Open Daily: 10am - 10pm | Alley door pickup 10am - 7pm 3038 Hennepin Ave Minneapolis, MN
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  • Open Daily: 10am - 10pm
    Alley-side Pickup: 10am - 7pm

    3038 Hennepin Ave Minneapolis, MN
    612-822-4611

Open Daily: 10am - 10pm | Alley-side Pickup: 10am - 7pm
3038 Hennepin Ave Minneapolis, MN
612-822-4611
How to Chop Tops: A Pictorial Guide to Hot Rodding's Most Popular Modification

How to Chop Tops: A Pictorial Guide to Hot Rodding's Most Popular Modification

Thacker, Tony

Paperback

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ISBN10: 1613256051
ISBN13: 9781613256053
Publisher: Sa Design
Published: Nov 12 2024
Pages: 176
Weight: 1.35
Height: 0.38 Width: 8.50 Depth: 11.00
Language: English

Learn how to chop tops with advice from the experts!

Today, the purpose of a chopped top on a hot rod is mostly to make a visual statement, but that wasn't always the case. In the late 1930s, roadsters were considered to be real hot rods, while sedans and coupes were not considered to be race cars. Over time, sanctioning bodies began to accept sedans and coupes as race cars, which created the need for chopping tops. When competing in dry-lakes racing, the tall birdcages of cars that had not been chopped created an excessive amount of aerodynamic drag. Chopping the top increased the aerodynamic efficiency to the point that the coupes were competitive with the roadsters.

Tops aren't often chopped for those reasons today. However, when viewing the works of art that have been created by the best chopping masters, it's clear that enhanced aesthetics is the only reason that is needed.

Chopping a top may seem simple at first (especially if you think that old tops are mostly square), but it is not. The process of chopping a top severely alters the angles of the A-pillars, the intersections where metal meets at the C-pillars, and the rake and fitment of the glass.

In How to Chop Tops, hot rod expert and historian Tony Thacker takes you through the process of chopping a top. Individual chapters feature a variety of chops that have been performed by the industry's most talented fabricators. The most popular candidates for this modification are covered, including Ford Model As, Model Ts, 1932 3-window and 5-window coupes, 1933s, 1934s, and Shoeboxes. Featured industry experts include Rick Lefever, Evin and Justin Veazie, the Kennedy Brothers, Bobby Walden, Troy Ladd's Hollywood Hot Rods, Rolling Bones, Roy Brizio, Cornfield Customs, Max Grundy, and more.

Whether you want to give chopping a try or you just want to see how it's done before hiring a professional, this book is a valuable addition to your library.

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