How Do You Chop The Top On A Vw Bg?

[Smart-Resins]

I have a VW bug, a 1951/52 Kaffer actually. My intentions are to lengthen the body and to chop the top to make a funny car body.My problems are I need help with deciding the best way to chop the top.If anyone has done this before and can help me it would be great.Thanks.

[Phil Patterson]

I think splitting the top in the middle and down the center would be the best way.

Then you could bring each piece forward to the roof post stubs and fill the gaps in the middle of the roof. The technique of just chopping the posts and dropping the top doesn't work so well on a curved roof and you're planning to stretch it anyway.

Also, you may want to cut the rear window out completely, then reinstall after the top chop so you don't make the window itself too small during the process.

Edited October 21, 2007 by Phil Patterson

[kk916]

This is full scale but maybe these will help...

http://www.volksrods.com/forum/showthread.php?t=6805

http://www.volksrods.com/forum/showthread.php?t=2757

[Smart-Resins]

Now that is a good visual on how to chop a top. However that makes it look alot harder then I was wanting or hoping! The first thing is to lengthen the body before I do a chop.I may have the look I want then. If not, then I will at least have a solid base to work with that does not need to be modified, and take the chance to mess up the after its done! Thanks so far guys.....

[flatheadgary]

first i will say, i hate it when people say this to me, when i want to do something like this , but here it goes. there are several vw altered and funny car bodies out there made of resin. maybe they can give you a shorter route to the end product. sometimes i build completly from scratch and other times i try to redo something out there into what i want.

[Modelmartin]

I did this back in 73 or 74. It is somewhat of an angle chop but worked out ok without doing any widening or stretching. I laid down the windshield and somehow the B and C posts mostly lined up. I would do it differently today and just might! That was an IMC Beetle by the way.

[VW Dave]

There's a few different methods, floating around, and here's a source for some more to pick through:

RUNTROD.COM tech articles

And the infamous 'Letherman chop,' performed for the first time on the equally infamous Rat Patrol; this method might be best for a funny car/dragster body, as it narrows the whole lower region of the car.:

RAT PATROL BUILD-UP

[ramonesblues]

If you have to stretch the roof, the easiest way would be to get another body, cut the top off and splice the two together.Same as the 1/1. much easier than carving up the top and then warping the ###### out of it welding it back together. vdubs are not that rare where a top is going to cost that much. Just my 2 cents

[Smart-Resins]

First thanks for all of your help.I must re-inerate the fact though that this is a 1/16 scale bug.So first a resin body is out of the question because as far as I know there are none, though I hope to help change that here and second a new kit off of ebay anyways would cost about $65 with shipping, not in my budget right now.VW that is another cool site.Thanks.