The Cal-look Lounge

With the Tar Babe back together and Rick M. posting some other chops how about a top chop thread. Post your favorite top chops. What do you think the perfect proportions are for a chop? Early vs Late? How about it.

--louis

louis check here (http://cal-look.no/lounge/index.php/topic,7272.0.html)

and here (http://cal-look.no/lounge/index.php/topic,9526.0.html)

something talking about top chop  (http://cal-look.no/lounge/index.php/topic,10854.0.htmll) here

The one I did (but haven't finished... yet) I chopped 4" vertically all around, but this gave the roof a very flat look from the side profile. So I "raised" the B pillar back up until I got some curvature back in the roof. Rear window came out very short, so it will be enlarged using the same ratio as the stock quarter window to rear window, if that makes any sense. Goal is to have a "factory" looking chop, not squashed, and a proper height rear window (ratio wise).

Zach,

Explain what you mean by you raised the center up? I am not following you there.

Thanks,

--louis

I never miss a chance to post a pic of my favorite Chop...

(sorry- not sure how to remove that second image)

Nice, I like that color too.

--louis

just the eyes pleasure dave  ;D

 ;D ;D ;D

One more view...

I like how they kept the stock height rear window.

--louis

Me too...
And the rear decklid still fits.
Mike Dennis (Dennis the Menace) did the chop.

Yeah it does have a good curve to the roof. Too many bugs that are chopped come out looking like the top was mashed down. Flat. 39-40 Fords have the same issue when chopped. The other area that is hard to do is the rear quarter window.

--louis

What ever happened to that car ? is it still about ?

Nobody knows... It was sold and went to the East Coast back in the late 70's never to be seen again.

Your right dave, thats a real nice car. If you guys attempt a chop, Just my two cents but- Do a wire form shape of the roof first and shape and fit all you peices to a wire form. You could do it all in 3/16 to 1/4 steel rod and mig it to gether. And helps to use two roofs. Someday I would like to chop a oval window. Something I was thinking, When a car gets chopped, they start looking long and out of proportion. I would chop the top about 1/2 what people do and bring the bottom of all the side windows up the other 1/2. Now the car does not looked squashed. Remember you heard it hear !!!!

Basically the front and rear are chopped the same amount, the B pillar not as much.

Mike Martinez black chop top.  That car blew my mind the first time I saw it.

I am surprised you have not done one. That sounds like an interesting method. Rick M. shared an interesting way to chop a top with me but I will let him post it if he wants. My biggest issue is making sure I can fit all 6'4" of me into the car after whacking out a few inches. If I ever did one it would be a fairly mild chop and not as much as I have seen some cars slammed. 

--louis

Yeah I like that one too.

--louis

I always loved the roof line of Jim Motto's chopped bug. I didn't care for a lot on the car, but I loved the chop.

http://cal-look.no/lounge/index.php/topic,9526.msg154084/topicseen.html#msg154084

I really like the lines on this chop languishing some place in Texas
 (http://i243.photobucket.com/albums/ff84/49-rag/retiredracebug.jpg)
Not too drastic a chop that it looks squashed nice hight in the middle of the roof too.
(http://i243.photobucket.com/albums/ff84/49-rag/index-3php.jpg)
And the DDS wheels are a bonus too  8) love to be able to find this one

Keith or someone posted a great article in a French VW magazine on how to chop a top.  It is basically how I do mine as well, with the exception of the roof.

Rick M

this car was the shivel speed shop race car

That's amazing that you've been able to find that Fabs! You really are “The Archivist"!

thx neils  ;)

Now the most important question - can I have it? Please?  :D

 i remember someone on fb  that said he was maybe  1hours road drive to that junkyard were the car was /is  i will try to see if he can go there and ask to took photos and may be if the car was for sale

I'm only joking Fabs, it is awesome, but even if Santa delivered it on December 25th I still don't think my wife would let me keep it! I've got a house move and at least three other projects to do before I dare look at another one!

Just do it like i do , i dont say a word about new shoes and she doesn t say a word about what is standing at the garage ;)
Actually she gave up a long time ago , i guess since the 911 and the Harley for her anything else is better than those ! :)

She's not so bad Sam, two of the projects are her camper and her Karmann Beetle!

 :) :)
neils i've asked the guys  and here's what he said
The original owners have tried to buy it back but the son will not sell

It's a shame the original owners can't buy it back. It'll probably sit there until its past restoration.

I wish I could have bought mine back, but I know it doesn't exist any more.

(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20200521/f9c12adbd552de5cb5d7dbbd15201ec7.jpg)

I hate those , i found an abandoned buggy standing in a front yard couple months ago .
Stopped by , asked if it would be for sale . Clearly was standing there forever.
No no not for sale , gonna fix it one day .

Yeah yeah same like the rest of junk laying around