[DrChop]

Got some more stuff upgraded on my website, there's now 8 pages of Kustomsledd work.
It's at <a href="http://www.angelfire.com/extreme3/drchop" target="_blank">Doc Chops Rods and Kustoms</a>if you want to see the new stuff. I also added some descriptive text for each page to the main one, and a pic just this afternoon of the 'sledd in my driveway.

Doc

 

[Halloweenking]

Doc, very good work. You do some of the same things I do, not nessasrily just to do them, but save bundles of cash too. Very nice job on the doors. Really dig the skull on the front of the beast(truck) too

HK

 

[KULTULZ]

I really like the doors and the modified roof.

The back window opening...is that a pre-cut piece or is it custom?

 

[DrChop]

HK, the skull was nothing more than a cardboard stencil, I shot the whole grille in white, then shot black thru/around the stencil. When that dried I added a few details with a Testors paint pen.

Simple, really. I have the stencil hanging on the garage wall, in case I need to redo the grille later on.

K, the oval rear window panel is from a '26 Ford centerdoor T sedan, I bought that panel for $50 from my model A buddy. It looks quite a bit different laid down almost flat in that filler panel. I was wanting a square A sedan window, but when he dragged that oval one out I had to have it. Really sets the roof treatment off...


Doc

 

[Killo.Richards]

DOC!
Nice job, real cool site. I like to see how people progress through stuff...and great info on the suicide doors too. I was kind of wondering where to start on that.

 

[Killo.Richards]

oh and hella-nice idea about the exhaust going through the lights...I myself have never seen (or heard of anyone doing that.

[ February 28, 2003: Message edited by: unstable ]</p>

 

[Halloweenking]

Doc, I figured it was something simple like that, we think alot alike. Not sure if thats a good thing or not

HK

 

[BLOWN 1100]

Vary interesting, looks like a lot of work.

 

[crazy larry]

mr uhh Dr the chop... freakin' awesome man. that sledz badas$...

 

[DrChop]

Yeah, there's a lot of hours in the '54 mods, but think how much I'd be into it paying somebody else $75/hr for all of that...

I do it just for the fun of doing it, and the reactions I get are a plus... so keep the comments coming...

It's not really that hard to do the suicide door thing when you consider that you need to measure frequently and be sure where to cut and drill and weld. I'm re-using the stock hinges, and the doors worked fine before, so it stands to reason if I mount them the same way in the B-pillar it will work OK. The box tubing mount that goes in the quarter is the key. It holds both hinges in alignment so the door does not bind. Once that is in it's a simple matter to put the mounting point in the door. Mine is a large piece of 14 Ga sheet, made from making up a cardboard pattern that fits into the door along the rear face and part of the bottom. The larger this mount is the stronger the door will be, and also resist sagging.

Doc

 

[KULTULZ]

I am still fascinated by the lowered roof and the fastback approach. It completely changes the look of the car. Can you explain how you tilted the B pillar to get that look on the window openings?

Do you finish or semi-finish the joints on the roof interior or just put a headliner in? Does anyone make repros of that type of rear window opening?

 

[crazy larry]

quote, "Yeah, there's a lot of hours in the '54 mods, but think how much I'd be into it paying somebody else $75/hr for all of that..."

If you figure up all the time you spend on your rod, and multiply it by say $75 an hour, your freakin rich. at least thats how I justify it to my wife......

 

[DrChop]

Study this pic.

Note that in addition to being leaned forwards, the pillar is also wider than it was. I did this to allow the window opening and the door opening to each end up where they needed to be. With the bottom curve of the window opening cut to angle the window forwards, and the door opening angling forwards the same angle, the pillar HAS to get wider. Right down the middle in the pic is the filler piece I made up, it just sits in the back side and the pillar parts are welded to it. Yes, it's lap welds, but there will be more weld remaining after grinding, and I plan to level these out with fibreglass filler.

The upper window frame was then relocated back to get the window opening to fit, and a small gap up top, where the filler is widest, shows how much it went back. Also note the upper curve in the doorframe needs to go back to mate with the pillar at the top, and then I will put in a filler panel up there at the forward cut line.

When I did the chop I shaved the drip rail first, then cut it loose along the back window above the frame. The lower part of the window frame wraps gfrom one quarter to the other, with the panels just set to the glass lip and tacked. I will still be able to reuse the greenhouse lower trim pieces this way. After removing the roof skin, I treated each post individually, starting with chopping both A-pillars and working back. After all were done the roof skin went back on, I trimmed the rear sides to fit down lower against the upper quarter window frames, then tacked the panel back on and started making up the fillers for the rear glass area.

A straightedge is a big help when reworking the upper roof curve to flow down nicely into the new rear filler pieces. That, and a lot of big chunks of cardboard to make patterns.

Doc

 

[DrChop]

So in a nutshell, the chop sequence went like this...

Cut off driprail, cut across above rear window and remove roof panel.

Cut A pillar upper framework at B-post, and across center of windshield. Chop pillars 5"

Fit A pillars back on to posts and line up windshield gap, fabricate filler for this area. Double check the B-pillar areas are the same height.

Split the door opening off the B-pillar top-to-bottom and angle forwards to mate with roof framing above door and rest of B-pillar. Matching lengths, side to side. These will angle the B-pillar 3" at top, because of shortening the A post.

Fit lower corner and rear of post back in place, and make up post fillers. Also requires new inner post reinforcements later on.

With door opening defined, rework door window frames to fit.

Reattach the upper quarter window frames so they are same height as door glass openings. The inner structure at the quarter post is removed, the pieces are tacked at top of B-post and at the base of body. Rear curve cut loose and relocated for nice smooth curve.

Cut away the sides and top of old rear window frame from the quarters.
Cardboard patterns and straightedge establish where fillers will meet the bottom of window frame and top rear of roof skin. Mark and trim excess from rear of roof skin, leaving 1" overlap.

Make up quarter curved panels from sheet. I bent these over my knee for a smooth curve, work slow and take your time and they will come out nice.

fill rest of window opening with suitable rear window frame/skin from donor vehicle.

Doc

 

[KULTULZ]

Thanx for the further explanation! I hope you are going to add this sequence to your webpage.

 

[DrChop]

Just did, because you asked. I have a start on Page 9, word-for-word what is here. I have some of the earlier pics of the chop to re-format since I took them with the digicam on a higher resolution, so the file sizes are HUGE. As soon as I can get the pics resized to around 40-60K I will get them up.

Thanks for the input.

Doc