Projects Building a Woodie

I am finally going to get started on the body for my woodie project....I understand that I need to build up a steel structure to "hang" the wooden body parts from. My question is what is the best way to fasten the wood to the steel structure? Thanks, Mike Miller

 

Oh I thought this was about something else and I was going to refer you to the LINDA VAUGHN Thread !! >>>>.

 

what kinda car are you starting with?

 

Building the woodie is really basic cabinetmaking. The first thing to decide is do you want roll up side windows and how styilized the body design will be. If you are building the T or A style woodpiles the joinery and wall thickness are much thinner than a later more Art Deco style, (34 to 40 style), with more rotund features and deeper reveals on the panels. Also species selection determines ther structure you need to support it. White Maples and Ashes are much more self supporting and hold detail, (and finish), better than Mohogany. They are also heavier. The last two shells I built were of the later style. Most of the steel framing was of 3/4"x 1 1/2" .120 wall, mostly to support the bear claw door latches and power windows, along with a small amount of side door crash protection in the form of 1" x 3" crash bars. This was very close clearance to the SPW window drives. The rest of the body is generally fitted together with tenons or slip tenons, (available from Woodcraft Supply), along with the tooling to fit them. I rabbet the wooden members to fit over the metal armature and secure with a quality polyurethane adhesive which allows a fair amount of movement to compensate for the different rates of expansion, mostly from moisture changes, and prevents rattles. Then a 3/16" "skin" is laminated on the inside to cover the interior metal. I adhere this to the wood only, once again to allow for movement, with marine grade epoxy, again available from Woodcraft. The very minor joint is then usually covered by the interior garnish work and panels. The epoxy is clear. Be carefull to match wood grains as accurately as possible and the metal structure will virtually disappear. I also sandwich closed cell foam, from the Trim Connection, between the wall sections to minimize exterior noise and give the body some sense of warmth here in the Northeast. This also helps make your tunes really kick on the low end, (very little standing waves inside). Remember to weld clips for absolutely everything, hinges, latches, interior hardware, mirrors, speakers, seat belt brackets, and electrical equiptment before you close up anything! The wood doesn't do much for supporting anything. Keep you wood as thin as is practical to keep weight to a minimum. A full size shell, without seats is still going to weigh in at about 475 lbs. if you want it to actually be "right". All this up front thinking is what makes the difference between the really stellar ones and looking like you forgot to take it out of the crate.

Good luck, post some picks and don't be afraid to shout if you can use my 2 cents.

 

what kind of woodie?? ford, chevy?? streetrod, original?? pic???

 

Koz had an excellent post . Most original early cars were all wood in the body but I think the steel structure will make it more rigid and preserve your wood joints by minimizing flexing of the body . There are a number of ways to fasten the body to the steel structure . You can weld in a nut to the inside of the metal tubing which allows you to take things apart when fitting wood parts . This can be done by using a hole saw on the opposite side of the tube to make hole . You can then insert the nut and weld . You may want to close up that hole for strength after with the plug you took out . You can also epoxy tightly fitted wood inside the tubing and using self drilling/tapping screws attach as though you would a wooden structure . I definately advise NOT gluing things until you are sure everything is going to fit well . Then as , as Koz mentioned use a good marine grade adhesive like the West System . I think your most sucessful strategy would be to assemble the body panels off the car just as you would the doors . I'm sure that has already occured to you but I feel compelled to mention it . When you finish assembly use a fine sandpaper , at least 220 grit , and be sure to finish coat with marine grade ultra violet resistant clear . Depending on the finish material , I like to thin the first coat 50/50 or more as this lets it soak into the wood a little better because of the lesser viscosity . Good luck and keep us appraised of progress .

 

That was my very first thought!