Top Chop

[carkustom]

need help here how do you chop the roof on a 63 vette??? started another project, doing a 63 vette custom, any help is needed... thanks

[ajulia]

Hello there friend! Im not an expert but when cutting you kinda have to know how low your going and most important contours or curves in the area cutting make sure your able to keep it as original as possible so take away alittle at a time so you dont over-do er! That is if your using the same top (vs scratchbuilding a top)

This isnt the subject pertaining but this is what I am able to bring to the table Hope this will help

also Steef' is working on a top as we speak ( 50's Chrysler 300 in the workbench)very cool!

Keep on wit the keepin on!

Peace

Ajulia

[carkustom]

thanks for the reply. any help is needed

[Modelmartin]

You picked a tough one to chop but it is do-able if you use a little imagination. I would cut the windshield out in one piece and slant it back. I would shorten the b-pillars and then bend the rear window down. Perhaps a couple of slits cut below the sides of the rear window will help out there. Alternately, you could cut out the whole rear roof and fastback section and sink it down into the deck. It would move forward as you do it so you would have to fill a gap on the sides and rear. I would not cut into the rear window at all. An advantage of laying down the front and rear windows is that the stock glass fits and if you are careful, the window trim will still be there. Conventional techniques won't work very well on a car like this that has such a slope to the roof. I once chopped the roof on a 70 Mustang body with a similar technique and it worked very well.

I chopped the top on an AMC Pacer when I did the pattern for Jimmy Flintstone's Pacer Pro/Mod resin body. The roof on that got cut into 6 pieces and then all of those gaps filled after all of those sections were glued to their respective pillars! That was fun. I think a chopped top Lambo Countach would be the ultimate challege!

Edited January 19, 2008 by Modelmartin

[Steven Zimmerman]

I've done this one and I pretty much did it exactly how martin described,it's not that hard a chop......Steven Zimmerman aka the'Z'man

[carkustom]

thanks modelmartin and the ZZZZ Man, what i have started is taking a glue bomb old mpc cosma ray that i bought off of evil-bay few years ago, the clear bubble top was to far gone so i grafted the roof section from a early amt 63 vette,I had done chops before, but never a 63 vette, also grafted the side vent openings to the cosma ray sides, they came from the monogram's 2004 vette snap kit, when thats done going to tackle on the top chop...will send pics on the project soon

[Steven Zimmerman]

Keep us posted, this one sounds gooOOOd....I always wanted to see a Cosma Ray done,loved the wheel well treatment on those. That's one I would LOVE to see re popped......Steven Zimmerman