Some info on this project. It has to be done before summer for a trip. I bought the Rocket sled from Wingnutz because I want to go and don't have time to build my own car from scratch. This car belongs to a good friend and we have been working on it for awhile. It was a 25 Dodge Touring car when it was new. It has also been a coyote wagon and a T-bucket kind of car with a bb mopar. We have changed direction on this project and this will be a roadster pickup built in a dirt track style. Here is the old door post. Not that attractive with the back half of the car removed. Here is a template I made for the panel that will replace this old door post. Notice the bottom of the template has a radius to it. This is because the panel does not go in straight up and down. Took a while to come up with this. I had already made this for the driver side you just reverse it. Here is the blank of 18 gauge I cut from the pattern. Tape the pattern down and scribe the edges. I have it clamped to the table for a reason. I need the edges that I cut perfectly straight. A beverly does a decent job but there are always minor imperfections. A file will clean this up in a hurry.I also filed the radius. Just use long strokes and it will true up the edge. Thinning dies in the pullmax. The guide on the back of the die is the reason the edges had to be perfect on the blank. I add 1/2" on the front and bottom of the blank for the 90. The reason I thin the metal is to get a crisp edge easier. Your not trying to cut the metal just give it a place to turn 90. Real ****py pic but, it show a way to thin metal with a dulled chisel. Notice the chisel is rocked a little(actually a little too much in this pic). This will help you to keep the line straight by keeping part of the chisel in part of the last stroke. Now its off to the tipping wheel. This is a different way to tip an edge. Flat piece of bar with a slot cut to depth desired. You use this tool a little bit at a time. Work your way all the way down the edge of the panel. You could also use a vise grip, cresant, etc... but the metal strip puts a consistent edge on easier. Now it is time to turn the edge 90. A long dolly and a large low crown hammer or ******* will work the best. Just go easy all the way down and back a few times. This dolly is my favorite for this job. Sharp edge down and hold it tight to sandwich the metal between it and the table. After this step the metal will be puckered a little I just take and hammer on the dolly to straighten the metal. The radius on the bottom edge takes a little more care. This edge looks a little funky but this is about the third trip around. Take some time, this isn't a all or nothing process and light hammering will make a more consistant edge than smashing the hell out of it in one stroke. After you have a nice edge it is time for the Shrinker. This should be done very lightly and check your progress often. You can achive the same result by pie cutting the metal and welding. Now it's time to remove the old door post. Out with the old. A slight difference if you look close. Damn camera strap is in the pic too. Ha Ha. Trial fit. Not bad. I will get some pics of the rest of the process and post them in an update but this is where I am headed. The driver side just needs to have a little hammer and dolly work, finish welding, I also need to finish the rocker and put some bracing in. The bottom of the top bead still needs a little tuning with a hammer and dolly but you get the idea.
Great thread. This is one of the major reasons why the HAMB is so great; skilled car folks willing to share their knowledge. Thanks for posting.
After this step the metal will be puckered a little I just take and hammer on the dolly to straighten the metal.Quote sorry not a cool practice ,and not what there made for?how about making a chaser out of aluminum or steel and use a steel plate to back?
Thanks guys, I think the cowl/windshield frames on these old Dodges were some of the best looking out there. I looked at several different ways to make the back of this look good and in the end it was a friend who said "why not just make cab corners?" The bed will have the bead that will match the car. I will post when I get going on it. Time is tickin.... I know what the metalsurgeon was sayin, but again I ain't hammering them hard on each other. I should have gotten the rubber mallet or a piece of flat iron but I was too lazy.(read uncool!)
Update time....Made some contour gauges to get the contour to match side to side. I was happy with how the drivers side looked so now I have to replicate it on the p***enger side. Used the shrinker to make some quick gauges. Trial fit. Not bad. The bead at the front was put in with a hammer and the edge of a table. Does not have enough shape. Little stretch in the wheel Put it in the planishing hammer to true it up a little. This is the die setup I use to get rid of little waves. You can do the same thing with a hammer and dolly. Low pressure just to smooth the metal. The metal clamped to the die holder just keeps the square die from turning. If it turned it would dig into the panel. This is a template I made of the drivers side to get the exact placement for the bead. Line for the bead to run on. Looks a little crooked but I trued it up but did not take a pic of the good one. The tape is placed on the line to give me an exact distance to put the bead in. 1 1/2" and I will trim the metal on that line. I ran the panel in the pullmax to bead it. I didn't take pics as I was by my self. Also didn't snap a pic of the die. I will get one and post it. I shot this laser straight through the bolt holes on the drivers side and measured to the seam. Then did the same on the p***engers side. This will help me find the exact placement of the seam. You can do the same thing with tape or a straight edge. Now I know exactly where the other side was cut. I also used the pattern that I used to locate the bead to mark the cut line on the cab corner. Scribe the line, cut, and weld the panels together. Basically I cut the cab corner to the exact size of the drivers and layed it on my marks clamp it to the rear, and scribe the edge. **** weld the panels and grind. Here is a pic of the inside welded and the little patchs to blend the bead out. You may notice that this is now on a table. I cut the two weld holding it on the rocker and moved it to the table for the sake of my back. Ha Ha. I will try to get a pic of the beading. Windshield and posts I cut down. This is gonna be nickle plated.
Got most all of them for a deal (not retail). I would say I am cheap but usually just broke! Use most of them daily.
Update. I left off with the cab on the table. Before I put the cab corner on the cab I put a offset bead in the top with the pullmax. No photo but it is basically just to give me a line to start the bead. I did all the rest of the bead with two hammers and a few dollys. This is how I rolled the outside edge over for the top of the bead. This pic shows the hammer I ground to the shape of the bead. At this point I had already welded the top of the panel on the outside cab corner. You make this part by running your finger over some paper held tightly against the edge for a pattern, transfer it to metal, cut it out and weld it on.. I turned the edge with this hammer on the inside with the radius of the edge ground in the hammer. Welding this will change the shape a little. Hammer and dolly your weld to stretch the heat affected zone, then take you hammer and backup (hammer, dolly, chunk of metal ground in the right shape) and tune up the bead. This pic shows the backup. THis pic shows the hammer I was using on the outside to true up the bead.
I cut some plate and continued the rocker around to frame to match the cab corner. This is just two pieces of metal cut and welded together on the edge. This is how I turned the edge on the top bead to transition to the inside of the cab. Again two hammers. Another pic... Just take your time and work it around slowly This is how I make a pattern for the metal I need. If you do it carefully your patch will fit perfectly. Fit up is important. If your metal fits really nice the heat affected zone will be smaller because it will require less filler. I tacked this with a mig and grind the tacs and finish with the tig. Tigged up. I put my seams for this bead close to the edge. If you do it right there will be very little distortion. After welding I grind. With good fit and a half way decent tig grinding takes seconds. I used a comp*** and the top of the bead to scribe my cut line to get an even panel. I cut this with a cut off tool and a thin blade. Well, I am pretty much done with this part of the build. Just needs a little hammer and dolly with a side order of shrinking disc to be ready for primer. Next is the door skins. Later Mike
Thanks guys. I need to hurry but I will get pics of the bed build and the doors. Lots to do before June but it will be done on time.... this time.
The Jalopy Journal
