XXO/BVGC '38 Chevy Coupe Build

[Cajun Kid]

Beauty Chop is 3"  max and the same front and rear.

Charles

[38flattie]

Yep, 3"

Rick, I agree that the 37-38 look better unchopped. I've never owned a chopped car before, and never planned too. However, this is not being built for looks, but to go fast, and every little bit we can do should help this 'brick'.

GH is installing the cage, and it will be a Funny car style- if we have to use it, I want the best possible! I agree that being able to get good welds on it is very important. I have spoken with Gary, and we decided to chop the car, then install the cage. The cage will be measured, tacked, etc, then we will pull the body off to finish welding the cage.

The body and floors will be installed once the cage is fully welded. If everything was being done in one location, we could have cut the top, installed the cage, then finished the top.

[Jonny Hotnuts]

and every little bit we can do should help this 'brick'.

The improvement in Cd and CdA a 3" chop will make is significant and on multiple levels.
It will:
1. lower frontal area
2. Reduce the coefficient of drag .03 (and depending on vehicle profile may be more related to #3)
3. may help reduce a low pressure (and generated lift) behind the back window.

Less it may be harder to exit the vehicle I cant see any disadvantages to a chop. 

I am really liking where you are going with this entire project.

~JH

[38flattie]

Thanks for the info, and kind words, JH!

We are waiting on an answer from the tech committee, on how we can do the chop. The rules specify up to 3", equal front and rear, but that's it.

 ideally, we would leave the windshield alone, then slightly angle the 'b' pillar and rear window forward.

However, we may be required to leave everything where it is, then add a strip of metal in the roof, making a longer roof, so that everything fits.

Here's a pic, of what I think is the perfect chopped 37-38 chevy. I sure hope we can do it this way.

[Stan Back]

Just don't use the LaSalle grill and the fender skirts -- but you knew that.

Stan

[38flattie]

Haha! Don't worry Stan, I won't!

Ok, just got the go ahead on the chop, so that's coming up next!

Stay tunes- lots of pics coming!

[Stan Back]

"Ok, just got the go ahead on the chop, so that's coming up next!"

So can you share with us what your guidelines were?

(I believe you'll also have to lean the sides in a little if you're allowed to use the existing roof.  Or, are you having to lengthen and widen it?)

Stan

[38flattie]

Certainly Stan.

Here is the question I posed:

I just got a call from the guy doing the beauty chop, and he has a
couple of questions. He says that to make the chop fit right, he needs
to lean the 'b' pillars (the pillar the door latches to) forward, and
tilt the rear window forward a tad bit.Chop will be 2-7/8".

Because of the curves, is not possible to simply cut 3" out of the
roof, as you could on a car shaped like a Model A. I do not believe
leaning the 'b' pillars forward will give me any aerodynamic advantage-
I think I'll still be pushing a brick! Lol!

Is this permissible?

And here is the response I received:

Your way is the most common way to do it. I would not slant the
windshield back unless it was going to be a altered.

So, to clarify:

So just for clarification, slanting the 'b' pillar and back widow is
acceptable for /BVGC?

Answer:

Yes.


So, we'll do the chop, with the least amount of mods to the existing
lines as we can!

[RICK]

May I ask,,,,WHO gave you that 'clarification'?

         Thanks,   RICK

[38flattie]

Rick,

It was Doug Robinson - Vintage Coupe & Sedan Chairperson

[Jonny Hotnuts]

Depending on the vehicle slanting the back window forward may be better then slanting the windshield back as far as the aeros go.
Fact is that with a chop, something forward or back has got to give. Personally I would like to see the rule to be equal forward and back movement, and feel this would keep the lines closer to OEM but also can see how this would be much more difficult for an inspector to judge.


~JH

[38flattie]

JH, I would sure like to be able to do the chop as you describe!

Rick, you wanted lots of pics, so here are the first ones. Bracing is in.

[38flattie]

These are for you Rick! 

[Tman]

So far that is one of the best 37/8 chops I have seen. The shop I worked at did one that was not a swoopy in back. Very cool.

[jimmy six]

From the pictures it is obvious that the profile of the car has changed (I don't mean just a top chop).
The rear defintately has a different look.

I do not know how it will be interpretated by SCTA orules but top chopping today seems to have a different meaning than it did in the 40-50-60's probably because of the rat rodder craze.

As I remember them, most old 30-40's coupes were chopped by splitting the top accoss the top in both directions and then completing the amount you wanted to take out of the A-B-& C pillers then placing the 4 pieces of the top back on their respective piller. A gap naturally happened accross the top in both directions and it, if done correctly, was filled in by the additional "doner" top to keep the profile the same. Same for the doors extra doors were needed to fill the gap at the top. A lot of work and a real pain in the butt but the profile remained exactly the same on the chopped car as the original car. The straight top Fords never had to worry about all this.

I alway liked the original profile of the late 30-40's Fords and Chevys especially when they a 2 or 3" chop keeping the same look as the factory..........Good Luck the car look great.