Projects Wood sucks

I am starting to replace all the wood in my project with steel. This is not going to be fun. Does any one know any tips that might help.

 

measure twice, cut once.

its time consuming, but not a huge deal. make sure your car is SQUARE before you start...

 

Square.... the damn thing is in pieces........

I think I will be fine I knew this was going to be the worst part of the build.

I am happy to be replacing the wood with steel. I can work with steel. I always mess up wood.

 

Make cardboard templates from the timber. Do the floor structure first work your way up.
That is how I did my '29.
Here is a link to how I did my doors http://users.bigpond.com/designjp/chevspeedsterdoor.html

 

Slave the pieces together on a relatively flat/level floor. Tac-weld the doors in place. Fab stabalizing structure to hold in place and then tweak to form a shape. I use mostly 1 inch square tube and 3/4 inch square tube. Tack weld everything, don't final weld until you are confident of fit and alignment. That makes do-overs easier.

AFter the cowl/body form is rigid, you can remove the doors to make access and work a little easier, keeping in mind that when welding things tend to move from expansion so refit the doors periodically to ***ure things aren't getting too far out of shape.

 

Thanks guys. I got a few pieces made and a good game plan now. It helped alot to start with the floor first. I'll post some pics later.

 

No it doesn't.
It will allow you to create some odd and very essential ideas...







And now -after braggin'- I also want to answer your question.

My project was only pile of rusty parts, all wooden parts were only a memory from the past... so I decided to do them all over again, and use material that would have even some kind of strength if I ever (get this car on the road and) crash into something.

Every other pic is linked.

So, we bent some 20x40x2mm tubing





Shape of door was copied and tacked to that place
http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b352/OttosGarage/Project -31/IMG_0510.jpg



Shape was copied and seams fully welded




Seems to fit...
http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b352/OttosGarage/Project -31/IMG_0515.jpg



Then comes part where you need garage with even floor, measuring tape, and time... possibly also cigarettes?

It is important to measure everything from corner to corner. Everything effects to everything...


Bent tubing was also fitted over doors
http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b352/OttosGarage/Project -31/IMG_0844.jpg



I'm skipping a bit... But here you'll see inside sheetmetal.
http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b352/OttosGarage/Project -31/IMG_2026.jpg
Not happy with those tubings which are apart from sheetmetal under rear window... gotta alter 'em. Also, I'm thinking to build pieces from door to door to get more strength.


So, that's it. Hopefully this gives some ideas?

..

 

yeah I know what you mean. Everytime I try to make something out of wood, I catch it on fire when I try to cut it with my torch

 

Replace with steel! Since you have to replace it anyway and your not restoring it to original go steel. If the wood is in good shape and it is structurally sound use the wood but remember its like the foundation of your house.Nothing will fit nice later and the body will be weak. Steel tubing is the way to go! Rip it out .

 

Thanks again for the help. I will be working on the doors today. I ran out of the 1 1/2 square I was using for the floor and cowl. Hopefully I will have pics to post at the end of the day.

 

I thought I would post and update since it has been a while.

 

Kool is that a 28 chevy? here is a few of my 28 sedan when I got it. And after I restructured it with steel. It looks like you figured out how to do it. Nice job...ghost

 

1928 Pontiac, Was from the factory a 4 door sedan. It was a very crudly made closed cab PU when I got it. I'm making it a roadster PU.

 

I love creativity. A friend is doing a 29 chevy roadster pickup it used to be a 1 1/2 ton truck And his is looking good also. Again nice job...ghost

 

You aren't lying I've been a carpenter for 23 years, wood does ****.

 

There's lots of info and links at the "Termites and Bowties" social group, and we'll welcome the pontiac, and other wood framed body, victims too. Here's some pics i've saved off the HAMB.

 

Looks good. I'm fighting the same battle on my '34. Keep after it.

 

32 chevy pickup, I used 1" square tubing with pie cuts for the curves. Mine was in pieces when I got it also, but covered in latex house paint

 

I never make this profile of tube profile its more easy to rust up from inside and looks bad. I try do open profile ( U-profile ) so water and durt not eat up my work

I try take wodden and see how make this in steel make a open profile who looks like wodden but open on back side. Here in Sweden should a close profile rust up fast

When I building up floor so use I alltime Henry Fords idea with open profil or Volvo 444 do its my 0.2 Try find your way and think how factory do. How to protect from rust and durt

Good luck

Anders

 

Check out the 'Pushing King Fischer Forward" thread. It's a 34 chevy truck cab. Carl Hagan. Oh....I started with the back wall, since it was so straight & square.

 

It has been a while so I thought I would give ya an update. Here are a few pics so far.

 

one with the 58 ford.

 

Working on the fenders. You can now see what it will look like when I'm done.

 

A front shot.

 

That is going to be a nice little truck when you're done.

 

After you replace all the wood ask your upholstery guy how he plans to attach all the kick panels and headliner.

 

I am the upholstery guy...... I did Upholstery for over 10 years. I got it planed out. Have some more building to do.

 

How are you planning to do this? I'm also in the process of replacing wood, and this will naturally become an issue...

 

Screws, snaps, clips....

 

I plan on having 20 ga angle with holes in it to match up to hidden clips on the door panel.