Chop the top?

-
thejohnnyguy

thejohnnyguy

Young Gun
Joined
Oct 7, 2010
Messages
387
Reaction score
0
Location
Charlotte
Haha, I just read a thread about this and have been entertaining the idea in my head... cutting the top off of my 71 scamp to make it a removable hard-top convertable! thoughts everybody? gimme some insight... how hard would it be? should I put myself in the corner for a few hours for even thinking about it? :joker:
 
LOL well it's not the corner I'm thinking of sending you, but to a autobody/welding school so you can figure this out. I think the idea is a cool one. After all, how many of these do you see.......
 
Just be aware the car will lose a lot of strength. A unit body design has the roof as part of it's overall strength,so you will need to reinforce it before it folds up on you.
 
After getting a $12,000 quote for a new custom curved back glass to let us chop 3" out of the top, we thought about doing a roadster / removable hardtop as well. Would need to look at something like the "new" Thunderbirds to see how they join the roof to the body, and probably do a lot of fab on a sheetmetal brake to make the channels. Could be pretty sweet, but LOTS of work.
 
Roll cages fix flex issues....LOL!
 
Only a little bit, to really fix the problem of loosing the roof, your not going to fix it with a minor floor mod/band aid. Think about what your removing?!?!?!

If you put in a roll cage, it would be more than just a simple cage now wouldn't it?!?!?!
 
rumblefish360 said:
Only a little bit, to really fix the problem of loosing the roof, your not going to fix it with a minor floor mod/band aid. Think about what your removing?!?!?!

If you put in a roll cage, it would be more than just a simple cage now wouldn't it?!?!?!
Click to expand...

Interesting idea, doesn't fit my budget but I like it... something to consider in the future...
 
I saw a couple chop top early Valiants that looked real nice in Jersey. In the 90's I dropped my 65 Barracuda top 7 inches into the rear quarters with the rear glass intact, cut and slanted the front posts, cut the windshield to match the rear glass, then wound up giving the car to a friend as a gift before I left for the west coast.

What I really like is cutting an electric sunroof and surrounding sheet metal from another car like the BMW or Mercedes cause the top is similar to some Mopars and grafting it on, saving all the electrics for an easier modification.
 
so what your saying is when I want to do the exact same thing I get chastised and people start sending me pms about how they want to buy my car to save it ect....

but people like the idea here?:munky2:
 
yellowdartdave said:
Do a 73-76 A-body sunroof on it. MUCH easier.
Click to expand...

Maybe so but there is the aesthetic sense and electrics with the Foreign mechanism which to me represents quality and the fact that I am not a purest. In my last paragraph I was speaking personally, the duster roof lines differ from the early A bodies I was speaking about.

Chopping the top on mos vehicles isn't really that hard, its cutting the glass that can put you in the poor house
 
res1vw21 said:
so what your saying is when I want to do the exact same thing I get chastised and people start sending me pms about how they want to buy my car to save it ect....

but people like the idea here?:munky2:
Click to expand...

Yes... I read your thread and started thinking about what my Scamp would be like chopped. Unfortunately I dont have the tools to do it... However it is strange that your thread got alot of negative responses.... What did you end up doing with yours?
 
I am still going to cut the roof and have fun with my car (which is the reason I bought it in the first place)

I haven't done it yet since I have been very busy with life recently but come spring I bet I will cut it and have fun! (unless someone steps up and gives me cash for it then they can do what ever they want to it)

It will be cut like a convertible hardtop kinda like you are thinking
 
res1vw21 said:
I am still going to cut the roof and have fun with my car (which is the reason I bought it in the first place)

I haven't done it yet since I have been very busy with life recently but come spring I bet I will cut it and have fun! (unless someone steps up and gives me cash for it then they can do what ever they want to it)

It will be cut like a convertible hardtop kinda like you are thinking
Click to expand...

Definitely keep your thread updated when you get the choppin, I'de love to see how it comes out. If it goes well maybe a few years from now I will try it... right now with work, school, a 4 month old boy, I'm pretty busy for a 22 yr old. 8) Oh and I can't forget the add my Scamp project to that list!!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
-

Back
Top