The Ala Kart: Anyone know where to find the aluminum siding on the bed?

I'm restoring the Ala Kart at Brizio Street Rods, along with Darryl Hollenbeck who's doing body and paint. The car will be (re)debuted in Pamona in January, which happens to be the 50th anniversary of its 1958 AMBR win at the Oakland show. I've found pretty much everything I need for the car, except for the siding for the bed.

I've looked all over the country for the "extruded aluminum" sheet metal that George used on the bed sides and tail gate and I can't come up with anything exactly like it. I can have aluminum sheet milled to the same specs, but I want to find the original stamped sheet metal if I can. Anyone happen to know where there's any lying around? An old RV repair shop, someone's vintage refrigerator, on your grandma's old victrola maybe? If you have any idea where to get this stuff (which apparently hasn't been made since 1863) please let me know-- I'd appreciate any help you could offer.

The exact specs of the sheetmetal are:

Square ribs, exactly 1/8" apart (including both the raised and indented portion of each rib).

Raised ribs are 3/32" wide, valley part of ribs are 1/32" wide.

Here are some pics of the car and of the original piece of aluminum from the bed. George couldn't remember whether it was anodized or whether he painted it candy gold, but I think he painted it the same way he did the bullets. Both he and Jr. Conway remember clearly that they bought the aluminum from a hardware store right next to the Barris shop when they built the car.

Thanks for your help!

Bill Ganahl

 

Just wanted to say "Hey Bill". Nice to see you posting on here. I can't help ya out BUT I'm looking forward to seeing both you and the AlaKart in Jan. Megan and I are coming out for it.

Just to give everyone an idea on the quanity your looking for

 

dunno

maybe the ALCOA arcives?

all sheet aluminum had very limited production sources ...
i think your on the right track with the screen/storm door connection

What is the actual dimension of the pieces you need?...

are the checked tile about afoot square?
i have some truely old storm doors around but they are of a different surface ..thier panel size is limited to about 1/3 - half of the door..
i'll check some old doors in storage..
good luck

 

i worked at a shop here in dallas and we had some stuff similar to that around. ill see if i can't remember who the supplier was. At the time the name is slipping my mind. Its been a while. im sure i an track something down.

 

How about a Motor Coach grave yard ? The sections are so large its usually easy to find a good piece that size.I've never seen that exact pattern but its a thought...

 

http://www.rigidized.com/patterns/index_detail.php?patt=6.SL

i think that might get you going in the right direction.
never used them before but it those specs don't work out im sure they can make you a custom sheet.

they also have alot of other patterns and neat things if you just dig around the site a bit.

 

You might want to contact McNichols Co.. They have lots of extrusions and stampings in all kinds of metals including aluminum.

www.mcnichols.com

Dan

 

that looks like the steps off an escalator, maybe milled down????

 

Hey guys in san jose try the orchard hardware store its the orignal or one of
them i use to find a lot of old stock there.........I`LL keep lookin........
Endsville Franco..........

 

How thick is it?
There was/ is a place in North Hollywood that made signs and had shitloads of thinner material that looks like that. 58 Fords had it too, but its pretty thin as well.

 

Bill,

Have you contacted Barry Mazza. He restored the Aztec several years ago. And it looks like the side of the Aztec has the similar material used in between the side trims.
I remember Barry telling he had a real hard time finding the material, but he finally managed to find enough to do the restoration. He might be able to guide you in the right direction.

 

Yeah, I thought the siding on the Aztec was the same and I left a message for Barry. He knows my dad and I got his number from him, but I didn't know for sure if it's the same. I'll keep tryin' to get ahold of Barry. Thanks, that sounds like the best lead so far.

 

They make aluminum runnig boards for VW's that look just like that. Might be worth a shot

 

I have the October 1958 issue of HOT ROD with the ala cart in it and it says that the aluminum was "gold dyed" if that helps. If you would like the magazine, I will mail it to you, just send me your address by PM. Sorry, all pics except the cover are black and white. Good luck, Kenny Dixon.

 

Try the Thomas Register, if it's made, it'll be in there

 

Are those pieces that you have too far gone to be restored and re-used?

 

I've seen this material when researching the replacement rocker panel finish trim for the Facel Vega FV4 I'm restoring. While not the same material as originally used on the Facel several have replaced their trim with a replacement identical to yours .I need to call a friend that owns an aluminum case manufacturing company. The sample chain was sitting on his desk last time I spoke to him. Give me a couple of hours.

 

Check Architectural supply sources, or if you have an architect friend. I remember doing a project at the college I worked at and there was tons of stuff available.

 

Just lookiing at the close up picture, the aluminum looks like it's corrugateted, or embossed. It might also be a stamping. That might be a little bit more of a direction to look into.

 

Try Howdy Ledbetter. He built that tribute car several years ago and may have found something similar.

 

I was thinking the same thing, I think it was on the 59 Fords also

 

Thanks for everyone's help . . . I have spent hours and hours trying to find this stuff new. I found the "stucco embossed" aluminum for the dash and firewall really quickly through the Thomas Registry, but nobody that I've found so far makes this exact ribbed pattern new.

Basically I just wanted to know if anyone has, or knows someone who might have a collection of old stock sheetmetal, decorative or architectural aluminum. If not, I'll have to have it made and fortunately I already found someone local who will mill it quick

 

Send a PM to mercdeuceman (John Cooper) from Indy, he found a lot of neat aluminum patterns at a restaurant supply place there.

 

If it's any help Rigidized Metal is about 20 minutes from my place. Lemme know if I can help.

 

All the stuff on Howdy's car was airbrushed. That one sure sat nice though...

 

Yea they didn't look too bad there. It would be more meaningful to have the original stuff on there if at all possible.

 

I did a quick Google search using "architectural aluminum sheet" as a phrase... obviously, lots of other combinations should be tried. At any rate, architectural sources seem to be the right place to look, and there seem to be plenty capable of doing custom work including the anodizing if this has to be done the hard way.

 

didn't the copper cart also have this stuff on it? maybe the hambers who are cloning it know something.

 

I'm having dinner with Richard Peters Sat. nite. Richard was the original owner, Blackie and some of the other oakland roadster show winners will be there. I will see if any of them know.
Gary

 

Outwater industries carries a lot of panels and extrusions Here's a few. Its hard to tell exactly if they have what you need, but they've saved me more than once

http://www.outwatercatalogs.com/2007_Master/index.cfm

Heres some of what they stock:

http://www.advtechnology.com/numetal/embossing.htm