Started the chop today!!!!!!!!

[Mr.Gussett]

Chop!

Hey man looking good so far!
You have to keep us up to par on this !
Keep up the good work!

 

[harleyboy]

Thanks

You guys are great. Thanks for all the encouragement. I have to take my brother in law to Wilmington (50 miles from here) in the morning to get a spinal cord stimulator adjusted and as soon as I get back I'll start to put it back together. I'll take plenty of pics and try to explain things, as I see them, as I go along. I bought a sheet of 18 ga. cold rolled steel ($47.) and that is what we are going to use to add in on the top and fix the floors with. HB

 

[pablo]

Cut away every thing that does not look like a hot rod, then weld whats left back together.

Keep us posted.

Pablo

 

[harleyboy]

Resumed work today

We started to put the top back on today. I had cleaned up all the edges and grinded the paint off for a couple inches. I drilled holes along the edge of all the pieces because the strips will be placed under the gaps and button welded to each other. We only worked an hour and a half today to get it tacked back together. So far we have 3 hours time in it. It looks kinda squirlly right now but it will all come together. The A posts are tacked, the door frames are tacked and the rear window is tacked. We welded a little strap across the gaps to hold everything together until we can place the strips on the underside of the roof and button weld them on the top. I wish I would have left the doors on because even though I braced the door openings something is a little off the passenger side has a little more gap than the drivers side. Tomorrow we'll figure it all out. I think I'll put the doors back on and cut the tops of them to hold everything in place.

I'm driving it up to the garage

Cleaning up all the edges. This is true driveway chopping.

Drilling the holes to weld the strips through.

The drivers A post was first to go on.

 

[harleyboy]

The rear of the A post piece so you can see the holes and get the picture.

The center section lined back up to the center post that I left on when I removed the windshield

All three front sections tacked. Windshield measured 15" to start and now measures 11" so I guess it's right.

 

[harleyboy]

Back drivers side tacked. It will have to be kerfed in the curve.

Rear window lined up with about a half inch gap at top. Tomorrow everything will be lined up and welded, I hope. I'm really satisfied with whats gone on so far. My friend that's helping me can only come a couple hours a day. More tomorrow. Harleyboy

 

[skyrush2]

he he

hell yes man it's looking good ... i cant wait to start my chop..

 

[harleyboy]

Back to the chop

FINALLY we got to work on the truck today. The top hasn't been looking to good nothing was lining up. I think I made a mistake taking the doors off before I cut the top. I ordered new hinge repair kits and fixed the hinges (like new) and reinstalled the doors. We got the doors lined up and things started looking better. We cut the strips for the fillers and placed them inside and started welding. I figured all the gaps should be the same, but they're not. Everything measures up good with one door window opening being 1/8 off. I can live with that. We worked about 4 hrs. today to get this far. Now we have 7 hrs. total in the job. It's not all welded up but I'm happy with the way it's looking now. Here are the pics.

 

[harleyboy]

More

 

[harleyboy]

 

[theracedude]

looks like lots of work but when its done its gonna be a very cool ride. i really like the signs on the doors.

 

[Old Gold]

It's looking good! The only problem that I see is that it's 15 below zero and your just wearing t-shirts & sweatshirts.

 

[chopper tom]

lookin good so fare ! keep goin!!!!

 

[harleyboy]

Racedude, I really like the signs on the doors myself. I'm going to put them back on the doors when I get it finished. The man who owned this truck was a good friend and we still do a lot for his wife. She's 83 and just as spry as they come. I have a friend that has a sign shop and he is going to make a stencil of the door and let me paint it white with a brush so you can see the brush strokes. It probably cost $20 to have these doors hand lettered in '50. I'd hate to have to pay for that hand lettering today. If I hadn't chopped the top I would not even paint this truck. I love the look. I'm going back with the same colors with maybe a flat clear coat.
Old Gold, 15??? It was cold here today. It only got to 50 but I was warm enough in a T-shirt. With the sun shinning and no wind it was real nice. Tomorrow it will be 65. I love the south, but that's all I know.
Chopper Tom, I wish you were closer so I could get some help from you. The guy helping me is not the best but he's all I have. He owes me some money and he's working it off instead of repaying me. He's kind of a hacker but he's a pretty good body man. I'm having fun. Harleyboy

 

[chopper tom]

Havin fun is what its all about,theres gonna be a lote of body work no matter how you go about it anyways ,evryone has there own method.but the more time spent on the metal now will pay of latter with the body work, but no big deal.its gonna be great!!
Why not just paint the top and leave the doors alone,the belt that runs around the cab would be a good devider and if you rough up the paint on top to match and flat clear it all it would be sweet ,be a real shame to cover the old sighn up.your so lucky to have that on there ,around here you never find some thing like that .the wheather is so harsh on tin here!
Is this a fenderless build or a full body build?I forgeta ,my mind ,she's ainta so goooood any morea![apalation atalion]lol !

 

[dmw56]

I agree with Chopper Tom, just paint the top and "patina" it. Those doors are way too cool and valuable to paint over. Its a piece of history that needs to be kept! Cool build by the way!!!

I can't wait to chop my F1. I love the chop threads I learn a lot for watching you guys. My doors have "Seattle Engineering Dept "on them an old city truck, I plan to keep them on.

 

[tiny1]

Looks great HB. Glad you posted the pics there going to help me on mine thanks .. If all goes well i hope to start the chop on my cab this weekend.

 

[dyce51]

More dicing

And this is what we ended up with. 5 pieces

More to come Wed. or Thurs. HB

look a big jigsaw puzzle!! lol The chop is lookin great!!

 

[harleyboy]

Chopper Tom, this is going to go back full fendered but I have a 41 Cadillac waiting for the rat job. Harleyboy

 

[chopper tom]

good deal im glade to here it!will be sweet!
41 cady,like to see that! allready sounds wild!whats in store for it?