MID8 - The Custom CF Bedford Van Project
MID8 - The engine, not the quarter mile.
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How to roof chop a CF Bedford van

This guide is based on a SWB (short wheel based) CF Bedford van but is the same for a Jumbo (LWB - long wheel base); it just has two extra pillars.

Note:
While the roof chop is fairly easy it requires a bit of skill if the van doesn't have side windows, if there are no side windows there isn't much chance of warpage so an ability to weld is the only real requirement - and being able to read a tape measure is a bonus ;)

Editorial Note:
The photos used were not taken originally for the reason of a how to guide, so are not strong topic wise. Use the photos as guides and the text as how to do it, or use both if totally confused ;).

First up:
The first thing we need (apart from the van itself) is to know how much we want to lower the roof (roof chop it). There is no real price difference in chopping the roof, the windscreen is the same price, side windows as well, the only saving would be on pain killers as the lower you go the more often you will bang your head.
I personally think 3-5 inches is just enough on a van. 3 gives the double take look (folks have to look twice to be sure) where as 5 inches gives the radical custom chop look while 4 is in between. 6+ inches can be done while still looking radical but requires a lot more work as the roof needs to be cut in several extra places; widening the roof to keep the proportions right.

Apart from working out how much to chop the top we also have to work out if the front and rear sections of the roof will need to be moved out as the methods required to move the sections out and re-angling the pillars requires different steps. I personally think the Bedford has a nice shape - just a bit high.


Extended roof
Raked ends

For these images I used the same chop height amount and just slide the ends out to suit the extended version and re drew the raked version. This image is from the Bedford manual if anyone is interested and with the use of Paint Shop Pro I was able to colour and chop it - Is not how I planned my van out, I just did it.
The above images show where the cuts need to be in relation to the type of style we do - the roof is the same height on both. The extended roof is less work and in my opinion the better option. The raked option has a lot more work, a lot of which is hidden, things like re-angling the windscreen channel (if not right can smash your new screen), dissecting the front door frames, etc.
My images don't give a true indication of the chopped results, the extended option for example, if chopped 4 inches would have a (roughly) 25mm gap at the front and 15mm gap at the back. Now you may think that's not much and should just rake the pillars back but you have to remember 25mm over the height of the windscreen is a lot to modify your windscreen channel/door channels.

The glass:
90% of Bedford windscreens are toughened; sadly toughened glass can't be cut down. Laminated screens can be cut down but they don't have a high success rate (because of the double curve) and are hard to find, and can be expensive. In NZ you can get a screen (laminated) made for $1000, 9mm certifiable. The side windows in a CF are 5mm toughened, again these can't be cut down, but as they are straight a glass place can usually make some up for you and get them toughened (they have to be toughened). If you are going to change your window felts (the rubber in the window channels) it's cheaper to get an after market one than try find original ones, the thing is they aren't really made for 5mm thick glass so you can use 4mm glass for your side windows (I do), Japanese cars use 3.5mm glass. If you took the front of the roof forward you should only need to take X amount of inches off the height of an original bit of glass, X amount being the amount you chopped it. The cut out in the top of the glass is not needed; I think they put it there so one could flick their cigarette ash out the corner without winding the whole window down. The side/rear windows if used should be measured to the holes and toughened glass brought to suit.
If you are in New Zealand there is a place in Warkworth that can make you a windscreen, costs $6000 NZ but is 9mm laminated, look them up in the phone book.
And of course you will have to shorten your wipers down.

Things you will need

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