Chop the top? Options

[playr158]

i know we've all thought about the targa the hard top ect ect..

so why not a chop top?

i think this MR2 looks hella sexy with a chop top anyone car to take a photoshop stab at a 4-6" cut on a celica?

[devilsden97]

DO IT!

[JFrost9]

hmmm, im trying to picture it, its a hard one though. It would definatley look cool though.

[Cutrara]

That MR2 is Ferrari Jr.

[Verde97]

This isn't a half bad idea...

We all know that with a targa top you will lose handling of the car because of the support that the roof plays, but with a chopped top, done right, it would still have the support that you need.

Can anyone photochop this idea? I think it's very original, and would look very cool.

[Coomer]

Cool idea...I'd like to see a Photoshopped Celi with that done.

[playr158]

ok i have ZERO skills but this is just for a RUFF INTERPRITATION
i used MS paint so don't laugh


here is the normal

i think potential but there are lots of issues with the design

This post has been edited by playr158: Mar 27, 2006 - 7:43 PM

[Cutrara]

HOT AS HELL

[brianforster]

thats like 4 inches, working on a lower one now

This post has been edited by brianforster: Mar 27, 2006 - 7:40 PM

[snapshotgt]

Wow, chop top looks prety sweet

~snap

This post has been edited by snapshotgt: Mar 27, 2006 - 7:52 PM

[brianforster]

a little lower, worse background smudging because i ran out of patience

the hard part isnt chopping the car its getting hte background to look real

my opinion on it is that it looks good but makes the front look too big, im gonna try it on a stock car and see how that wouuld look

[Verde97]

OH MY GOD THAT IS AWESOME!!!!!

edit: um, what about the windows? how hard would that be to get new ones in the right size?

This post has been edited by Verde97: Mar 27, 2006 - 8:05 PM

[playr158]

newest render estimated 3" roof chop

windows you would have to cut the stock ones, or make them out of plexiglass

This post has been edited by playr158: Mar 27, 2006 - 8:07 PM

[playr158]

cleaned it up a lil more and did a few touch ups

[devilsden97]

couple of things. your car was cool dan b4 "the suprica" and i think u have a new way to go dan. Choped celica.

dare i say it? Chopica? lol

[Jdog1385]

cleaned it up a lil more and did a few touch ups

definitely do it, but i could just imagine how much its gonna cost you. custom glass, o boy.

[Bigmeanbulldog55]

It's an interesting idea, but I don't know. It looks wonderful on that MR2. How would you drive the Celica with any lower roof? My head hits it now.

[axelrduvirage]

It's an interesting idea, but I don't know. It looks wonderful on that MR2. How would you drive the Celica with any lower roof? My head hits it now.

take out the back seats and "get low!"

[devilsden97]

It's an interesting idea, but I don't know. It looks wonderful on that MR2. How would you drive the Celica with any lower roof? My head hits it now.

It's an interesting idea, but I don't know. It looks wonderful on that MR2. How would you drive the Celica with any lower roof? My head hits it now.

take out the back seats and "get low!"

we'll just cut your legs off just above your knees....or just remove the seats

[playr158]

i'm 5' 11" and my head is normaly around the door/window point probably 6" more then that line and i'm a sick sick bastard and did this one too!

[Defgeph]

I'd like to see this happen, just think about this. All four pieces of new glass alone are going to cost more than your car is worth. You can say you'll "just get plastic". Good luck getting a shop to pass a car with a plastic windsheild, or any of the other windows.

Two ways you have to think about this:

One. Spend a ton of money and get that inspection legit.
Two. Throw in the plastics and hope to god a cop doesnt tap your window.

Good luck Dan

[devilsden97]

CHOP CHOP!

[b1gr3d]

i would cut a frame around the windshield and lean it back. much cheaper. for the back i would cut the hatch bellow the glass and lean it in as well...dunno how it would look but it's a just an easy solution to the glass problem

[playr158]

they actually lean and cut the glass to fit i believe....

[playr158]

for shiznits and giggles here is a general how-to
http://www.rodandcustommagazine.com/techarticles/0304_chop/

btw i'm not doing this my pockets arn't deep enough

BUT TAKING DONATIONS

[b1gr3d]

for shiznits and giggles here is a general how-to
http://www.rodandcustommagazine.com/techarticles/0304_chop/

btw i'm not doing this my pockets arn't deep enough

BUT TAKING DONATIONS

the parts around the back glass is egggggzactly what i meant

DO IT!!!!! if you have a welder and some cutting tools you can do anything, oh and alot of elbow grease/want to do it

This post has been edited by b1gr3d: Mar 27, 2006 - 9:53 PM

[Cutrara]

Sounds easy, should take 20, 25 minutes tops.

[brianforster]

haha, id consider it a job well done if i got to the point of needing glass on a project like this

[ZacMan1987]

Maybe I'm wrong, but it seems like regardless of you you do it, you're gonna have to get some custom glass done, because if you section the roof and lean the hatch and windshield, you've still changed the geometry of your side windows, and if you cut and lower the whole roof, you've changed the geometry of the whole thing. But it would definitely be one of the most unique celis on the road. If you've got the $$$$ and you don't mind spending it, I'd say go for it. You'd have a show winner for sure when you're done.

[playr158]

you section the roof into 4 pieces really...
when you go down you also make it wider..thus keeping the sides at the same "geometery" but take some height away..

the front and rear get cut down and reangled...all stock glass can get reused i do believe

aka leave this up to a hot rod shop thats done it a few hundred times

[lilsteeg]

Maybe I'm wrong, but it seems like regardless of you you do it, you're gonna have to get some custom glass done, because if you section the roof and lean the hatch and windshield, you've still changed the geometry of your side windows, and if you cut and lower the whole roof, you've changed the geometry of the whole thing. But it would definitely be one of the most unique celis on the road. If you've got the $$$$ and you don't mind spending it, I'd say go for it. You'd have a show winner for sure when you're done.

if you are going through all this work, go lexan forget glass, besides the front winshield

give me a pair of scisors, some white school glue, newspaper, and tape and i could do it

[snapshotgt]

If anyone does this...i hope they do it right, and have custom glass etc...not plastic

~snap

[TheStreetzKing]

idk if it would look that good though, i mean it looks amazing from the side but idk from the front, are cars arent that wide, and i think this would jus make it look wayy to long

[playr158]

widebody fixes that
i mean if you got the money why not go balls out right

[bloodrain]

not do able, you would have to change the entire top of the car, this mod would run you well into the $10k for all the time and effort and custom glass. If anyone even attempts, mad props.

[playr158]

here is the front nick


lowered and widen'd ^^^
stock vvv


and it is doable don't talk out your ass none of us have a clue about how much it would cost...your just making your self look like a fool

This post has been edited by playr158: Mar 27, 2006 - 11:27 PM

[bloodrain]

common sense would tell you all you need to know, sure you can dream, its just gonna end up like the suprica. If you cant work with fiberglass, what makes you think cutting, bending, and welding metal will be easier? Good luck getting your celica out of photoshop.

[zachattack15]

Well guys I might be picking up a black 6th gen that has been sitting in a parking lot for the past 8 months and hasnt moved for a project. And if i do i might consider doing this. I worked at a glass company this past summer and they could easily make the glass for me for free.

[playr158]

who said i was doing this? i never did....

and really honestly look out into the car world roof chops are a COMMONALITY in the hot rodding industry...so wats the difference?
there isn't one...a roof is a roof and windshield is a windshield wat can be done on a ford coupe can be done a 6th gen celica...
glass DOES NOT in all cases have to be custom made..in cases it is possible to use the existing stock glass and cut to fit..yes this does happen and glass is cuttable...



BTW:
http://www.ifcustom.com/web%20pages/services/choptops.htm

they use stock glass in lots of applications
projects start at 3500$

[VolcomRacing]

I am seriously debating taking out a loan for this instead of a clip with a 3sgte

[hitcachi]

Geesh, Dan, you sure know how to spark a topic. When i went to work today, you just started this, and now i get back home and its almost 4 pages long! Anyways, this does look fantastic, but (as always) as Def pointed out, really expensive and highly impractical. But then again you and many other equally ambious folk should try it!

[rob7796]

who said i was doing this? i never did....

and really honestly look out into the car world roof chops are a COMMONALITY in the hot rodding industry...so wats the difference?
there isn't one...a roof is a roof and windshield is a windshield wat can be done on a ford coupe can be done a 6th gen celica...
glass DOES NOT in all cases have to be custom made..in cases it is possible to use the existing stock glass and cut to fit..yes this does happen and glass is cuttable...



BTW:
http://www.ifcustom.com/web%20pages/services/choptops.htm

they use stock glass in lots of applications
projects start at 3500$

The glass in old cars isn't tempered, which means you CAN cut it. Newer cars have all that safety glass that CANNOT BE CUT. I have done chop tops before. I went to school to build hot rods, so I kinda know what i'm talking about. The only way on newer cars is to lean the glass but then it will throw off your side windows. If you notice on that website the back window on the greenish-yellow truck sits well below the front of the bed. You can't cut the glass so the glass has to go somewhere if you want to use the stock glass. You just won't get a good quality job out of it without spending tons of money. Getting the glass made will defenitly cost more than your car is worth. You might be able to find glass from some other car that has smaller windows, but good luck getting the right curve too.

[Toyoca]

nvm right before me lol sorry

PS: for the front windows, can something be made to just stop them from going to high?

This post has been edited by Toyoca: Mar 28, 2006 - 12:25 AM

[CelicaZR]

Thats a nice look
Definiately a show car mod.
Dan you are a mod freak

[playr158]

actually tempered glass can be cut...not always with success though..

some people have used a very fine nozzled sandblaster with other things
alcohol then ignited inside a cut...
there are a few ways i've seen just from minor minor research..
but i'd agree if you want a quality job and are willing to do this having glass made is probably a great investment for a quality job

(and yes i also saw people who lean the glass and sink it down into the actual body)

This post has been edited by playr158: Mar 28, 2006 - 12:31 AM

[b1gr3d]

dan- obviously not everyone reads all of the post....i know that i have said to use the stock front and rear and i know YOU have said it atleast twice.

for those who don't read...

slant the front and rear make a template for the sides....they are alot cheaper than front and rear and you can prob use the stockers and cut em down if you use this method. the roof(i think) may only have to be cut fron side to side...not solid on that but just thinking about it maybe.
and yeah it would be expensive if someone was paid to do it...but what's the fun in paying someone to do something that fun?!?!


side note i bet the coupes would be easier
and here's a link to chopped fiero!!! http://www.v8archie.com/choptop.htm

This post has been edited by b1gr3d: Mar 28, 2006 - 12:43 AM

[playr158]

coupes defenitly easier i would assume...

but yea youd have to section off the roof from front to back and add in the center..(to keep the a pillars and c pillars in alignment i suppose)

[b1gr3d]

very true...dunno i guess i thought the sides dont go in but most everything since the 30's does.

[playr158]

the coupe....?

[urbandork]

i thought about this before. i love chop tops. a astrovan and cady cts looks nice. however on the celica it kinda reminds me of a 2 dr. jag.

[Cutrara]

Chop-top Fiero looks like a Lotus Esprit

[drhossa]

Am I the only one who says it's ugly?
I destroyes the shape of the car!

[lilsteeg]

if you get the sides and back glass made out of lexan, its ok they make race car windows out of that, the front has to be winsheild glass no question. but they make bullet proof glass using lexan inbetween sheets of glass.
http://ask.yahoo.com/20031204.html
stop being so stuborn, just cuz your wrong

[Jeremiah]

This is one of those mods you'd want a pro to do. There's lots of people here in cali that chop old cars (50's / 60's) I'm shure they have the experience to do our cars too (at least know how do to glass etc).


~J~