Help needed - rake chop info

RomanBug · Post by **RomanBug** » Thu Mar 13, 2008 9:06 pm

I'm having some trouble running down info and good pics on how to rake chop my bug. Before anyone is too appalled at the idea, my car is a '70 that has been clipped at some point. The a pillars have been brazed back together and the heat boxes were mudded over. but it was free. I managed to tweak the passenger side door gaps to semi perfectionist level, but after 5 or so hours on the driver side the poor job on the A pillar broke loose.

I've decide to rake chop the car and ratrod it so i can save all of my fenders, aprons, interior, etc. the problem is that I'm having trouble running down any good tech with pics to back it up and I'd rather not go at this completely blinded folded, only mildly impared.

The following are the only good links that I've been able to run down:

http://volksrods.com/id65.htm The rat patrol build up
http://www.socalook.com/chopping.shtml some good pics

I have all of the tools to tackle this and I'm picking up an extra roof and doors for the pieces that will have to be added when the roof is stretched and widened.

Currently my Windshield is at roughly 15 inches or so and I would like to take that down 4 if not 5 on the A pillar and make the appropriate and proportioned cut on the B and behind the quarter glass to insure a good bit of rack without too much loss of the shape.

MNAirHead · Post by **MNAirHead** » Thu Mar 13, 2008 10:43 pm

Thanks for the post & welcome to STF.

Where would you like to start?

Let's talk you through it.

First step is to get the brazing off your car - it's not the best for paint.

RomanBug · Post by **RomanBug** » Sat Mar 15, 2008 12:38 pm

Thats the good side. if i remove 5 inches from the a pillar, it will take out all of the bad area on both sides. What is the best way to calculate how much to remove from the B and C? i was playing around and tied a piece of wire to the A at the top of where i planned to cut. Then i stretched it to the rear of the drip rail and made a mark at the leading edge of the C pillar and on the B pillar. I did the same for the bottom line of the 5 inches and I came up with roughly removing 2.25 inches from the B and a pie shaped piece from the C That started at roughly 1 inch and went down to the end of the drip rail.

The only calculations I've been able to find were for a total chop including changing the shape of the rear glass. If I'm not mistaken, In a rake chop, the rear glass section is simply laid in by means of a pie cut.

MNAirHead · Post by **MNAirHead** » Sun Mar 16, 2008 8:24 am

opinion - I've seen about 10 rake chops on a bug.. they really do not work due to the contours.... if you have 2 tops and 2 doors.. it works better for a full chop.

Back to your question.

The technique most shops will make is to chop the top.. cut the pillars (1 cut no measuring) ... "slide" (slightly bend) the pillars to the "rake" ... mesasure and align.. then tack clamp and tack weld the pillars together.. THEN do the final height cut... (leaving 1/4" extra) .... the position welds are then ground off... and then the 2 clips are then "fine tuned"

Did this help?

RomanBug · Post by **RomanBug** » Tue Mar 25, 2008 9:06 pm

yep. still getting everything staight in my head on the cuts. I'm trying to think this through before i make the first cut.

So the rake chop may not be a good idea? My main concern is not to cut into the rear glass frame as that glass would be the most difficult/expensive to replace.

I shouldn't have to brace the anything when i start cutting since the car is on the pan, correct?

MNAirHead · Post by **MNAirHead** » Wed Mar 26, 2008 12:12 am

RomanBug wrote:yep. still getting everything staight in my head on the cuts. I'm trying to think this through before i make the first cut.

So the rake chop may not be a good idea? My main concern is not to cut into the rear glass frame as that glass would be the most difficult/expensive to replace.

I shouldn't have to brace the anything when i start cutting since the car is on the pan, correct?

The full chop is the best way to go.. unfortunately a rake chop freaks around with the door openings and "flatness" of the front window.

All your glass will probably have to be cut.. it doesn't cost a ton.. A sectioned chop is the preferred.

FITNESSFORYOUTOO · Post by **FITNESSFORYOUTOO** » Thu Apr 17, 2008 9:34 pm

Here are some pictures of the chop I just did, you can see from the pictures how it was done and how it looks done.

MNAirHead · Post by **MNAirHead** » Fri Apr 18, 2008 9:46 am

I believe a rake chop is the one where the rear pillar is not cut.. the front 2 are.. the top is then "flopped" down at an angle.

FITNESSFORYOUTOO · Post by **FITNESSFORYOUTOO** » Fri Apr 18, 2008 10:27 am

A rake chop top is where you do not cut the top of the roof into sections, you just pie cut it at the rear and then bend all the window posts to line up. that is why you see them with the quarter window post and door frame leaned forward and in.

I just posted my pictures to show it is not that much more work to section the roof and the result is a nicer looking chop.

MNAirHead · Post by **MNAirHead** » Fri Apr 18, 2008 10:32 am

Thanks for a clarification.. I'd hate for someone on Google to stumble on this and go down the wrong road.