Knowing you many years, you build things right, riding in it always reminded me of the 1955 Austin-Healey 100 I had, even the sound, except your car is more solid build.
Yes, you just have to wait and let it sand its way through the metal. It leaves really, nice clean edges. I had a welder weld up end caps for the windshield pillar edges as well as where the roof used to attach near the doors.
wow i love it! I was actually thinking about doing the same thing with my 75 mustang, how did you know what to reinforce and where to put it? because i can imagine the 'weak' points are different on different cars?
I took it to a welder who has been building race-cars all his life. It is the strongest Vega I've ever owned with frame rails and a six-point cage. The added supports are stronger than the car ever was.
The sawzall was around in 1992, I just did not own one. The Milwaukee tool company invented the Sawzall back in 1951. The Skillsaw that I did use worked fine, thanks to the metal abrasive blades that are much like a cutting wheel or grinding wheel. I just had to change blades a few times as the abrasive material is consumed during cutting.
I have seen one i will have to save it wasn't much but I'm pinching pennies being poor and can't afford anytime soon would be nice to see what the kit has and see if possible to fabricate on my own for a big savings plus alot of accomplishment. i would be proud to say i did it from scratch but also proud with a kit lol it would look awesome i think.
ok, i'm a newb, and i just had to ask, did you weld the frame support by yourself or did you have it sent to an automotive shop so they would be the ones to install it?
have you seen my the original first ever done v8 480hp convertible vega. it has a hand made rag top. i built this car in 1986 and still have it today. first place show winner 1998 vancouver motor sport show. you should drop me a line.
+Brandon A Yes. You construct a light-tube frame and hire an upholstery person to construct a vinyl top over the tube work. Twenty years ago I had an estimate from a boat-top upholsterer and he told me he could make a custom one for $800.00.
roll cage is not needed. spoils the looks. mine has frame connectors under the car and some renforcements inside the car that you can not see at all. rag top i hand made and folds down and is covered with a hand made tono cover. looks factory. i daly drove the car for over 20 years and had no isuses. my car was a notch back so it has a functional trunk lid. if you do a google search for convertible v8 vega my car will come up. it is teal green. the car now has billet aluminium wheels on it now and looks a lot better. this car atracts more atention than you can amagine and will beat most anything that come up beside it.
Nice job! I have to agree with others though...the roll cage spoils the looks. (Not that the Vega was much of a looker...) You should do a modern one; how about cutting the roof off a cheap 80's car. Any Hyundai Excels still out there?
Those were pretty decent back in the day! Thanks to you I"m now finding all kinds of homemade chop tops on TH-cam. But I like yours because you did it in '92 (probably on VHS!) and took the trouble to transfer it to digital. Hats off!
thinking of doing this to my toyota pickup don't even need to reinforce being the truck has a frame but i want to be able to seal it and put on the top so i can drive it in the rain and winter.
Nathan Butler Mini-truck magazines used to advertise kits for most popular truck configurations that allow the reuse of the original hard-top with the aid of specially designed weatherstripping and hardware.
Darlene Herder Thank you. It has been a fun little car. GM should have offered a convertible version! The motor was rebuilt in 2012 and we added a 5-speed at that time. I also added an electric cooling fan and a pure WEBER DCEV carburetor.
You are in Hollister. I'm in Chico. I can offer online support. Given the virus, not really traveling much these days or hanging with people I don't know. I will answer any questions you may have, though. Thanks for watching my video. Be well.
I don't see why not! Just make sure to reinforce the car well before you cut into it or the body may flex, the doors may not open and the car may be unstable.
I want to do this to my 1970 Cutlass , I dont want a roll cage I just want to reinforce the windshield and frame.. Im not gonna do it myself!!! I just dont know who I would take it too
I guess you didn't listen to the video talking about how the Vega is a Unibody and how we welded a six-point roll-bar and subframe connectors in before we cut the frame.
It would be a good idea on any car built past the 1960's that used unitized construction, where the body-panels (and roof) are an integral part of the vehicle's structure. If you remove factory-designed strength and stability, it is wise to replace it elsewhere with square or round-tube frame-work that reinforces the remaining structural components.
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Knowing you many years, you build things right, riding in it always reminded me of the 1955 Austin-Healey 100 I had, even the sound, except your car is more solid build.
Thanks Lar! You will be missed. RIP my dear friend.
Yes, you just have to wait and let it sand its way through the metal. It leaves really, nice clean edges. I had a welder weld up end caps for the windshield pillar edges as well as where the roof used to attach near the doors.
Good job!
Yes they make inexpensive abrasive metal blades that work great. Makes clean straight cuts, too!
A topless Vega! First one I've ever seen, good job!
No guts No glory 🤔
Have fun with your next project ☺️👍
Thanks, will do!
got to admit first feeling was wtf?, then why the hell not. yall did a pretty good job. did you ever get a top made up for it?
wow i love it! I was actually thinking about doing the same thing with my 75 mustang, how did you know what to reinforce and where to put it? because i can imagine the 'weak' points are different on different cars?
I took it to a welder who has been building race-cars all his life. It is the strongest Vega I've ever owned with frame rails and a six-point cage. The added supports are stronger than the car ever was.
My goodness, try to even find a Vega these days. Cool car .
The sawzall was around in 1992, I just did not own one. The Milwaukee tool company invented the Sawzall back in 1951. The Skillsaw that I did use worked fine, thanks to the metal abrasive blades that are much like a cutting wheel or grinding wheel. I just had to change blades a few times as the abrasive material is consumed during cutting.
I have seen one i will have to save it wasn't much but I'm pinching pennies being poor and can't afford anytime soon would be nice to see what the kit has and see if possible to fabricate on my own for a big savings plus alot of accomplishment. i would be proud to say i did it from scratch but also proud with a kit lol it would look awesome i think.
ok, i'm a newb, and i just had to ask, did you weld the frame support by yourself or did you have it sent to an automotive shop so they would be the ones to install it?
I sent it to a professional welder who had extensive experience building race-car tubular roll-bar frames and installing subframe connector rails.
OMG of all things to do to a Vega. A convertible conversion, my deal is what do you do if it rains?
If it rains, I put it back into the garage and don't drive it. Vegas should be kept dry anyway to prevent rusting! :-)
Bro thanks
You really needed a Sawzall! Still came out looking good,though.
No it's a Jaguar X-J6. (The silver car.) The Tan car is a Honda a friend owned at the time and the red car is a Honda CRX
have you seen my the original first ever done v8 480hp convertible vega. it has a hand made rag top. i built this car in 1986 and still have it today. first place show winner 1998 vancouver motor sport show. you should drop me a line.
Is there any way to put a rag top on Your car once you chopper the top off?
+Brandon A Yes. You construct a light-tube frame and hire an upholstery person to construct a vinyl top over the tube work. Twenty years ago I had an estimate from a boat-top upholsterer and he told me he could make a custom one for $800.00.
idk if sawzalls existed in 1992
roll cage is not needed. spoils the looks. mine has frame connectors under the car and some renforcements inside the car that you can not see at all. rag top i hand made and folds down and is covered with a hand made tono cover. looks factory. i daly drove the car for over 20 years and had no isuses. my car was a notch back so it has a functional trunk lid. if you do a google search for convertible v8 vega my car will come up. it is teal green. the car now has billet aluminium wheels on it now and looks a lot better. this car atracts more atention than you can amagine and will beat most anything that come up beside it.
I had a 1976 chevy nova convertible ,BUT IT DIDNT GO SO WELL IT BROKE in half
I'm sorry that happened. Did you weld in frame rails and a roll-cage before you cut it up?
Nice job! I have to agree with others though...the roll cage spoils the looks. (Not that the Vega was much of a looker...) You should do a modern one; how about cutting the roof off a cheap 80's car. Any Hyundai Excels still out there?
They made a Cavalier Z-24 convertible from the factory in the 80's.
Those were pretty decent back in the day! Thanks to you I"m now finding all kinds of homemade chop tops on TH-cam. But I like yours because you did it in '92 (probably on VHS!) and took the trouble to transfer it to digital. Hats off!
Thank you. Yes it was taped on VHS! Didn't get my SVHS until '96! A friend encouraged me to upload all my old videos for posterity.
thinking of doing this to my toyota pickup don't even need to reinforce being the truck has a frame but i want to be able to seal it and put on the top so i can drive it in the rain and winter.
would be cool
Nathan Butler Mini-truck magazines used to advertise kits for most popular truck configurations that allow the reuse of the original hard-top with the aid of specially designed weatherstripping and hardware.
Darlene Herder Thank you. It has been a fun little car. GM should have offered a convertible version! The motor was rebuilt in 2012 and we added a 5-speed at that time. I also added an electric cooling fan and a pure WEBER DCEV carburetor.
Is there anywere i can hit u up on for some help?
You are in Hollister. I'm in Chico. I can offer online support. Given the virus, not really traveling much these days or hanging with people I don't know. I will answer any questions you may have, though. Thanks for watching my video. Be well.
can I do this for a Nissan March too?
I don't see why not! Just make sure to reinforce the car well before you cut into it or the body may flex, the doors may not open and the car may be unstable.
Thanks!
I want to do this to my 1970 Cutlass , I dont want a roll cage I just want to reinforce the windshield and frame.. Im not gonna do it myself!!! I just dont know who I would take it too
You could research subframe connectors for that year make and model. Purchase them, and take them to a welder who specializes in frame-work.
thank you very much , I will do just that
Why would you ever do that to a classic, anyways the Cutlass is body on frame
What about frame support so the chassis doesn't bend or twist?
I guess you didn't listen to the video talking about how the Vega is a Unibody and how we welded a six-point roll-bar and subframe connectors in before we cut the frame.
MrSFSTUDIOS Is this required for all cars?
01110010 01100101
It would be a good idea on any car built past the 1960's that used unitized construction, where the body-panels (and roof) are an integral part of the vehicle's structure. If you remove factory-designed strength and stability, it is wise to replace it elsewhere with square or round-tube frame-work that reinforces the remaining structural components.