Top Chop

[bams50]

Thanks for the added info, Bob! Quite a story- both sad and happy elements.

It's SO easy to do a chop that seems to be going well, only to find it looks wrong when it's finished. This is one of the few that came out juuust right![8D] And I love any Stude with wider rear tires[] Love the wheels too- what brand are they??

Almost makes me want a C/K

quote:Originally posted by candbstudebakers

long live the chopped top little blue coupe...

Funny Bob, that's EXACTLY what I think about you![^]

Robert (Bob) Andrews- on the IoMT (Island of Misfit Toys)
Parish, central NY 13131

GOD BLESS AMERICA

[jimmijim8]

Bob, that car is just so right. jimmijim

Stude Junkie+++++++Do it right the f$$$$ Time. Never mind. Just do it right. When youre done your done. You'll know it.

[candbstudebakers]

Bob not sure what brand the wheels are but they were put on the car in 95 when done, at a cost of $500.00 each then but now since there is so many new wheels out there they are most likely cheaper, the fronts are real wide and hard to steer so am going to get a pair about 5" wide, might get 2 pair and then use these also on something else..Bob

Bob Peterson / C & B Studebakers

Castro Valley, CA
canbstudebakers-

[woodysrods]

The artical I have haging on my shop was for the past 10 years or so is on page 69 of Rodders Digest. Car belongs to Steve Hudson. Pictures by Nayland Wilkins.
Brian

Brian Woods
woodysrods@shaw.ca
1946 M Series (Shop Truck)

[TDITS]

WOW! I just felt a shiver go down my spine. Awesome car. I have a black 53 hard top waiting on me to do something with it. But I doubt it will ever look that good.

quote:Originally posted by S2DSteve

I used the article in "Custom Rodder" when chopping this car in 1992. I also talked to Dick Dean for some pointers. I do have the magazine. Email me if you'd like a copy.
[img][/img]


Steve Hudson
The Dalles, Oregon
1949 "GMOBaker" 1-T Dually (workhorse)
1953 Commander Convertible (show & go)
1953 Champion Starliner (custom/rod project)
1954 Champion Coupe (daily driver)
1960 Hawk (future project?)

[woodysrods]

Hi Steve. I would love it if you could share that artical or pictures with me. I always had plans of chopping my 56 Hawk(coupe













Hi Steve. I would love it if you could share that article with me, or even just the pictures. As I had always planned to build a chopped C/K. But since I started on my 56 Hawk coupe I thought I would pass on that due to laziness & time. But the pictures of Fred's (Bob's) chopped coupe have got me thinking again. "It is PERFECT!!"
I want to have the car finished for the may long weekend, so I need to decide soon!!
Brian
PS I have chopped a lot of tops, but never a Stude or one of my own.
Brian











Brian Woods
woodysrods@shaw.ca
1946 M Series (Shop Truck)

[woodysrods]

HI Bob.
Great Car! Now you have my attention and really have me thinking. I have been waiting for my Stude since I was 13 years old (1965). Which makes me the same age as Fred would have been. I have the car now (56 Power Hawk) and am already into the rebuild, but I was seriously thinking of compromising my dream build by not chopping the top, until you posted those pictures.
Do you have or can you get pictures of the process on the cars chop?


Brian Woods
woodysrods@shaw.ca
1946 M Series (Shop Truck)

[candbstudebakers]

Sorry Brian I have no pictures but will ask Taylor if by some chance he has some his dad took, this is one really nice car, it scored in the 390's at the last Long Beach national the last big meet Fred went to ....Bob

Bob Peterson / C & B Studebakers

Castro Valley, CA
canbstudebakers-

[woodysrods]

Just curious as to whether or not it was cut below the windsheild to avoid that optical illusion of that panel growing when you chop the top. I also want to know about the B pillar cut???? Overall front chop on a Gentlemens chop.... my understanding is that it 1 3/4 ".
Is this correct? What is the side window opening measurment at the front on Fred's coupe. And is the windshield full size and dropped, laid back, or cut??
Brian

Brian Woods
woodysrods@shaw.ca
1946 M Series (Shop Truck)

[S2DSteve]

When I did mine I took about 1 1/2" out of the ws posts, then laid it back. The windshield has to be cut the same amount. All I did with the B piller is a single slice from the front to about 1/2" before the back window. It's just a relief that allows the roof to settle at the new level. Mine was a hardtop, so I didn't have to fool with the doors. You don't even have to remove the rear window, but a huge part of the project is in re-shaping the windwings, side and quarter window frames to match the new roofline. You then need new glass cut, but that's not a big deal since it's all flat.

I followed the Custom Rodder (Spring '91) article very closely, although it was a little vague in some details-which is why I called Dick Dean. I'll dig up my issue and send a copy to anyone who gets me their snailmail address.


Steve Hudson
The Dalles, Oregon
1949 "GMOBaker" 1-T Dually (workhorse)
1953 Commander Convertible (show & go)
1953 Champion Starliner (custom/rod project)
1954 Champion Coupe (daily driver)
1960 Hawk (future project?)

[candbstudebakers]

Brian, Fred had always said it was dropped 2" in the front and nothing in the rear, the windshield was cut he went through 3 of them before a old man cut it with a lazer, the glass co. stopped after 3 and said no more, I can get the numbers you want when I go to the shop, rear 1/4 windows were also cut, door not need as they roll up and down, one can not tell where it was cut every thing done nice and neat...Bob

Bob Peterson / C & B Studebakers

Castro Valley, CA
canbstudebakers-

[woodysrods]

Thanks Bob and Steve for the info. Steve technically a Hardtop does not have a B Piller and is much easier to chop. Remeber Coupes have door tops c/w built in inner door moldings and a rear quarter window with a double frame, plus a B pillar. This is why I had originally decided "Not" to chop my car until Bob got me going with Freds onld car....It just looks perfectly proportioned to me![img][/img] This is my project car.

Brian Woods
woodysrods@shaw.ca
1946 M Series (Shop Truck)

[Milaca]

Brian, you get your car painted up nice and put some stylish wheels on there, then you won't even need a chop to make it look good.


Lark ala mode
In the middle of Minnesota

[Pat Dilling]

My 53 Coupe was also chopped using the same Dick Dean article as a guide. The builder told me he took 1.75 inches from the A pillar, .75 from the B and just the saw blade width at the C. He then laid the A pillars back to take up the difference in the length of the top. He said the windshield very nearly fit and he just had to carefully grind about 1/8 inch off the top of it. He also added the other custom touches of removing the drip rails and rounding the corners. Everything fits and it does not leak. The back quarter windows are now in solid.









Pat Dilling
Olivehurst, CA
Custom '53 Starlight aka Stu Cool

LS1 Engine Swap Journal: http://www.hotrodders.com/forum/jour...ournalid=33611

[woodysrods]

Thanks Pat those are exactly the numbers I was looking for. And, were the numbers I had heard years ago when referring to a Gentlemens Chop.It was the winshield thI wa concerned about.
Your car looks Great! I plan to keep my drip rails though.
I normally fill and flare them.
Brian

Brian Woods
woodysrods@shaw.ca
1946 M Series (Shop Truck)