It's in the plan Tony I came to that conclusion when I fitted blinkers in the rear ones and didn't like the idea of anything visible on the back side. The rear ones will be removeable for servicability. Also like the rears I'll be eliminating the bolt heads and smoothing the front surface.
Tony as 50Fraud suggested is a really good idea. I did the same on my Willys and it tidies it all up and makes it look finished.
I realize you are in summer mode, but a bunch of days have been accomplished since your last post, has anything come to pass?
Yes, I have been doing things. I was thinking only Monday that I haven't updated this thread in a while. I'll get onto it soon. But don't get too excited, nothing dramatic, just a lot of fiddly time consuming stuff. Thanks for your interest.
I am in the same mode. I work on the truck every evening when I get home but no one can tell cuz its just little crap. Still needs to get done though.
Okay, here's a short update on the kind of fiddly things I've been spending time on. As BB says, stuff that still needs to be done. The big work has been done on the outside of the fenders. but there is tidying up to do on the inside where the custom work was at the front for the new grille opening and finessing wheel lip repairs from the inside, now that they are off the car. One of the things is also dealing with the various remaining splits and cracks that a hard life has left. So here are a couple. The first is the corner with the mounting location for the fender brace. This was splitting both sides and rather than just weld them up, I cut an oversize piece and welded that on as well as welding the splits. This allowed me to weld it better and trim to a nice shape when done. (I didn't have to do the other side because as you have seen I've already completely re made that corner.) If you look closely you can also see where someone made a series of holes in the fender lip. Welded them up too. The upper edges also had splits aplenty. Delt with in a similar way. A bit more of this then I'll finally be able to get these in epoxy.
To back peddle to where I had left off previously... You may have noticed blue tape on the lower hood edge in earlier posts? That was me playing with the gap. 38's seem to have an issue here and mine was not very good. After much contemplation I decided to simply slit the lower edge and add a filler piece of what ever was necessary. I admit freely to shitting my pants about this... long welds and twice each side. What could go wrong? At 2 in the morning lying awake...everything! Anyway, I bit the bullet and this is what happened. I felt better after that marathon it's decent progress beyond a task I was dreading. Turned out not too bad in the end. Next coming is some primer.
Glutton for punishment on those gap fillers on the hood. Ida probably bent an angle on a new strip that was wider, and had one weld seam. Have you ever tried TIG welding? If you are a sheet metal guy, you will be way better off working/shaping on a nice soft weld. I spent 30 years using MIG on everything, but then found out how much better TIG is for sheet metal work in the last dozen years. I'm sure you would take to it too!
Yes, that was a consideration. If I had a stretcher /shrinker tool I probably would have gone that way. Believe me, I went through many options! re. TIG, I have often thought of that, but I'm saying this is my last rodeo so I'm trying not to get into any more tools. I hear what you're saying though and have witnessed the advantages of TIG.
I have to fess up, I stole that one from Charlie Hutton. I have kept several of his articles about painting tips and his love for black cars in particular. Most TV car guys are hacks (99%), Charlie knows his shit. You might say he is a 1 percenter.
Definitely a challenging repair, and the outcome is good! It seems like most of the 38's I have seen have that same hood gap problem. People must have really leaned on those hoods without releasing them at the hinges first while trying to lower them. My buddies 38 (about 10 years ago) had that problem and I had suggested it be repaired as you did. Something must of been lost in translation though as his body man just welded a thick piece of metal to the bottom flange ( still had the same arch to it though). It just never looked right. It was otherwise a really nice car. The hood gap bothered him so much he eventually sold the car. I get by with the mig welder also. I would like to try a tig again but I just don't seem to have the eye,hand foot coordination to run so I have just had to become a really good grinder/metal finisher I am enjoying your posts, I need to get some fresh updates out soon also.
So here are the pieces in epoxy primer. Behind are the running boards, they're done too and ready for covering.
You sloper fits very nice , you have spent time making the gaps spot on well done ,my sloper dosnt fit together that well but I enjoy driving it too much to pull it apart as I know I'd never get it back driving again ,
Accolades for working out all that "monkey motion"! An entirely different skill that trueing up gaps,...an art form in it's own right.
Was recently thinking about this thread & was wondering how you were going with the Sloper, it's looking great!
The Jalopy Journal
