What about the doors???

[kelseydum]

I'm a new-b, and a fairly smart one, and have seen and researched a lot of chops lately, but seem to be lacking the DOOR chop. The top seems fairly understandable but how often do you need to modify the doors because of the chop? Is this a minor modification compared to the top?

 

[Bonehead]

You are right, no one talks about. But I'll tell you what I did. After the roof was chopped I cut the top section off the door, and removed the same amout taken from the top. Then with the door on the hindges, I placed that upper part back into the frame. I figured out what I needed to add back to the length of the window frame section of the door. I took the chopped disgarded piece and re worked it to look like the upper section I needed, and welded it back in. I did a straight drop style chop, where you add a section across the roof to make up the length you need. Many people slant the posts back to reach the roof and leave the roof section alone. If this is the style of chop you are doing, you have to notch out a pie cut to slant the window frame back to match the frame.

 

[Lakota]

When a top is to be chopped, most rodders will tape off the dimensions and then spray it with primer. This way, if the tape comes off there is still a line showing the dimensions. Both the roof and doors are marked so that the doors will line up with the roof, and sometimes cut at the same time.

There are two different ways to cut. Straight down drop and slanted. There's just as much work in either cut. Where the straight down drop requires straight cuts in the mid section, the slant requires pie cuts in the posts.

The window frame of the doors in a straight down drop are not much of a problem. Use the cut out pieces as filler like the roof was done. In the pie cut, the pieces have to conform to the new pie cuts. And the door glass has to be cut to conform with the new shape.

I just worded it a little differently from Bonehead. Does this help?

 

[kelseydum]

Yeah, that helps. My main problem is I have a '37 Ford with the split windshield so that will be one more post to piecut I guess.

 

[donsrods]

Bonehead and Lakota have put you on the right track. I think it is easiest to do the doors seperate,as mentioned. You can cut the tops off the doors and piece the top frame like a jigsaw puzzle to fit the newly shaped opening.

As for laying the windshield back, here is how we did my '39 Dodge truck.

Don