Pickup roof chopped

Welcome to FSM carsfomoco.

You'll probably get more answers to this question if you post it in the Auto Forum.

Enjoy !!!

Welcome carsfomoco. Chopping the top on a model is actually very simple. I usually put pieces of tape the width I wish to remove around the pilars and then use a saw and cut the pilars. It is key, just like chopping a real car, that an equal ammount be taken from each pilar to keep the roof level. Unless you want to rake the roof then take out more from the front than the back.

If you are thinking about building the Monogram 1940 Ford truck, this will take more care as this model has seperate doors. This will double the difficulty of chopping the top. You will need to be sure the doors properly fit the openings. I would try your first chop job on a model with attached doors until you get the hang of it.

I've had to section the roof after chopping. First I cut down the pillars then section the roof (cut it width-wise in three section) to expand the roof and actually give it a proper fit. Otherwise, at least on the 1940 Coupe I chopped, I would've had to fabricate new really steeply angled pillars. With sectioning, if done right, the copped pillars will line up perfectly with what is left of the body pillars.

The chop depends on the finished shape you want, if you want the "lakes' style of layed back 'a' pillars you dont need to section the roof just modify the 'a' pillars to lay back to the origional roof.
If you want to keep the proportions the same only lower you will have to cut the roof into three parts width ways at the rear of the 'a' pillar and centraly front to rear so you have 3 parts, add wege shaped peices of styrene untill all pillars line up correctly, then fill and file to finish the shaping of the lid.
To help you find any books like 'How to chop tops' by Tex Smith, chop a kit lid the same as a real lid to get the best results.