm willing to take the chance of completly screwing up the body of the first one so i can learn how it is done
unfortunately there is no one even close to me that has ever done one or even seen one to teach me how, so this will definately be the first one around my area and will definately stand out in a crowd

[Randy Ferguson]

You didn't list your location. We are from all over the world. Perhaps if you list where you're from, you could get assistance from someone on the site. I'm in Robinson, IL., and would be more than happy to help you get started if your anywhere close. Hot Rodders are great people. We're a very helpful bunch. We're all still learning. If I live to be 100, I hope I learn something the day I die, and everyday until then. Knowledge is a powerful tool!!

[KLRS10]

yeah, learning is an ongoing experience... right now i'm cramming so much stuff into my brain it's impossable to remember it all, however i got 2 scholarships in school for the best overall average and another for 90 and over average... i'm the only person to ever receive the 90 and over scolarship since the school has been open and it's been around since the 60's i got the highest mark ever on my torture panel (we had to fabricate a panel from 20 guage steel 18x18" bring it to a crown and paint it using NO bodyfiller and mine was the only one to come out smooth, all picking and filing, around 100 hours put into an 18x18" panel (including paint) now you can understand why i know about how metal can be shaped, i've done a couple restorations and a few rods too before i went to school, and we did quite a bit of custom work on them, my goal in life is to do nothing but custom work, i live in regina sask right now, i plan on moving to vancover bc after i get my journey person status, there really isn;t much call for custom stuff around her eother than the odd shaved door handle or shaved tailgate or something, just the wrong area to do it, vancover has lots of call for it... i'd like to make a name for myself then go down to cali, the instructors at school are quite confident in me and think i should have no problems doing the custom stuff or restoration work, they would have to be to give me the highest marks they've ever given too, my dad is the presedent of the local car club and he just called me not long ago, he donated one of our 32 ford coupes to teh car club for a club project, apperantly i'm gunna be teaching a lot of the stuf so i'm kind of looking forward to that, we'll see how everything goes though, i don't realy want to get to ahead of myself but i definately want to get working on more of the stuff, i've grown up around cars all my life and have always had the hugest passion with them (i baught my first car when i was 14 it was a 70 gto) half of my family are autobody techs and since i can remember i've been helpign out aroudn the shops and even did my own body work when i was around 12 years old, the instructors and shops owners have all had the same thngs to say about me, i have one thing that you can't be taught and thats passion for my work, the way i se things i would rather srape pennies to live and do something i enjoy than be a millionare and hate what i do for a living, my life satisfaction is the first priority, if i'm happier doing what i do i'm more likely to be successfull.. sorry for the HUGE post, if your interested in seeing the torture panel we had to build at school let me know and i'll take some pictures of it, i'll also find some pictures of a few of the rods i've worked on.. i really do wish i was a lot closer to someplace that might have some custom stuff around so i could learn for some one... but instead i'm flyin blind and have to learn it myself, but sometimes thats beter