Cool, the plan for my cowl is to swoop it upward also. Great minds think alike, Lol. How long ago was yours, I kind of remember that and the coupe problems.
I started the Vicky in 08. I started to re-evaluate the scope of work on it and thought I’d be further ahead if I got something more complete. So I bought the other one, and it all started to unravel in 2013. It’s still here, same table, different shop.
There’s some saying about not letting perfect be the enemy of good. And that usually holds true. Aiming for perfection well generally lead to an outcome that’s very nice. All that being said I’ve seen both sides. A devout perfectionist completely sidelined by imperceptible flaws. There’s no consoling them. The inept imbecile thinking his work or idea is good and it amounts to less value than cow patties. There’s no educating this one, no constructive criticism or critique or improvement can be made. Oblivious to comparisons. I caught the post before it was removed, new guys need to be able to discern who’s talking to them.
You're right vic, and it takes a lifetime to figure out the ghosts vs reality. I guess I'll be nice and say strive to hit your realistic mark regardless of external opinion. And working too hard to hit it is easy and will back you into a corner you don't want to be in. Back on topic, I stand by trying to get someone to peen the welds as they cool. 2 fold result, it can eliminate warpage and assist in finishing. Heat control is like walking a plank with razors on one side and fire on the other when sheet metal MIG is the only way. When you find it it's like magic. Easier to find if you can sneak up on it. Another thing, I've found that sometimes it's easier to grind along the way. Get some finishing done as you go since you're in the zone of heat control. Even if you do it every day there's moments of WTF. Only Superman has xray vision
How do you find it? Try something different right? Where do you try “the something different” that might not work? Certainly not on something that really matters but something real too. How many different things happen before the magic shows up? Then, how do you know if what you’ve done is good enough foundation, without finishing it? will withstand the test of time, still look good 5,10,25 years down the road? Experience don’t come in a can. There’s been stuff I stressed over that never showed up and stuff I thought was good enough and ended up redoing. Now I now the difference. I had some really great mentors, I’ve seen how following their lead led to favorable outcomes, how deviations lead to realization of why they said something, and I’ve also taught them a new trick by trying something different and getting lucky magic. How did you figure it out?
I was going to do all gas welding on the Vicky, but sadly all who were capable to help are now too old, crippled up or dead. I have never found "magic" but to this day some go better than others and I'm old (vintage) enough now to know when to quit for the day. That's one of the benefits to retirement. The days of me doing fabrication jobs as a side are behind me, thankfully. Still love watching how others do things and still learning to this day.
Well the magic trick varies on almost every job. What worked on the massive Duesy fender won't work on the 60s ¼ panel. The gun placement, wire speed, amps, the steel, pretty often it takes that 1st stage dick around. Most all "new" replacement metal will sometimes explode a hole even though the 1st dozen or so tacks went fine. Those in the know probably find MIG on sheet easier to deal with leaving the slightest of gaps. Flush and air tight is good for TIG/OA but then there's the shrinking and warpage if you go too hot, too much wire. Hammer time again. The magic is in the operator when in the zone.
Use one of these with three discs stacked up to grind the welds, much less chance of thinning parent metal that way.
Oh and great metal work at Carter Auto Restyling. https://www.youtube.com/@CarterAutoRestyling He is/was a HAMBer but I forget his handle.
The Jalopy Journal
