Projects 29 Model A Couprielet, A Phantom Sleeper

Once I have diagnosed what’s been added, my next process will be to cut out those sections. The overlapping beltines at the back of the wheel arches will be the biggest headache.

 

Once I have that worked out, I will shape up some new sections, roll them through the English Wheel and add the swages. I got several pairs of roller dies machined to suit 28 to 31 Model A Quarter panels, cowls and doors, these will work with my bead roller.

 

I finished off the buck which is also a handy stand.

 

Merry Christmas Guys.
I dragged the other quarter panel out from shed and started working on it.

 

I used a flapper disc and my orbital sander to remove as much paint and rust as possible. This is the result.

 

The damage is not as bad on this one but there is still a lot to do.

 

The upper section was lead filled at some stage and I am torn between keeping it or cutting it out and putting steel back in. The inside is a total mess.

 

One thing I did was take a paper pattern of the outside and transferred it onto steel to make this template.

 

This template is a stencil for the bad quarter panel. The sections I cut out from it will get paper patterns that will be transferred onto more sheet metal that I then use the template to trace out the markings for the swage lines. It’s a complicated procedure but nothing is easy when it comes to the fatigued and rusted metal on the other quarter.

 

This is a practice piece. I still need to shrink it down further than I can try adding the swage.

 

I managed to finish off the template, the taped section on the left was where I sanded a little too deep with the flapper disc. As a result I had to add cardboard back into the section and tape it in. Not an ideal outcome but other than that I am happy with the rest of the contours. I can run my fingers along the edge without cutting them, so it p***es the test. I may cut another strip of metal and tack weld it in further down the track, but for the moment this will do.

 

I also pulled the doors out. Originally I was going to use the coupe doors but I have now decided I will use the Cabriolet doors as they fit perfectly.

 

My only concern is the lack of framing beyond the B Pillar and the flimsy timber inner frame.

 

I have a simple solution for those problems. A single piece of 25 x 25 RHS steel Box Tubing notched 90 degrees at the top will make up the rest of the door frame. A paper pattern of the Coupe door inner skin will be taken so that I can fabricate new ones for the Cabriolet doors.

 

There will be another important addition to the the Cabriolet doors, that’s the addition of a lower Swage line. I just realised they are shorter than the coupe versions.

 

I took a paper pattern of the coupe door, this will be traced onto sheet metal to make up the lower section of the doors. Because the paper pattern is so flimsy, the sheet metal will be a template similar to the one I made for the quarter panels. That will then be used to trace onto more sheet metal that will become the actual panels.

 

The pattern required to make up the template for the inner door skin will be a lot more complex.

 

Another quick update.

There is another major difference between the Cabriolet and coupe doors I will need to address. Because I was intent on using the Coupe doors, I had completely overlooked the finer details of the Cabriolet doors including the fact that they did not have a swage along the bottom which makes the overall height about an inch lower.

 

Here are a couple of illustrations that show the difference between the Cabriolet and Sports Coupe.

 

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That means I will need to make up a swage that attaches to the sub rails. I Have also worked out what form the inner skin will take.