Vannin' Home Forums General Discussion Readers Rides My 72 Dodge Chop Project

Bitchin'! It looks like a huge pain, but you're killing it.

Finally got the last piece on driver door tacked in place (have to go back and finish welding and filling in gaps). Hopefully the passenger door will go quicker. Everything both horizontally and vertically has to be widened, shortened, etc. I now can get a sense of how the window opening will look (getting glass will be a whole another adventure....lol).
IMG-4287 by Lee Hatfield, on Flickr

I've always wondered how someone would go about getting glass for a project like this?

Front windshield will be cut. From what I have heard from others who have chopped a van there are three choices for side windows...1) Lexan - seems to be the most popular choice 2) find a window from another vehicle that will fit 3) have a window made to fit - most expensive route but can be done

Very nice work and the time and patience to do it. Does Maryland have a yearly vehicle inspection? My daughter lives in Waldorf, but I never paid attention if her car is inspected. I know here in PA, a lot of van mods wouldn't pass inspection. There has to be so much line of view on a windshield, and the guy that inspects mine says some garage's would fail mine for inspection with the old plexiglass portholes, glass has to be DOT approved and heat treated.

In Maryland if you register with historic tags (vehicle over 25 years....which mine are) there is no inspections needed and no emissions testing. I am not sure what mods would pass otherwise (windshield height, etc)

Haven't had a chance to do much for a week...but back at it. Was able to fit and weld rear passenger side and to fit and weld in the rear passenger side corner (rear corners are a pain to fit). Also able to put some bondo hair on the drivers side to start covering and finishing the welded areas.

IMG-4489 by Lee Hatfield, on Flickr
IMG-4492 by Lee Hatfield, on Flickr
IMG-4509 by Lee Hatfield, on Flickr

Hi Lee, thanks for the reznor info. You are a master craftsman for sure.

Wow that is alot of sectioning, awesome skills my man.