CHANNELING
Channeling results in a lower than stock overall height, and eliminates some legroom in the vehicle. For my wife at 5’1” tall this might not be a problem, but for me at 6’ 2” it could be. The overall effect is to give the car body a more massive appearance.
Removing the floor from the vehicle, dropping the body down on the frame to a lower than stock location, then reinstalling the floor above the frame rails is called “channeling”. An additional advantage is that the suspension is not altered.
Some new reproduction bodies are designed to be channeled over the frame so that the floor pan fits between the frame rails. This makes the body as low, but without losing legroom as if one were to channel an original steel body.
Highboy coupes are often channeled to lower the front of the body an inch or two over the frame, while the rear is left in its stock position. Some drivers prefer this more aggressive stance. As a general guideline, a subtle channel job would be a couple of inches to the depth of the frame rails. An extreme channel job would be more. In an extreme case, the car’s doors might have to modified, because not so much of the door opening would be usable.
With channeling, each automobile has its own engineering challenges in modifying the various components of the chassis. Beyond the mere engineering feat, ordinances may dictate your methods. Local laws may prevent extreme modifications.
Safety should always be your guideline.
Channeling is popular amongst hot rod and leadsled enthusiasts. Minitruckers usually refer to channeling as a “body drop”.
Talk about a difference of opinion -- witness the wide variety of options between the gorgeous street rod above and the classy rat rod to the left.
Both are a sight for sore eyes with one thing in common:
There is nothing subtle about either of these two beauties!
Visit a local hot rod show, or one of the national events and discover how hot rod owners express their creativity with both subtle and extreme variations of chopping, channeling and sectioning.
| ||
