Chopped London black cab (new Pics 31/01/17))

[geetee66]

I've been thinking about this for a while, so yesterday I bought a razor saw.

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I found some headlights in my parts box which I can shape to look a bit more like the original car:

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Starting with a Revell London Taxi kit, I planned my cuts before I started:

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First, I cut away the centre section. 

As this part has 4 pillars, I'll use it as my reference point for lining up the front and rear sections.

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Then epoxy some brass rod onto it as support, strength and to help alignment.

The styrene rods are there to help gauge the inside height of the front and rear sections and to rest give support while gluing:

%5BURL=http://s173.photobucket.com/user/geetee66/media/815810D3-89DC-4CC3-9882-8C8666486D4F_zpsleg3wapx.jpg.html]

I won't remove the front or rear sections until the centre section pillars are glued.

That way, I can use the adjacent edges as a guide for horizontal alignment ?

I hope

more pics soon

thanks for looking 

comments/ advice  appreciated

Edited January 31, 2017 by geetee66
New pics

[crazyrichard]

cool !! i saw a kit of the london cab and thought about hotrodding it ..i only have to much left to buid still so curious on the progress of this one !

[Lowlife ! !]

Great idea, love this cab its a great car to copy !  

Don't know if you've seen it, but check the rods n sods site, under the garage section is a build thread for this car. The guys also building a rat rod taxi which looks great ! 

Pretty sure he used 55 Chevy headlight surrounds, yours look perfect !  And did you notice the taxi sign from the front of the roof, used as a bonnet scoop !?

[geetee66]

Thanks Lowlife, I was wondering if there were any photos of the original build.

I've seen this car at shows, here in the UK, but never met the owner.

Yeah, the hood scoop is a neat idea. I'll include it in my homage.

I dunno about radiusing the rear arches. I like the half-hidden look.

Also, those rears are actually more like 22", on the 1:1.

The biggest I could get, were Pegasus 20" torque thrust.

As this kit is 1:24, radiusing the arches would exaggerate the lack of diameter, compared to the 1:1.

I've seen 1:16 3D printed wheels are available, but I dunno where to get the tyres from.

Any ideas, anyone? (Without having to buy a 1:16 kit solely for the tyres)

[TooOld]

That's gonna look cool when you're done ,  great idea !

[Dave Van]

That looks like WORK!!! I'll be watching!!

[vintagercr]

So cool!   I found a pic on the web of a chopped Rolls Royce and I finally picked up a kit

[geetee66]

So cool!   I found a pic on the web of a chopped Rolls Royce and I finally picked up a kit

I first saw a Chopped Rolls, on a 1980's British TV show, called Groovy Fellers.

I'be wanted to build one ever since then:

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Edited December 21, 2016 by geetee66

[Davewilly]

Good Luck on the chop!  Its going to look pretty cool and make a cool hot rod when your finished!

[ChrisBcritter]

I'll be following this one! The 1/1 photo does give one ideas...

BTW, the headlights you're using are the custom units from the original AMT '57 Chevy.

[espo]

I've been thinking about this for a while, so yesterday I bought a razor saw.

%5BURL=http://s173.photobucket.com/user/geetee66/media/795F0EA4-3A13-43B9-A422-1DE7D3F6186B_zpspt6cpq30.jpg.html]

I found some headlights in my parts box which I can shape to look a bit more like the original car:

%5BURL=http://s173.photobucket.com/user/geetee66/media/06BA8DA5-7491-428C-8268-5DABFDB82F5B_zpsepdyx90w.jpg.html]

Starting with a Revell London Taxi kit, I planned my cuts before I started:

%5BURL=http://s173.photobucket.com/user/geetee66/media/96690F99-A7E0-43FE-90C4-14105C999D29_zps1zfhszdf.jpg.html]

First, I cut away the centre section. 

As this part has 4 pillars, I'll use it as my reference point for lining up the front and rear sections.

%5BURL=http://s173.photobucket.com/user/geetee66/media/572DFB2C-1FC8-4E32-A3A5-90E8B2821C18_zpsvkvujemf.jpg.html]

Then epoxy some brass rod onto it as support, strength and to help alignment.

The styrene rods are there to help gauge the inside height of the front and rear sections and to rest give support while gluing:

%5BURL=http://s173.photobucket.com/user/geetee66/media/815810D3-89DC-4CC3-9882-8C8666486D4F_zpsleg3wapx.jpg.html]

I won't remove the front or rear sections until the centre section pillars are glued.

That way, I can use the adjacent edges as a guide for horizontal alignment ?

I hope

more pics soon

thanks for looking 

comments/ advice  appreciated

The peaked headlights you are using should look great. The side view of the prototype looks almost like the headlights from a '55 Chevrolet or even a Chevy pickup even the parking lamps. That's just my impression. I really like the concept you seem to be going for. The sedan delivery suggestion would be interesting also. Your copped top and lowered stance is perfect. What type of driveline are you thinking of ? Any interior ideas yet ?   

[exesivefire]

What an interesting subject! I'm watching this 

[DrKerry]

Nice!!!!!!! Just what I like, a person that just can't leave the saw alone!!!!!!!! This is gonna be kool!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Foxer]

I have my seat to watch this cutting! 

[geetee66]

Hopefully, I won't get bogged-down with bodywork and can give it something better than the diesel Land Rover engine. The chassis is terrible. I'll need to grind off the mounded exhaust and cut out the mounded engine.

The rear of the chassis betrays it's past, with a battery compartment and space for an electric motor.

 I have some rear axle/leaf spring parts in my stash which could be used to make that part of the drivetrain more interesting.

I have a couple of SBC's in the parts box and a couple of Ross Gibson's that might do the job.

 I'm thinking about putting a pair of bucket seats up front and giving in some purple in the cabin.

I doubt much will be seen through the small windows, anyway!

I've done some more cutting:

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The rear window will need some jiggery and maybe some poker.

I'll rework the chrome window surround with some styrene rod.

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I'll eyeball it a bit more before I glue it.

more pics soon

thanks for looking

Edited December 24, 2016 by geetee66
Typo

[geetee66]

I'll be following this one! The 1/1 photo does give one ideas...

BTW, the headlights you're using are the custom units from the original AMT '57 Chevy.

Ah, yes. That Boyd Coddington release of the 57 Chevy had some cool original parts, like the SCoT blower.

 I have done some research. The headlights on the 1:1 are from a 56 Chevy (pickup, I think)

It's got a Rover V8, which I believe was patterned from a SBC. It also became blown during it's evolution and has had different scoops and a flip nose added.

 I've just glued the rear section. Most of it lines up ok. 

 

[espo]

Your chop looks great. Shouldn't take to much to get everything lined up. The body looks almost like a station wagon (shooting brake?) . To bad about the chassis, but maybe you have something else that you can rob the chassis out of .  

[geetee66]

Got the rear section epoxied, super glued and braces with brass wire.

The chop is about 6". You can see the height difference here 

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A bit of fine tuning got the roof is level.

The rear window should be easy to sort out:

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I used a silver pen on the drip rail, so I could see the alignment more easily.

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I'll let the epoxy set over the next few days before I tackle the A pillars

happy Christmas everyone!

[Foxer]

That's a really nice match on the top.

[geetee66]

I've been itching to get the rest of the roof chopped.

Got it done this morning ?

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There will be a bit of tidying to do, once the fillets are in place.

I saved all my cut offs, as they have window recess detail, that I can use to blend in the missing areas.

[DrKerry]

Coming together!!!!!!!!! Looking great so far

[Foxer]

Looks like all your planning is paying off with what's needed to fill the chop! 

[ZTony8]

The Rover V-8 is an updated version of the old Buick/Olds 215 c.i. aluminum engine from the 1960s.

Edited December 27, 2016 by ZTony8

[geetee66]

Thanks for your keen interest, guys.

The encouragement and inspiration I get from my fellow modellers, worldwide, is priceless.

Thanks for the information about the Rover V8, ZTony8. I guessed it had to be of American origin, they always sounded nice. A popular choice here in the U.K. 

They were fitted to Rover P5 & P6's, I think. 

Now found in  Ford Pop's (Anglia's) and chopped taxis!

Here's a tip I picked up watching 1:1 chips on YouTube:

Keep your pillar off-cuts. They contain part of the window recess profile.

Using these scrap pieces should help save on putty sculpting and cleanup time.

??

[geetee66]

I added the headlight cowls and spent a fair bit of time tidying all the joints

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The wing mirror holes have been filled and the indicators moved out a bit, to line-up with the headlight centres. Filler looks nasty, but sanded ok

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Door handles ground away and filled. 

The roof is nice and straight for an 8-pillar chop!

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Next is a guide coat of grey primer, to check for defects

thanks for looking 

 

Edited January 1, 2017 by geetee66