Early VW Top Chop and Widen Steel Fenders

[jarnkm]

My grandson has found my old race car pics from the '60s and early '70s. A couple of the cars had quite a bit of body modifications done on them. I have been restoring a '67 Bug for his 16th birthday and now he wants to jump on one of the spare '67s and make a neat street VW out of it. Nothing I say does any good....he's convinced his mother will get what he needs. Being the "old fart" that I am and having a severe condition of CRS......I need some help. I have the welder, body tools, etc. and possibly access to a small sheetmetal shop at a local trade school (I hope, I hope). Any of you guys have any suggestions.....
considering they're readable by any young readers??? I simply refuse to use ANY "glass".....it's gotta be ALL metal. For some of you old guys who remember the cars in the '50s and '60s......I'd like to french some dual headlights in, like on some of the Chryslers. Heck, this will probably be my last project, if I can finish it and I hope to get my grandson interested in "working" with metal.

Thanks and have a good weekend.
Jim

[beaulieu]

start with a 64 and earlier bug , chopped ones look better and the front windshield is flat which makes it easier to cut down.......

Also keep a 4 inch window opening , this was NHRA regs back then,

There have been lots of " How To" stories in the VW magazines on chopping tops.

Hope that helps

Beaulieu

[roger n cindy]

welcome to mm jim from alabama, you know masons grandpa???? i'm sure you'll find a few willing contributors here. i only have this advice for you ,,,, spoil them grandchildren and send em home,,, it's the best revenge you can get on your children.

roger, president and ceo Bugly tools and Services

[jlrussell4]

Hi Jim,

Welcome to Metalmeet. Post pictures of your project as you progress and you'll get all the help you need.

[FriarTuck]

Welcome to MetalMeet Jim, I think you will find us rather helpful and amusing at the same time. I did a '68 VW several years ago, and chose to crop vs. chop. The difference being that in doing a crop, you take a pie shape out of the roof instead of a full even number of inches. Gives the roofline a bit of a rake, and takes a bit less sectioning of the roof to drop it. The back window doesn't require resizing, but of course the front does. Seems to me that I needed to insert about 1 1/2" across the top side to side, and a couple of inches down the middle. I had a donor car that I cut the "fill pieces" out of. Made it a lot easier. The front windshield was down to 6 or 7 inches in the center, and I remember the door work being the hardest part of the project for some reason. I wish I had pictures, but sorry to say, not a single one.

My son has done wonders with his '65, but luckily has resisted the temptation to cut up the roofline. There is still wonderful things that can be done with them. Have you grandson take a look at this gallery. No major body mods except for the rag top, and the one suicide door were done, and it is still and "Best of Show" class car, and has been on the cover of Hot VW, and VW Trends.
http://www.metalmeet.com/photopost/showgallery.php?cat=3778

Good luck, and keep us posted.

Tuck

[John Kelly]

Hi Jim,

Check out the following forums and sites if you have not already:

http://www.franklinsvwwerks.com/phpbb/

www.volksrods.com

www.runtrod.com

www.thesamba.com

www.shoptalkforums.com

I can help you with widening fenders...here on the forum, or my DVD on fender flaring etc, or both. I've attached a few pictures of a beautifully done custom Bug. Don't know who did it. Steel fenders.

Tuck, your son's Bug is very nice!

John www.ghiaspecialties.com

[Dave1967]

Jim,

Here's a good site that shows a step by step chop top hope it helps.

http://www.socalook.com/chopping.shtml

Dave

[jarnkm]

Good evening guys and cover up the metal....it's rainin' down here.........

I'll try to pull an old South Alabama Dove shoot......put all the corn in a row and when the birds come in....lie down, shoot directly down the row of corn and hope you get your limit with one shot.

"beaulieu".....the only thing earlier, that's considerable, than the '67s and up, is a '63 with a cut off back end. I was sort of planning on another restoration. Plus, I also have a '65 on the way up (slowly). I'm still giving it an occassional thought, though. I don't want it too low but I do want it to be easily "noticable". I have found a few articles in the Hot VWs and VWTrends that I have left. I did have every issue but the first couple but, someone liked them better than I did....a few years ago. Penalty of being a packrat, I guess. How these were missed, I'll never know. It was a box of mixed issues. The oldest was '75 up to '98. Quite a few of the "On Again, Off Again VW Mags." I'm trying not to miss a thing.....printing/filing all the articles and pics I can find. Trying to keep them categorized by view, drop in inches, rake chop or not, etc. I'm trying to teach him that there are many variables, when dealing with the curves and angles of the old VW. It is easy to see why there are so many "techniques" of chopping a VW Bug.

"roger n cindy" ...........TOO LATE !!! He's definitely spoiled. The bad/good thing is.........we CAN'T send him home....we're raisin' him, for what that's worth. There ARE a few other things I'd like to send in his place though.

"jlrussell4" ......Thanks and I will definitely be sure to do so.

"Friar Tuck" ....in reading a lot of threads, so far, I have definitely noticed the helpfulness and humor. Me....I sort of like the rake....then again...I like the look of the "long" and "low" glass. I DO want to keep the VW "round" roof line that so many "loose". I didn't have but a few of all of my past "adventures" and he found a few. Your sons car is "NICE", to say the least. Excellent work....I know you're proud of him and the car.

"John Kelly".....as Tennessee Ernie Ford would say...."Big John". I've seen all of these and more. I think you gave me a lot of them on Samba. In fact, it was at your suggestion that I came here to look, read and learn". I found the "Orange Bug" the other night and have quite a few pics. I also found a few other cars on the Aussie sites that are using the "Aero Look"(??)....one even had a few pics of doing his in metal. I've got to clean a few pics up though....not too clear.

"Dave1967"....AHHHHH....the year of the "Real VW". Thanks for the site......I have it on file. Hate to see VWTrends go out....hope the site stays around a bit longer.


Guys.....this was great. Thanks again. I may just be an "Old Fart" but,.....I learned, a long time ago, to listen and learn......sometimes......a young voice might teach you a lot. Of course.....older ones will do it more often.

Have a good week,
Jim