Well, finally got some time in on the Model A - and decided on a name for the project - Plan B.... figured NOTHING that has been planned has worked out and I kept having to fall back onto plan b so..... Anyway I had planned on finishing the trunk today, but once again ran out of time so here's some pics of my almost completed trunk.
Please tell me that you didn't weld the end of those crossmembers to the inside of the rear quarter sheet metal---
I had wanted to, but the roof was too far gone- if I can't find a 5 window roof soon it's going the coupster route ....
Kind of looks that way. I wouldn't recommend that for longevity or ride characteristics. You're going to get frame twist that will now transfer into the body. Maybe it just looks that way.
If you weld to the sheet metal of the quarter (even a tack), it will show like a son of a****** when you park the car in sunlight. Sheet metal expands at a far different rate than any internal structure, and as a consequence anywhere you weld to it will show real bad on the outside of the car---particularly in the center of a big flat panel like that..
Even if you do the best bodywork to it, you'll get pull over time. I wasn't even thinking about the heat expansion issue, I was thinking of the mechanics of it. Brian's right, you may want to rethink this. Plan C, anyone?
I see that now and agree with you on that one. OK, now the expansion is a bigger problem. Especially with the variation in material thicknesses between the tube stock and sheetmetal. The sheet stock will heat up and expand a long time before the inner structure will so it will get pulled in and dimple. I'd knock out the welds. Doesn't really look like you need those braces going all the way to the side, anyway and you are covering them.
At least he's only this far, Brian. We got to the point of bleeding the clutch M/C on Court's pickup truck only to discover his dumb**** dad put the hole in the firewall in the wrong spot and the shaft binds up!! On to plan Y.
thanks for the show of support there Danimal, but I'm really not all that worried about the tack welds, they're less than a quarter of an inch and hidden by the arch of the wheelwell. This is my first full build and I'm learning as I go, kinda building it to be a fun driver that I can be proud of and not show car quality. I know the trunk I put in can support a good 230 pounds (just don't ask why I was standing in there) and knowing that it can stand up to anything I could possibly fit in there means a lot more to me than a perfect look.
thanks for the show of support there Danimal, but I'm really not all that worried about the tack welds, they're less than a quarter of an inch and hidden by the arch of the wheelwell. This is my first full build and I'm learning as I go, kinda building it to be a fun driver that I can be proud of and not show car quality. I know the trunk I put in can support a good 230 pounds (just don't ask why I was standing in there) and knowing that it can stand up to anything I could possibly fit in there means a lot more to me than a perfect look.
you know you can buy the replacement wood,top material and all repop for a sport coupe ..... i****ume thats what your talking about thats too far gone
Yeah, that's what I meant, someone completely butchered the top then hid it all with a half inch of fiberglass bondo. Would really like a 5 window roof, but finances don't allow for new replacement panels - so if I do go coupster I won't make any permanent changes that can't be undone should my cash flow increase.
Not knocking it, you're doing a hell of a job. I'm not saying it has to be perfect but in the end, why not****ume that some day you'll WANT the show car quality and then you can say you did it yourself! Keep it coming, I'm on my first one as well and am learning that Plan Z just means that Plan AA is around the corner!!
The Jalopy Journal
