San Diego Chopped ‘64 Comet

The Era of The Square Body Racing Comets
RideAndShoot
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Location: San Diego, CA

Re: San Diego Chopped ‘64 Comet

Post by RideAndShoot »

Lots of pics for a small amount of progress. Since the roof slid forward with the chop, I have to make a good amount of patch panels for the back. I have to reinstall the rear glass before extending the trunk deck to it, but I started on the rear passenger side for now. Didn’t get it full welded as you can see, but got a good amount done.

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Chop everything, nothing is sacred.
Destroying the essence of motorcycles, one part at a time. <——— Cars now too I guess.

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Jims65cyclone
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Re: San Diego Chopped ‘64 Comet

Post by Jims65cyclone »

That's some great metal work! Lookin' good. 8)
Jim
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SASSY
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Re: San Diego Chopped ‘64 Comet

Post by SASSY »

Always excited to open a new post by you to see what your up too!
Been looking forward to the completion of the rear window area.
Keep up the great work!
Fred
I'd rather do it myself if it's done right or not,,,isn't that what hotrodding is all about

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Rocket989
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Re: San Diego Chopped ‘64 Comet

Post by Rocket989 »

Wow...worth poking through the pics! :D
'cause Johno says you gotta have a sig pic! :)
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loman
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Re: San Diego Chopped ‘64 Comet

Post by loman »

SASSY wrote:Always excited to open a new post by you to see what your up too!
Been looking forward to the completion of the rear window area.
Keep up the great work!
Fred
This is a great thread for sure. I've never seen how people chop tops, so this is very cool and informative. Usually, one only hears that someone took an inch out or 2" out but that never shows all the other little details and amount of work needed to make a chop look nice and complete. I'm looking forward to pics on the sunken windshield. I've always heard that term but never seen how its done. Keep up the good work and keep the pics coming.
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RideAndShoot
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Location: San Diego, CA

Re: San Diego Chopped ‘64 Comet

Post by RideAndShoot »

This is a great thread for sure. I've never seen how people chop tops, so this is very cool and informative. Usually, one only hears that someone took an inch out or 2" out but that never shows all the other little details and amount of work needed to make a chop look nice and complete. I'm looking forward to pics on the sunken windshield. I've always heard that term but never seen how its done. Keep up the good work and keep the pics coming.
Don’t use this as a tutorial, because I really have no idea what I’m doing. Lol. I chopped one car previously for a buddy, so that and this are the extent of my experience. The windshield gets cut, the rear window gets sunk. I’d prefer to cut it, but I’m told that can’t be done. I am gonna compare shapes to the front windshield though, and see if there’s any way to make a front glass work for the rear since front can be cut.

Thanks guys, appreciate the kind words. Got some time to work on her this morning and got the rear driver patch panel finished up. I won’t bother with all the template and fit up pics, since it’s the same as the passenger side. Even used the same template!

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Chop everything, nothing is sacred.
Destroying the essence of motorcycles, one part at a time. <——— Cars now too I guess.

popscomet
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Re: San Diego Chopped ‘64 Comet

Post by popscomet »

you do some dad gum nice work !!.......this is neat to follow you along ,,thanks for the pic's thank you and good luck..you wouldn't think this is your 2nd time to chop a top..... 8) :) ///pop
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pop/glenda

RideAndShoot
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Location: San Diego, CA

Re: San Diego Chopped ‘64 Comet

Post by RideAndShoot »

So after bending up the new patch panels I made to wedge the rear window in there, I realized I was going to have an issue. I had planned on making a trunk deck filler panel, and welding it in, then using a sealant and rubber gasket to finish it off. My current rear window has welding spatter inside from the previous owner(don’t ask me how or from what). So I need the window to be replaceable. To do this I cut from the point of the C pillar, to the corner of the trunk. Made half of the panel today but ran short on metal. I’ll make the other half this week, weld them together, and they will be riveted on the inside where the clecos are now, and bolted together on the underside at that new angle. I’ll also run a brace to the lower window frame. I had to slide the bottom of the window frame under and weld that in place. Because the package tray was connected to the trunk deck before, I have a metric :oops:-ton of bracing that I’ll need to do to keep everything triangulated and strong to eliminate as much flex as possible. Anyways, here’s pics.

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Chop everything, nothing is sacred.
Destroying the essence of motorcycles, one part at a time. <——— Cars now too I guess.

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Jims65cyclone
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Re: San Diego Chopped ‘64 Comet

Post by Jims65cyclone »

Looks great. Keep the pics coming.
Jim
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Rocket989
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Re: San Diego Chopped ‘64 Comet

Post by Rocket989 »

Definitely going to be strong enough!! :D :D Looks good man!
'cause Johno says you gotta have a sig pic! :)
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RideAndShoot
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Joined: Tue Oct 17, 2017 1:13 pm
Location: San Diego, CA

Re: San Diego Chopped ‘64 Comet

Post by RideAndShoot »

Well I finally got the car into the guy to cut and set the windshield. He had some family issues that I had to wait out. But it looks great and he said the windshield laid back perfectly into place(after he cut it). So I’m stoked.

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Chop everything, nothing is sacred.
Destroying the essence of motorcycles, one part at a time. <——— Cars now too I guess.

popscomet
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Location: Jacksonville, Arkansas

Re: San Diego Chopped ‘64 Comet

Post by popscomet »

COOL !! you've done good.... :wink: 8) :D ....pop
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pop/glenda

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poboyjo65
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Re: San Diego Chopped ‘64 Comet

Post by poboyjo65 »

Smooth 8)
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Johno

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Jims65cyclone
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Re: San Diego Chopped ‘64 Comet

Post by Jims65cyclone »

Looks great! 8)
Jim
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RideAndShoot
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Location: San Diego, CA

Re: San Diego Chopped ‘64 Comet

Post by RideAndShoot »

Thanks again fellas, it’s a labor of love. Got some time to work on the trunk deck panel again. The rear window is ‘sunk’ into the trunk, because you can’t cut rear glass. Because it’s wider at the bottom, a new panel had to be made removable to pull and replace the glass if necessary. Since this rear glass had welding spatter inside from the previous owner, it definitely needs replacement. It’s got a couple rivers holding it in for now, but it’ll also be bolted to the fender panel and panel adhesive used after new glass goes in. I’m gonna make a rubber gasket that will slip over the panel and use a polyurethane sealant to ‘glue’ the gasket to the window, eliminating what little water San Diego provides. Lol.

A keen eye will also notice the panel is at and angle and the original came straight back. This was an esthetic judgment call that I think looks as ‘factory’ as can be, given the perdicament.

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Chop everything, nothing is sacred.
Destroying the essence of motorcycles, one part at a time. <——— Cars now too I guess.

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