1952 F-6 Build

[sgtpontiac]

Always nice to have some help around...

looks pretty darn flat from here....[P

 

[Torchie]

Spent some time out in the garage today laying out the chop.
I am going with a four inch chop. I will be leaving the rear window opening the stock height and dropping the opening down. I will also be spliting the roof width wise to put in a filler piece. Most likely just far enough back from the front edge to where the roof starts to flatten out. I will not be laying back the posts but I will have to do some massaging of the front pillars to get it all to line up.
I know that this has probably been shown to death here but what the hell.
Started at the front and worked my way back.
If things work out I hope to be cutting tomorrow.
Torchie.

 

[gold03]

Looking good Torchie. Nice to see another one of these trucks getting built. I have gone over a few different methods of chopping mine.

Looking forward to seeing photos as you move ahead.

Gold03

 

[gold03]

Hey Torchie, before you cut check out gjunctionmike's builds. He has a pretty cool way of doing the cab. I really like hoe he did the back of the cab. Seems it would maintain shape easier, and be easier to lign up.

Gold03

 

[Torchie]

Hey Torchie, before you cut check out gjunctionmike's builds. He has a pretty cool way of doing the cab. I really like hoe he did the back of the cab. Seems it would maintain shape easier, and be easier to lign up.

Gold03

I've seen the pics of his build. He did a great job. I considered a 3 inch chop but decided to go with 4 instead.
I thought about leaving the windshield full size and just going up higher into the roof line as well but I like this look better. Want it to looked chopped but not going for the "Slammed Lid" style hence the full size rear window. I left plenty of metal between the cut line and belt line to allow for fitment.
That's the great thing about building something like this. Everybody can do it a little differently and they all look great.
Got to put some "infernal" bracing inside the cab and a quick measurement check and start cutting.
Worse comes to worse, I will make it a roadster. LOL
Torchie.

 

[GJunktionMike]

Some like the big forehead some don't.

If I ever do 1 again I would stay and 1" off the belt line to. You can make things a little easier by taking your cut below the rear window all the way out around the corners about 1 1/2" from were the body line runs up the side of the door. You will have to do a couple relief cuts in the corner (my 52 the wife's truck shows these cuts) things will line up a little better and you wont get flat spots.

Of course a roadster is awesome. My 49 was my favorite, only down side was when it rained.

 

[Torchie]

If I ever do 1 again I would stay and 1" off the belt line to. You can make things a little easier by taking your cut below the rear window all the way out around the corners about 1 1/2" from were the body line runs up the side of the door. You will have to do a couple relief cuts in the corner (my 52 the wife's truck shows these cuts) things will line up a little better and you wont get flat spots.

Of course a roadster is awesome. My 49 was my favorite, only down side was when it rained.

GJunktionMike.
I looked at those pics as well. Another great job., It just seems to me that with a 4" chop it is going to require more relief cuts than a 3" but when I go out to work on it tomorrow I will definately take your advice with me.

The young guys that are helping the old man (Me) want to learn how to work with lead so we will see what they can do with those cab corners.LOL

It is funny to me that I am the old guy now as the guys that taught me back in the 70's where the old guys then and I was the punk kid.
Torchie.

 

[GJunktionMike]

Yea you may end up with 1 or 2 more relief cuts, but for sure keep that cut all the way around the corner. And good luck with the chop I'll be watching.

Fun how that old guy thing work.

 

[Torchie]

After some posts from my fellow RRR I am looking at a different layout for my chop on the back of my cab.
These pics show the possible new layout in the green tape.
The main difference is the bottom cut under the window goes almost all the way around the curve . You still remove 4 inch's from the rear door post put instead of cutting all the way to the window you cut back about 1-1/2 inches then straight down. This way where the pieces reconnect the angle is shallower(?) needing less relief cuts and lessening the chances of flat spots.
Thanks to GJunctionMike and Gold03 for their input.
Torchie.

 

[Old Iron]

Did someone mention the word lead [dr
I've got to see this [P
What keeps the body panels from warping with the heat
I'd love to have the roof leaded in where I welded the station wagon roof in [cl

 

[Torchie]

Did someone mention the word lead [dr
I've got to see this [P
What keeps the body panels from warping with the heat
I'd love to have the roof leaded in where I welded the station wagon roof in [cl

Well stick around Old Iron. It may be a while.
Doesn't really take that much heat as you want the lead to turn to a soft consistency. Not so hot that it just runs off.
I used to have an old plumbers torch set up for doing lead but it has gotten lost in the mists of time......

I am sure if you got on You-tube you can find someone doing a lead work tutorial.
The guy that taught me back in the mid 70's used to do lead work for Fisher Body. He could spread the lead like a good mom making a peanut butter sandwhich for her school kids. Required very little file work afterwards.
Don't count on that from me though
Torchie.

 

[Torchie]

So tonight my to young helpers came over and we chopped the top.
4 inch chop. Split the roof side to side. Will need about a 2 inch filler piece.
Thanks to all of you for your input and especialy to Gold03 for the heads up and GJunctionMike for the prod to readoe the back of the cab layout.
It is kind of hard to tell from the pics but the curved area on the rear cab corners fits so good I may be able to get away with no relief cuts.
Please bare in mind that nothing is tacked yet. Just held together with clamps.
Torchie.

 

[Torchie]

And a few more pics with a very blurry profile shot at the end.
Torchie.

 

[Old Iron]

Your chop is looking great.
Took your suggestion and went to the tube and watched several people do lead work.
Some made it look real easy and some not so easy. I'm gonna practice on some scrap metal to see what I can do

 

[icebox]

Well there is no turning back now. How are you going to stretch the tops of the door? Looks good so far the cab lines up pretty good .
icebox

 

[Torchie]

Well there is no turning back now. How are you going to stretch the tops of the door? Looks good so far the cab lines up pretty good .
icebox

I will use the sections of the door window frames that I removed for the chop to stretch tops of the doors.
For the roof I will use part of the A post that I removed as it still has the gutter attached.
Now the hard work really begins. Tweaking everything to fit and then the welding and grinding. As my old body shop boss said to me years ago."Any idiot with a hacksaw can cut off a roof. But putting it back together,well that's another story.....
Torchie.

 

[Torchie]

Your chop is looking great.
Took your suggestion and went to the tube and watched several people do lead work.
Some made it look real easy and some not so easy. I'm gonna practice on some scrap metal to see what I can do

So what are you going to use for lead? I was taught using a 80/20 mixture that I don't even know if I can still get.
Plus the guy that taught me used to have what he called the "soup kettle".
It was a cast iron pot that he would keep warm enough to keep the lead soft.
He would scoop some out of there with the back of his paddle and spread it just like bondo.
The best part about this guy was that he was color blind. Not all colors I think as he wouldn't talk about it, but man could he match paint.
I might have to try to track him down. May be gone by now as he would be in his late 80"s.
Torchie.

 

[GJunktionMike]

Two thumbs up.

 

[Dirtyrat]

Definitely lookin good!

 

[Old Iron]

So what are you going to use for lead? I was taught using a 80/20 mixture that I don't even know if I can still get.Torchie.

What they all were using is 70-30