Chopped S30 that actually looks good!

[PeterAllen]

Ignoring that an S30 shell forms the basis of my GTO project I'm a bit of a purist at heart, e.g. Adam's car, but I've got to say this is a very appealing body rework. I can't seem to find any details or photos of exactly how the roof was done but the overall result is impressive. As someone comments, 'very Aston Martin-ish'.

 

http://forums.hybridz.org/index.php/topic/107335-top-chop-update/

 

 

[MaygZ]

I agree.  The rework is subtle and I think enhances the clean lines.  Of course no-one bigger than a jockey could fit in it 

[sco_aus]

I love it, I would leave it like that.

[Sirpent]

This is impressive from 2 points of view,

 

In a traditional sedan type chop top, the cuts are made through the pillars, problem is that by doing this the roof also needs to be dissected in two and a fillet added through the guts due to the fact that as the roof line is lowered to a lower position the pillars become wider necessitating a wider length wise roof.

 

Unless I am mistaken and I looked at the pic for some time, what has been done here is the turret has been released along the spine, gutters and all, from the apex of the quarter glass along the top of the entire quarter panel to the lead edge of the hip line at the rear of the quarter.

 

I would estimate they lowered the roof line at the quarter glass apex by about 25mm - 30mm, the expodential effect at the A pillar would have been twice that.

 

The second note of merit here, the A pillar in now totally changed in angle, with chops the pillar angles are retained, the associated glass is trimmed to suit, but not here.

 

All in all, a very unique and well executed mod.

 

John

[chris240]

As John and the others have said....thats veeery nice and well executed.

Now , if one of our photoshop experts can do that same chop to a 2+2 , that would be a treat !

[dat240z]

Thats pretty cool. Would anyone have noticed blatently if it didnt have a s30 in the background?

 

 

[Six_Shooter]

This is impressive from 2 points of view,

 

In a traditional sedan type chop top, the cuts are made through the pillars, problem is that by doing this the roof also needs to be dissected in two and a fillet added through the guts due to the fact that as the roof line is lowered to a lower position the pillars become wider necessitating a wider length wise roof.

 

Unless I am mistaken and I looked at the pic for some time, what has been done here is the turret has been released along the spine, gutters and all, from the apex of the quarter glass along the top of the entire quarter panel to the lead edge of the hip line at the rear of the quarter.

 

I would estimate they lowered the roof line at the quarter glass apex by about 25mm - 30mm, the expodential effect at the A pillar would have been twice that.

 

The second note of merit here, the A pillar in now totally changed in angle, with chops the pillar angles are retained, the associated glass is trimmed to suit, but not here.

 

All in all, a very unique and well executed mod.

 

John

 

Most of the chops I've seen change the angles of the pillars, usually moreso the A pillars, leaving teh roof itself alone. The only exception that comes to mind is my Grandfather's '71 Chev truck, where two roofs were used, and cut in such a way to lengthen the roof, but at the same time the piller angles, both A and B needed to be changed in angles to make it work.

[Sirpent]

Most of the chops I've seen change the angles of the pillars, usually moreso the A pillars, leaving teh roof itself alone. The only exception that comes to mind is my Grandfather's '71 Chev truck, where two roofs were used, and cut in such a way to lengthen the roof, but at the same time the piller angles, both A and B needed to be changed in angles to make it work.

 

Sorry to burst your bubble

 

But Pillar angles do not change on a sedan chop unless that's the desired effect.

 

If that was the case then all door window frames would also have to be re-angled, and associated glass modified to suit, however in saying that, although the window frames and pillar angles remain constant, due to the lowering of the top window or door frame, a fillet section needs to be added due the the additional length.

 

John

 

[Six_Shooter]

Sorry to burst your bubble

 

But Pillar angles do not change on a sedan chop unless that's the desired effect.

 

If that was the case then all door window frames would also have to be re-angled, and associated glass modified to suit, however in saying that, although the window frames and pillar angles remain constant, due to the lowering of the top window or door frame, a fillet section needs to be added due the the additional length.

 

John

 

Ummm, I have many pictures that prove otherwise. Seeing as I've been involved in the process, though it was my uncle that did the actual fabrication, on my Grandfather's truck. Thr roof was stretched in the for/aft direction, but only because it looked better than leaving it short in this case, the B pillars did get angled inward in relation to the bottom, outward in relation to the top. The A pillars were angled both back and in in relation to the bottom ad outward and forward in relation to the top. Not a lot in either case, but it was a necessary step.

 

Think about it, the roof itself is narrower and shorter than the base of the windows. If you lower the roof, without stretching the roof in both directions, pillar angles HAVE to change, there's no way around that. The door window frames DO get massaged and/or modified to keep everything lined up.

 

The only cars that this doesn't apply to are 1910s to late 1920s Fords, and some other "coach house" built cars, that used vertical pillars.

 

Any car I've seen where the pillars were kept at stock angles looked terrible, the roof became large and flat, and lost the effect of what a chop top is supposed to do.

[jack280]

Sorry to burst your bubble

 

But Pillar angles do not change on a sedan chop unless that's the desired effect.

 

If that was the case then all door window frames would also have to be re-angled, and associated glass modified to suit, however in saying that, although the window frames and pillar angles remain constant, due to the lowering of the top window or door frame, a fillet section needs to be added due the the additional length.

 

John

 

 

Hi guys, I googled just to find my pics ffrom my top chop s30. today I found them om this forum and I am pleased to read your comments.

 

To create this top chop, I had a lot of promlems to solve before I cut the roof.

In that time when I started my plan, I was not able to cut the front windscreen to an other shape. So I dicided to remove the complete window frame and tilted it backwards.

The roof is shortened at the  front and the door glass frames are modified to fit to the new roofline. I have now a glass cutting experiment to cut side glass out of the front windscreen from a van or truck since I need curved glass.

I am now working for 6 years on this project in my spare time, and I still need some time to finnish the build.

 

I will try to look some time to answer some questions. I have posted a short description from the chop on Hybridz in the fabrication/welding forum

 

Greedz Jack280

[PeterAllen]

... I have now a glass cutting experiment to cut side glass out of the front windscreen from a van or truck since I need curved glass...

 

Jack - At one stage I was thinking of modifying the windscreen and read where hotrod guys remove excess laminated glass by high-pressure sand blasting rather than cutting. If that's the case I wonder if waterjet cutting might also work? For the side windows have you considered just using Lexan.

[jack280]

For the side glass I am using laminated glass from a van or a truck that I have to cut with an oil filled glass cutter from the outside first, than flip the window to the other side. Repeat the proces, break the glass and heat the breakline to soften the plastic inside the laminated glass. With a diamond hole saw I can drill the holes for the window mechanism to fit it in the door. For me it is no solution to use a water jet cutter or an other machine because of the extra cost for the cutting program since the glass is not flat but curved and when cutting with a watercutter there is a great risk of a broken glass when the product comes loose of the base material.

My biggest job is to polish the outside of the glass to prevent it from breaking and to slide it into the rubber weather strip. Still a lot of work to do.

Greetz Jack.

[jack280]

Just for the record, I did not cut the front windscreen. The complete windscreen frame was removed out of the body and tilted backwards to get the right angle from the a pillar. Now I can use a stock windscreen and that saves me a lot of work.

[jack280]

Here I have an update first time on ride height with shocks and springs mounted. I added extra weight in the trunk to get the right ride height.

Have fun, greedz Jack

[Ledge]

Very nice mate

Cheers

Paul

[luvemfast]

THAT!

Looks pretty schweeet!!!!!!!

[Agno]

Those moulded metal flares are exactly what I want for my car! Nice work mate.

[jack280]

I did a paint test  on a scale model with mount fuji blue. It is hard to get the color right on the pictures.....

 

greedz Jack