TheSamba.com :: View topic

Tue Mar 03, 2009 9:46 pm

After offering my info on how i chop beetle on my site i thougt i would offer it here for free. Now there is 50 ways to do this and they all will do the job but, ive seen some ... interesting ... shapes as a result. So get some tools , a beetle and a spare roof and door tops, i'll show you how i do it. And if anyone has any ideas for the next chop, speak up.

I' ll add step by step photo every so often. Ask me stuff...

... And if you cut your finger off its on you man...

Tue Mar 03, 2009 9:51 pm

The 61... the car is for a customer and he doesnt know im doing this photo documentary, so dont tell Tom. :lol:

Tue Mar 03, 2009 9:59 pm

This is the welder i use. Wire feed with gas to keep the heat down,
bosch 4 1/2'' cut of wheel, markers and duct tape.

Tue Mar 03, 2009 10:13 pm

If you want, take a side shot of a bug your year and cut it on paper with a blade as if it was the car. This will give you a good
idea of how the real top fits together. Little trick i learned back in WW2. :wink:

Tue Mar 03, 2009 10:18 pm

Weld in steel to hold it together when the top is cut. like this...

Tue Mar 03, 2009 10:20 pm

Tue Mar 03, 2009 10:27 pm

Your going to have to do an oval next cos its all whole different ball game when it comes to the oval window part.

Tue Mar 03, 2009 10:32 pm

The way i chop tops the back window isnt cut.
In fact this car is getting a oval window and dash.

Tue Mar 03, 2009 10:37 pm

It took us 3 cars to build a chop. one as a base and two for sections we needed. all ovals :oops: Great looking work please proceed.

Tue Mar 03, 2009 10:41 pm

twinwindows wrote: Great looking work please proceed.

x2 8) 8)

Tue Mar 03, 2009 10:46 pm

Thats a good point...
This will also need two roofs but one extra roof will work.
You can see where the duct tape is used.
This works out to be a 3 3/4'' chop. More chop, wider tape.
And more roof setions.

Tue Mar 03, 2009 10:48 pm

Every post gets the same tape guide.

Tue Mar 03, 2009 10:50 pm

Also tape or mark it where the posts are the same size around.
Thats why the door it taped lower than the front window post.

Tue Mar 03, 2009 10:52 pm

You should ad that the lower the top goes the wider some parts need to be made, Not trying to tell you how to do it but something to look forward to when doing a chop on a vw type1.

Tue Mar 03, 2009 10:57 pm

A 4''chop is the least amount of work, more than that and the work
gets more involved. Also this car is a rag top and thats adds alittle work
too. I would rather chop a hard top and add the rag section. you'll see why.

Tue Mar 03, 2009 11:02 pm

This shows where i will cut the rear. im not cutting the width of the tape
just on one side of it. Also ill cut the top section out and set it aside.
This goes for hard top or rag top.

Tue Mar 03, 2009 11:04 pm

more pics please :) cant wait to see the final product

Tue Mar 03, 2009 11:05 pm

If your using the rear window thats in the car and not changing it to
a oval , one cut across above the rear window will work.

Tue Mar 03, 2009 11:14 pm

Heres where to cut the front.

cut...man up.

Tue Mar 03, 2009 11:19 pm

set the roof or in this case rag section aside.

This mirror hump is going to be left off the finished product. If you want yours keep it.