T-Boy Body

[Youngster]

This is a cool build.

I noticed on the deck lid there are lines from the wheel work. Try cutting a piece of innertube to slide over your top wheel. this will help eliminate those. Another trick with a wheel is to use a go-kart slick for the wheel. I have made a driveshaft tunnel with very few passes through the wheel that way.

If you have a bead roller, offset the shearing dies a bit and you can roll a standing lip around your panels. That way you will get terrific body seams as you can weld the skins off the lip. Less chance of distortion on the skins.

It will be interesting to see how you make the reverse curve between the quarter pannel and the fender. VERY difficult to do. Give some thought to a strecher/shrinker. I assure you it will make this project much easier. Just a thought here. If you use the slick and roll one long piece, you might be able to use the strecher/ shirker to shape this piece. I have run into the same problem with the cowl flare on the dirt car. Perplexing at best.

Please keep this thread alive. It's a great project!!!

Ron

 

[Mr. Fixit]

This is a cool build.

I noticed on the deck lid there are lines from the wheel work. Try cutting a piece of innertube to slide over your top wheel. this will help eliminate those. Another trick with a wheel is to use a go-kart slick for the wheel. I have made a driveshaft tunnel with very few passes through the wheel that way.

If you have a bead roller, offset the shearing dies a bit and you can roll a standing lip around your panels. That way you will get terrific body seams as you can weld the skins off the lip. Less chance of distortion on the skins.

It will be interesting to see how you make the reverse curve between the quarter pannel and the fender. VERY difficult to do. Give some thought to a strecher/shrinker. I assure you it will make this project much easier. Just a thought here. If you use the slick and roll one long piece, you might be able to use the strecher/ shirker to shape this piece. I have run into the same problem with the cowl flare on the dirt car. Perplexing at best.

Please keep this thread alive. It's a great project!!!

Ron

Youngster,

Thank you for the advice. Actually, this is my very first attempt at sheet metal work of any kind. I am more at home with machine work and welding. I scratch built a large E-Wheel including all the anvils and top wheel specifically for this project, so I am in uncharted teratory on this one.

I do have a bead roller, but I am not grasping your suggestion about the standing lip and welding comment, please explain further.

As for the reverse curve, I was going to close my eyes and shape the paneIs by driving over them with my pick up truck , or maybe I will do that after I buy a shrinker/stretcher to assist with that aspect of the shaping, but in either case, I will leave that for last since I have a limited idea on how to approach that.

Thank you for the input...

 

[Keeper]

The ass of that thing reminds me of a black widow spider. Keep up the great work sure is an interesting build!

 

[Youngster]

The standing edge or lip is a 90 degree bend on your panels such as around your deck lid. This will allow you to weld the skins on the edges instead of where you are welding them now. Keeping the welds off the outside surface of the panel wiil keep the heat from the welds from causing waves or distortion. This also gives you a nice edge at the openings such as around your deck lid.

When you set up the shearing dies, space the top one out so there is a gap about 2x as wide as the thickness of your sheet metal. You might have to open this gap up but that would be a good starting point. when you lay out the metal for a panel add the tubing size and 2.5x the metal thickness for the bend allowance. I trim the edge down so I have .250 less than the tubing for welding. takes a lil practice but the end result will save you hours in welding, grinding and frustration.

When you weld the skins on use short welds, about 3/8", instead of tacks. Tacks are cold welds and tend to break especially if you grind them down any. Space the welds about 2" apart. On panels around oenings, space the welds on the ajoining panels so they are not aligned with the other panel. You can get a closer fit that way. Another welding method would be plug welding the skins. The edge welding is a little more forgiving though. plug weld need to have zero gap between the tube and the panel or you end up with a big mess to work out.

Sorry about the length of the post. Lots of info to condense. I should add this is the way I do it. There are probably more folks out there that have more skills at this than I do.

Ron

 

[Mr. Fixit]

Ron,

Thank you so much for taking the time to explain this, I completely understand your points.

Steve

 

[Mr. Fixit]

Today I fabricated the passenger door skin, welded it to the door frame, welded the front body panel in place, as well as the vertical seam to the front panel. It seems to be coming along so far now it is time to sit back and admire it while I enjoy a beer.:thumb:.

 

[HAceT]

Man you move to fast.....I love it. Great build thread.

 

[GizmoJoe]

Man.. I wish I had:
your energy
your vision
your talent
your shop
your whatever it takes to do what you do.

That's a wild looking ride.

 

[Mr. Fixit]

Thanks for the support guys. Not much acomplished today :rofl: , but I hope to make some headway tomorrow.

 

[rooster57]

I cant believe you havent done anything today. I woke up this morning and sprinted to the putor to see what Mr Fixit is up to today and nothing, nada, zip, Its like finding out the TEVO didnt record the newest episode of My Classic car or worse yet Wheeler dealers. I guess i will have to lay the tile in the hallway my wife has been gryping about gee thanks "mr fixit" ARG.

 

[rooster57]

PS great job on the door top notch.

 

[Mr. Fixit]

I cant believe you havent done anything today. I woke up this morning and sprinted to the putor to see what Mr Fixit is up to today and nothing, nada, zip, Its like finding out the TEVO didnt record the newest episode of My Classic car or worse yet Wheeler dealers. I guess i will have to lay the tile in the hallway my wife has been gryping about gee thanks "mr fixit" ARG.

Rooster57, that was just too funny, and when my wife gets home, I am going to read it to her too since she always says to me "did you Bucketeer today" .

Well, rest assured that I won't disappoint you two days in a row, so here is the progress for the day, we now have two doors (what a concept) and the front left quarter is welded to the front panel too. I have to say that I am glad that that portion of the project is over with for now. As a side note, when I knelt down to take the head on photo, I noticed that my radiator cap is tilted which will probably preclude me from sleeping tonignt .

 

[rooster57]

Now thats more like it now i can SLEEP TONIGHT. PS the radiator cap might be straight and everything else well ya know. Night night

 

[Keeper]

Now thats more like it now i can SLEEP TONIGHT. PS the radiator cap might be straight and everything else well ya know. Night night

lol...now that was low!

 

[Mr. Fixit]

Now thats more like it now i can SLEEP TONIGHT. PS the radiator cap might be straight and everything else well ya know. Night night

Now that hurt! You are a mean man, but very funny.

 

[Mr. Fixit]

lol...now that was low!

Its okay Keeper, I took my medication as soon as I read his comment. LOL

 

[Keeper]

Its okay Keeper, I took my medication as soon as I read his comment. LOL

the wonders of modern medication

This thread has given me the kick I needed, keep up the good work.

 

[Mr. Fixit]

Today's progress includes the fabrication and installation of the cowl. What do you think?

 

[rooster57]

I like it a lot. Are you going to integrate a removeable hard top. Really i can see a cool hardtop kind round like a 32-35 ford

 

[Mr. Fixit]

I like it a lot. Are you going to integrate a removeable hard top. Really i can see a cool hardtop kind round like a 32-35 ford

Glad you like it . I agree that a removable (or maybe even a permanent one) would be the hot ticket, but I am not sure if I will go for it at this point. I was actually thinking that I would put in a nice 2" dia. chrome roll bar that will rise about 6" above the rear deck and be about 30" wide.

Well, anyway, I must press on and continue to make progress in order to get this baby back on the road. By the way, I am thinking satin black with some nice pin striping...