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Technical Hard chop: sitting on the chopping block

Discussion in 'Traditional Hot Rods' started by 65standard, Feb 21, 2024.

  1. Next the other corner and then that long 5/8” gap across the cowl.
     
    31chevymike likes this.
  2. Outback
    Joined: Mar 4, 2005
    Posts: 2,795

    Outback
    Member
    from NE Vic

    Lovely work, thanks for walking us through what you are doing, such a nice job!
     
    Nostrebor and 31chevymike like this.
  3. RICKY~RICARDO
    Joined: Sep 27, 2011
    Posts: 422

    RICKY~RICARDO
    ALLIANCE MEMBER
    from Milwaukee

  4. DDB76123-348C-43CC-87D7-FB40821C9277.jpeg 6436633E-C83D-4C9E-B1E3-620881998ED9.jpeg Starting to work on filling the cowl gap. Test fit the roof skin to get a look at the profile. Everything is coming along smoothly and easy.
    I’m no Bobby Walden, but I like my technique on a heavy chop.
     
  5. hotcoupe
    Joined: Oct 3, 2007
    Posts: 613

    hotcoupe
    Member

    Bobby Walden is probably taking notes!
    Tom
     
  6. 970A31AF-18C3-44FB-9957-66D64049AE06.jpeg D3C63FEA-312B-4BBA-B808-F5D036A4BD58.jpeg Very different look
     
    Last edited: Apr 10, 2024
  7. impala4speed
    Joined: Jan 31, 2010
    Posts: 555

    impala4speed
    Member

    31chevymike likes this.
  8. Great job...fun to follow along on your progress and process! What's the purpose/story on the yellow spray painted legs and floor?
     
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  9. 31chevymike likes this.
  10. Dang the un-chopped version looks goofy now
     
    redzula, rpm56, 65standard and 8 others like this.
  11. flamedabone
    Joined: Aug 3, 2001
    Posts: 5,567

    flamedabone
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    Unchopped early Fords look like a tractor cab.

    -Abone.
     
  12. Working on filling the cowl gap 12” at a time. I aligned the metal with a couple of bolts and washers. Then cut a strip of 19ga and scribed it to fit the gap. 8E64227A-15AB-4B9D-8372-AA0B2E76D722.jpeg 97E2F334-A0F7-48C0-B53C-AEF269140FAB.jpeg
     
  13. 4A15032F-6C15-45DF-966B-7E4A4E4A522C.jpeg EF1B649B-C9FE-413F-8DF0-D278C84AE1AB.jpeg C6923EC7-4120-49DA-A4EB-EEC90CE76B54.jpeg D6AA1120-33D9-4459-AD63-2E11C9E52D4B.jpeg Tack welded it in
    Then fully welded
    Next I knock the top of the weld down close to the parent metal. Then the long process of hammering and dolling the weld to restretch it. Finally, comes the filing and planishing to even it up.

    I don’t want to grind any of the parent metal away. I would rather fill with lead than to keep grinding the weld down til it disappears.
     
  14. A5E5F5BF-4D95-4617-887F-2462C78AD949.jpeg Continue filling the cowl gap.
     
  15. AmishMike
    Joined: Mar 27, 2014
    Posts: 1,138

    AmishMike
    Member

    In pictures always looks to me as windshield section higher then rest of cowl. Is it the picture, my eyes, or do you hammer down as weld or?
     
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  16. I guess it looks like I bashed it down in the picture but I didn’t. I will try to metal finish the panel. I don’t want filler.
     
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  17. It looks like the suicide doors will attach with two hinges per side.
    Do the hinge pins still align, so there will be no bind?

    Nice progress.
     
    tb33anda3rd and 31chevymike like this.
  18. You and your fancy 19 gauge

    phhhhtttttttt:)

    I’ll get some one day


    Maybe
     
    Last edited: Apr 11, 2024
    31chevymike likes this.
  19. tomcat11
    Joined: Mar 31, 2010
    Posts: 980

    tomcat11
    Member

    Really nice metal work. Night and day improvement on the look. Thank for sharing the details.
     
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  20. I only removed the middle hinge so the doors should still swing like originals
     
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  21. Understood, easier to align two hinge pins than three.
     
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  22. 3CCDD12A-1DC0-4D39-8BC0-98B10310AC8F.jpeg Half the cowl is filled.
     
  23. Rickybop
    Joined: May 23, 2008
    Posts: 9,872

    Rickybop
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    Beautiful. Magic.
    Looks like welding that narrow strip puts a lot of heat in one area. But you're keeping it from warping.
    Might be too much to ask, but I will anyway. Any chance of you doing a short video of the process? I'd love to see your technique. Especially the hammering. For our education. Perfectly okay if you're not up to it, there are plenty of other hammer-welding how-to videos. But the proof is in the pudding, you make good pudding, and I think we might be able to learn something from you just by watching. I know I would.
    Keep up the awesomeness.
     
    Outback and 31chevymike like this.
  24. I won’t post welding on here. Too many different opinions on how I need to do it.
    Welding the strip on the cowl isn’t anything special. I can say is get it tacked in and aligned up perfect before welding.
    There is no such thing as warpage from welding. What is actually happening is the weld shrinks from the heat and that shrinkage may pull and distort the metal panel near the weld. Do not try to fix that distortion. Just re stretch the weld with a hammer on dolly technique and the distorted metal will relax and fall back in shape.
    I’ve seen more panel ruined from grinding heat than welding.

    I learned my metal skills from Peter Tommasini. He took me under his wing and showed me hands on how to move metal. He sells DVDs on how to do these things.
     
  25. 43E3D8C3-6E49-4DD5-A79A-F7C0704ACE3C.jpeg After the cowl work, I’m onto the back window and corners.
     
  26. L. Eckart
    Joined: Jul 8, 2005
    Posts: 621

    L. Eckart
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    That chop looks so good!!! Thanks for sharing your method although I dont have the talent to pull it off I really enjoy seeing the process and your skills.
     
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  27. gimpyshotrods
    Joined: May 20, 2009
    Posts: 23,850

    gimpyshotrods
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    If you sand down your 18ga panels before you spray primer, or apply filler, you made your own 19ga.
     
  28. hotcoupe
    Joined: Oct 3, 2007
    Posts: 613

    hotcoupe
    Member

    Peter Tommasini is a great guy and terrific metal shaper, how did you happen to get in that situation where you were able to learn from a master? I was able to work with him for a few hours on two days, and I learned a lot.
    Tom
    Don't know how that highlighted paragraph got in there.
     
    Cali4niaCruiser likes this.
  29. HOTRODNORSKIE
    Joined: Nov 29, 2011
    Posts: 476

    HOTRODNORSKIE
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    I like your use of turn buckles on the bracing good idea.
     
    65standard, RodStRace and 31chevymike like this.

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