TheSamba.com :: View topic - Thinking of chopping the top, have some Q's bout body lift.

Tue Oct 07, 2008 9:10 am

Hi yall. I have always wanted to chop the top of my bug, but my head is already to close to the roof, and wanted to know if anyone has ever but those three inch body lift kits, and chopped the top like 3 inches. thus head room would be the same. This will be for a rat rod, which will have NO fenders. I couldn't find any pics, but does anyone know of any pics of a rat rod, with a chopped roof, and a body lift kit? BTW its for my 74 super.

I am going to cut out the strut suspension and weld in a linkpin beam, with about8 inches of tunnel, for the rat rod look. it will also be lowered.

Tue Oct 07, 2008 9:44 am

Go here;
http://www.volksrods.com/index.htm

Most of the Samba folks will give you grief for wanting to cut up a bug. over there, thats all they do.

BUT, putting a body lift is sort of getting away from the rat rod look. most folks prefer to have the body lowered over the pan. Raising it up would just look silly unless you are doing a BAJA.

As for the chop, you will need another donor car. The roof and doors must be stretched as the roof comes down. Another roof skin and door tops are the easiest way to go as you won't have to work new metal to get the curves and contours.

And this is a fat chick right? You wouldn't be wanting to cut up a pre 68 would you?

Tue Oct 07, 2008 9:54 am

Yup DR. he stated it was a 74 super.. So have fun with your proj and good luck

Tue Oct 07, 2008 10:01 am

I didn't think it would look good, but i just wanted to make sure( bout the body lift). I am a member of the v-rodders forum, but all they do is bitch about not making an intro post, and why the hell i would want to chop a super. I guess i can lower the seats, or even get some of those fiberglass racing seats. I just don't want to be bumping my head on the roof. :lol:

Tue Oct 07, 2008 10:31 am

When you chop the top, also add a sunroof. The you'll have all the room you need :lol:

Tue Oct 07, 2008 11:51 am

Correct me if I'm wrong but you're going for LOOKS not FUNCTION.

I don't think that you can have both in almost any major car modification.

For function, leave well enough alone.

For looks you've got to make sacrifices. Head in the roof or get some seats that sit down on the floor, rearrange the steering wheel and drive peering over the dash like you are 5 years old.

Dave

Tue Oct 07, 2008 2:11 pm

My plans were to add an oval clip for the rear, and was debating weather or not to also use a ragtop section. But i'm still not sure. I would think it would be easier to use the oval section, and ratop roof, as far as welding goes.

Also who says you can't have funtion and looks. There is always a way to have both. i didn't say it would be cheap to have both, and its usually much cheaper to go for one or the other. I would definalely have to go for a lower seat, probrobly a fiberglass or plastic racing seat. I also want to add a roll cage.

The only thing i am not sure about now is the windshield. I'm debating weather or not to chop the curved windshield, or somehow graft in a standard bug windshield.

Tue Oct 07, 2008 3:00 pm

If you have an oval rag top to take the roof clip from, why not just use the oval body? The oval windows are short enough that you wouldn't have to do the chop to get the "look".

There are lots of things you could do with seats to make things more functional. Why not just cut and lower the seat frames you have? There is no expense there and everything else remains stock and usable without any other modifications.

Tue Oct 07, 2008 5:14 pm

If i can find an oval body cheap, then i'd definately go for it, but for now all i can find (near me) are ragtop clips, and oval window clips.

Tue Oct 07, 2008 6:49 pm

How tall are you? I'm 6'-3" and have a boat-load of headroom in a Bug. As to a lift kit together with a chop top....isn't that kind of like putting your toilet up on a platform and then cutting off your feet? :wink: Hey, go for it! Maybe a set of 28's with spinners and you've got that "DONK" we all be want'in! :D

Tue Oct 07, 2008 6:57 pm

BugMan114 wrote: My plans were to add an oval clip for the rear, and was debating weather or not to also use a ragtop section. But i'm still not sure. I would think it would be easier to use the oval section, and ratop roof, as far as welding goes.

Also who says you can't have funtion and looks. There is always a way to have both. i didn't say it would be cheap to have both, and its usually much cheaper to go for one or the other. I would definalely have to go for a lower seat, probrobly a fiberglass or plastic racing seat. I also want to add a roll cage.

The only thing i am not sure about now is the windshield. I'm debating weather or not to chop the curved windshield, or somehow graft in a standard bug windshield.

wow this sounds like its gonna end up lookin like my ride, except mines still an early beetle

only thing I can say is dont chop a super... ever, you wont be able to have a glass windshield anymore, and if you were to graft an oval and ragtop into a super it would look totally out of place

buy a 60s bug, chop it, and then graft in an oval and or ragtop section if you still feel like it

fluxcap wrote: When you chop the top, also add a sunroof. The you'll have all the room you need :lol:

bingo... thats exactly what I did... but then the only problem is that you wont be able to see the the light turn green when your stopped at a light, :lol: so I still had to have my seats lowered 3 inches :lol:, yet I still have to open the ragtop every now and then to see the stop lights

and then ultimate tip when chopping a car... buy one already chopped. I picked mine up for 200 bux right here off the samba

Tue Oct 07, 2008 7:23 pm

BugMan114 wrote: I didn't think it would look good, but i just wanted to make sure( bout the body lift). I am a member of the v-rodders forum, but all they do is bitch about not making an intro post, and why the hell i would want to chop a super. I guess i can lower the seats, or even get some of those fiberglass racing seats. I just don't want to be bumping my head on the roof. :lol:

Then make an intro? ALL they do is bitch? Well, maybe you could look around at all the killer rides that you WISH yours looked like and rethink that statement?

Tue Oct 07, 2008 7:33 pm

It should look similar to yours, but i was going for a rat rod look. It will be lowered, with NO fenders. Instead of struts, i am going to wedl on a linkpin beam, and framehead, and also extend the tunnel about 8 inches, to move the tunnel forward. Basically like this:

I always heard that you can simply sand blast the excess glass away, and it won't shatter, and works great. That true? Are you saying not to chop it cause it would look stupid, or cause it just can't be done? I'm thinkin it would look stupid, but thats why i'm here, i was lookin to see if anyone had done it, and if there are any pics of a chopped super?

Tue Oct 07, 2008 7:44 pm

GreeneHoosier wrote: BugMan114 wrote: I didn't think it would look good, but i just wanted to make sure( bout the body lift). I am a member of the v-rodders forum, but all they do is bitch about not making an intro post, and why the hell i would want to chop a super. I guess i can lower the seats, or even get some of those fiberglass racing seats. I just don't want to be bumping my head on the roof. :lol:

Then make an intro? ALL they do is bitch? Well, maybe you could look around at all the killer rides that you WISH yours looked like and rethink that statement?

yes. i do wish my car looked like SOME of the cars there. Why the hell else would i be asking these questions? thats the whole point. I never really got any straight answers on the v-rod forum. not tryin to talk down to ayone, i just call it as i see it. even after i satisfied the "intro nazis" by writing an intro, i still got a lot of bullshit, and people saying "use the search button" or "you want pics with that instruction sheet? " or "I need a "How to build a Volksrod" video. Too lazy to read ". All i asked was how to do one thing. Were the hell do those douch bags get that from. i didn't ask how to build a rat rod, just how did they extend a beam out. If you're not going to help stay the fuck off the forum. Is it just me, but when i do a search i get like 5 million results, about everything esle but what i'm lookin for. so ya, it's been covered, but i can't find it, so either post a link to where it was covered, or shut the fuck up and stop tellin me to search.

Tue Oct 07, 2008 8:14 pm

Headroom??? The builder of this Beetle is 6'4"!

Tue Oct 07, 2008 8:48 pm

If you are going to chop it and actually finish it. Have the Glass done first. figure how much you want to chop it and cut the glass that amount. Then fit the opening to the glass. too much lean or too much rake or out of square you will never get a glass to fit with breaking down the road.
I have cut numerous windshields for chops *both VW and other" .Some people say it is silly to do it first ,but think about why you would do it. You can take your old glass and find out why san d blasting will not work and use it as a template and then have a Old timer glass guy fab one up.
Please realize that cutting curved glass is tricky and sometimes takes 2 or 3 windshields to get one.
Don't even try to cut down tempered glass sides and back. They will blow up.
If you are thinking about laying in an Oval clips ,P mail before for some real life tips.
There I have not told you it cannot be done and have have given you in 500 or less words that which has taken me years to learn.

Stacy

Wed Oct 08, 2008 5:57 am

Maimas13 wrote;
only thing I can say is dont chop a super... ever, you wont be able to have a glass windshield anymore, and if you were to graft an oval and ragtop into a super it would look totally out of place

So you are saying someone with the talent, money, time, tools, and imagination to chop the top, graft in a roof clip and a rear window clip, stretch the door tops and the roof, and complete all the fabrication that needs to be done, won't have the ability to come up with a piece of curved glass for the front hole?

Glass is easy. You simply make a template and send it out to the glass folks. I learned that while watching Boyd Coddington build his hot rods. They all have glass and nothing there is factory.

You need to watch more TV!

Wed Oct 08, 2008 8:10 am

Yeah but remember Boyd is dead now. I digress. Most cars that are chopped are carefully picked because the glass is flat and can be easily cut. They also plan what they are doing and lay the rear window down intact so that they have a glass rear window.
Go to a Hot Rod show and look at most chops,you will see most of the curved glass cars either have no glass,is ill fitting or they use plexi.

.02

Wed Oct 08, 2008 8:52 am

stacy schneider wrote: Yeah but remember Boyd is dead now.
:shock: oh shit, i didn't know that :shock: . I've seen almost every episode of "american hot rod".

Based on what everyone has said, i'm now thinking that a chopped curved windshield won't look good. I'm still trying to search for a pic of one, but am having no results. Maybe i'll just photoshop a pic on my bug then :wink: :lol: . I would still rather use my super body, as the heater channels, floorpans, and mosst everything else are in great shape. There are only a few light rust spots here and there, but otherwise, its solid. If i can find a solid oval body, then i will probrobly go with it, but i've had no luck so far.

Wed Oct 08, 2008 10:07 am

If you are going to be cutten, welding and fabricating, don't let a little thing like the curved glass stop you! You could always graft on the front window clip from what ever car you get the rag clip from.

Make that curved glass flat.