Very interesting story and comments. Will be interested to see how this one progresses. Keep us informed!
I'm going to have to go back over some spots once the whole roof is somewhat straight, I may do that on the second go around.
I've got the roof 90% finished. I still have a couple ripples I need to run the shrinking disc over a few more times. DSC03488 by 1/2done posted Oct 22, 2017 at 10:03 AM I started working on the buckled 1/4 getting it pulled back into place. It still needs more tweaking but it's close. DSC03486 by 1/2done posted Oct 22, 2017 at 10:03 AM I think I'm going to take a day off and clean the garage. It's a disaster right now.
I've had success with annealling fire damaged metal before I work it. Then before I paint, I send it to a local guy to acid dip it. I've (knock on wood) never had paint peel from any of them either. Looks like you've got your hands dirty in it pretty good so far. Keep up the progress.
Here is a little inspiration...."flamedabone" http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=406675 http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=330827
That pretty much ends the speculation about hardening. If the metal were hardened by the fire, there is pretty much no way that the results would look like this. That is not nice work, it is AMAZING work!
Thanks everyone. I picked up a frame, complete front axle, front spring, 2 rear leaf springs for a conversion, extra front beam, brake pedal assembly w/modern cylinder adapter and m/c all for $200. DSC03495 by 1/2done posted Oct 22, 2017 at 10:03 AM DSC03494 by 1/2done posted Oct 22, 2017 at 10:03 AM Here's the problem, the frame is a bit worse than I thought. It has a horribly hacked MII grafted on and the crossmember is trash. DSC03490 by 1/2done posted Oct 22, 2017 at 10:03 AM So I'm thinking about using the frame as a pattern and making a new one from 2x4 tubing. I've never made an entire frame before so I'm wondering if anyone else has made a frame for a 40? I've seen pleny of A, T and 32 frames done at home but never a 36-40 so any advice or suggestions are welcome.
Great work man...you are bringing this car back to life with every tap of your hammer...well worth saving. Congratulations and enjoy the ride
Wow! Nice job on the roof. If I may make a suggestion for future dents....? I would not have used a rubber mallet to bump the dents out. It makes for more work than is necessary, and you have plenty on your plate as it is. I would used a dolly with more compound curve than the roof to start bumping the dents out starting at the outer edges of each dent and working in. Then smooth with a hammer and dolly (matching the roof curves or slightly flatter), then pick up small low spots with hammer on dolly, or a just a ballpeen hammer (much easier). Quick tune up with the shrinking disc, then go back and pick up more low spots and repeat. Simple but time consuming. You can't go wrong with Wray's disc and a little patience. I show this method in my youtube videos below. My demonstration dent is very much like your roof was before you started. By the time you are done with this car, you will be an expert! For surface rust, Muiratic acid is way too strong and dangerous. A mild phosphoric acid is preferable. Go to metalmeet.com and search for a post by Randy Ferguson on removing surface rust. Best post I've seen on the subject. I would not worry about the properties of the metal at all, just a lot of work ahead of you. Unless the metal was quenched while red hot it should still be workable. Even if it had been quenched while red hot, you would most likely be able to save it if severe warpage wasn't the project killer. The shrinking disc is the closest thing to an annealing tool that you can get. Good luck! One more note about using a dolly that is flatter than the roof contours for smoothing small discrepancies... this sometimes allows the metal to be smoothed more easily than with a perfectly matched dolly. Try it out and see how it works for you. I stumbled across the idea while making fender flares. It helps you to control the surface. John www.ghiaspecialties.com
Thanks John. The rubber mallet was used because there were sections 2" lower than they were supposed to be. I did use it too much however, I should have stopped short of knocking out individual dents. The post by Randy is great. I was going with muriatic because I have a 55gal drum of it, but I think I'm going to go with the naval jelly. Muriatic fumes in a closed area aren't a good idea and I don't want to wait till Spring.
I called around today and priced two 24' sticks of 2x5x.188 tubing. The best price was $4.40ft. Everyone had to order it except one supplier that had a 40' stick in stock, that would probably just barely be enough. I guess I'll order some and try to have it by the weekend.
1/2 Done, Boy its a small world. I run around with Graf and his old man that originally owned your coupe. My dad had 40 coupe that was a stalled project and we sold it last fall to another friend. You have the chassis under our car. We weren't too happy with the front end either and bought a new one that went with the car. Good luck, that is a major porject.
[QUOTE="A" Tub;4762133]1/2 Done, Boy its a small world. I run around with Graf and his old man that originally owned your coupe. My dad had 40 coupe that was a stalled project and we sold it last fall to another friend. You have the chassis under our car. We weren't too happy with the front end either and bought a new one that went with the car. Good luck, that is a major porject.[/QUOTE] Yeah, I've seen your old 40, it looks pretty nice. Duane has it right now building the suspension. I'm going to make some flexible shape patterns for the rear wheel wells from it and I have a buddy that has a perfect rear fender he said I could borrow to build a buck so I've got plenty to do.
Haven't accomplished much in the last few days. I started working on the area below the rear window. It was hardened pretty well so I started by annealing it, then started on the left side. It's distorted worse than the roof was and in a shorter span so the metal is harder to move. I may end up making a new piece. DSC03497 by 1/2done posted Oct 22, 2017 at 10:03 AM DSC03499 by 1/2done posted Oct 22, 2017 at 10:06 AM It's still a little wavy where I've worked. I'm hoping I can go back over it once I've somewhat smoothed it all the way across and get it straighter.
1/2 done, Check out two posts from "zibo". The first is a '36 Ford Coupe and the other is a '40 Ford Coupe. Both not for the faint of heart. Both great reads/builds. 41 Dave
If you need a front frame clip I know where a couple are in a junkyard not too far from here and there is a 39 in Starks that might have those parts too and will look at it as I am going there saturday.
C'MON leave a little bit o dimples on the ol girl .. kinda like finding a little cellulite on a really beautiful woman that's dying to sex ya up .. get some- but squint when ya have to...
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