60 Biscayne

[idrivejunk]

Bob, my thoughts exactly. There's plenty to be done while seated, lots of parts on stands and such. I've just not heard from or had a response from him in a couple weeks. So thoughts wander. Asked Mike if he thought Bryan will be back and without hesitation he said no. The thought crossed my mind so I was curious if everyone else was thinking different. If I had to generate an in between scenario... I would say that during this time our man is going through a very challenging rehab process. Last I heard, he did not have doctor's permission to try and stand on it until last week. I could tell he had no interest in working from a wheelchair. I have always said to him wait until you're ready to return. But it may be smarter to try another kind of work instead.  It's real tough finding a good guy for his position. Seriously. I just hope it's OK and works out for him. Hope is not gone but I am weary that's all. Our newest guy doesn't do metal work but has been cruising through the filler and primer stuff.

[idrivejunk]

Well I did get an update today on that recovery situation. Instead of being allowed to put weight on the leg last week, it was decided to wait three more weeks. The persistent pain level has them looking at nerves now. Nifffty.

Took all day but I turned that floor pan mess into something I can claim. I may have to extend the pan on the other side or something because the topside of the existing floor is so pitted. From the looks of it the rust doesn't stop though. The car will never be rustproof but it will at least have welded-in floor sections.  

[idrivejunk]

Bryan showed up to visit today! Had a look at the loose foot myself and got all caught up. He has already had a scary fall on crutches and his woman does OK supporting them so he is wanting to reach a point of at least being able to stand on it before coming back. The pain has been improving and is more manageable as he goes along. I know I feel better haha. Boss asked him if he drove here then asked him to hold a sander but he saw through that  

On the Biz... I've started taking dents and rust out on the fenders, in order to facilitate the flow of work for the whole shop. Might be a little while until I go back on the 60 body because that TA is also waiting. Sure was encouraging to see my fellow bodyman.

[idrivejunk]

Various dents, starting with the left fender. More and more I find myself using two dollies, one as a hammer. For a broader striking surface-






Did not get you a pic of the front of this before a little surgery-









Turns out there was a couple dents just above that, in the area boxed by the inner brace. Had to use the dent puller a little on those.






Getting started on the bigger dent on this other fender. It has considerably more rust as well. A gob of asphalt stuck to the lip there on both fenders but the other didn't rust through for whatever reason.

[idrivejunk]

[UGLY OLDS]

Matt ...You mentioned needing to use " 2 dollys" on occasion .... They make these REALLY neat, easy to control, portable dollys ....
 We mechanics used to call them "Iron on a stick" ....   They are truly universal & very handy.....        

  See below .....

Bob...

[idrivejunk]

I did have a 3lb mini sledge but its the latest to come apart.    New batch of hammers I got says 11 oz on the handles, proudly.   One set of my dollys (aww he collects dollys  :oops:   ) is forged and has nice rounded contours on the anvil and heel dollies that are good for bumping larger pushed-in but unstretched areas. Perhaps I have gravitated toward that due to my bum wrist and thumb because of the reduced motion required. You'll be glad to know I never chunk hammer heads and often use them without the handle as a drift for cramped spots or more precise taps.  

[chimp koose]

Have you never heard of the precision ball peen ? Its right next to the  bfh (also known as the swinging press ) in the toolbox !

[UGLY OLDS]

Gee Matt ... I know that we come from different trades but, an 11 oz. hammer  :?:  :?     You REALLY need to swing that pretty hard to get results,huh  :?:
 I still have one of the first Snap-On hammers that I ever bought ..."BP-48" stamped on the head...  ( "Big Pounder" 48oz.   ) ...
How about an 8lb. sledge with an 18" handle for kingpin work  :?:  Frank can prolly relate to that .....

 An 11oz. hammer ...BWHAHAHHAHHAHAHAHHAHAHA......    );b(

Bob..

[idrivejunk]

Swinging press, I like that     There is a ball peen at the house I need to bring.  Those metal handle 11 oz joker's came with dollies that are hollowed out. Crazy! But they are all easy to hold onto. The pointy hammer in that set has done me some good for final pecking. I miss my Thor hammer, a 4lb swap meet beast that was used more in my frame fixing daze. The Swiss cheese on the right fender lip is gone now but there's more on the edge all the way to the bottom. Then that picture frame patch out on the face... should eat up today. Is it weird for me to be looking forward to that smashy door?

[UGLY OLDS]

Matt ..That cute little 11 oz. hammer, (           :(D)  I can't help myself...), you mentioned that it came with hollow dollys, I have seen something like that for repairing stainless steel trim...It also had what looked like "reshaped" paint stir stick thingies for working the metal without scratching it .
I wonder if that was its original purpose   :?:   The guys that re-work & straighten stainless are true perfectionists ....No filler or primer allowed ....
Are you going to be able to shrink that door skin  :?:  Economically   :?:

Bob...

[kb426]

It seems that the "hammer heads" have taken over this thread.

[idrivejunk]

Aha! Perhaps you fancy tiny hammers, lad! (said in best Leprechaun voice, and I'm kidding)      

You're right about the guys who fix trim. I've always thought that would be a good gig for a retired bodyman if he had the skill and patience. I can tell you that clear anodized aluminum trim they sell you now does not polish up if theres a boo-boo.  :oops:

This is the limp-wristed hammer set:

http://www.harborfreight.com/automotive-motorcycle/auto-body/body-and-fender-set-7-pc-63259.html

An ex-boss of mine did a remarkable job straightening a DeLorean quarter once. He didn't touch it until he could be alone and quiet with it, then you could not tell the dent was ever there. Asked him how and he just grinned and said pick and file. I think he said he finished with a grey scotch brite. I would probably have to pass on a job like that because I do rely on filler. We certainly can't economically do repairs like a master would do at home for himself on his own hot rod but we do manage to crank out pretty cars that the customers could afford to have done. The Biscayne guy knows his requires some saving of panels with extra labor.  









Forgot pic of coatings behind and on backside of that patch over the brace   but they are there.      Several dents and a bit of warpage are present around that patch. Working on that. If time allows, I'll re-check all the dents before the re-epoxy of those spots.

The lip patch is not yet welded at the edge because I'm going to patch the just the edge of that lip from there down to the bolt hole facing the ground. Rot. But that is all the holes in the fenders if I'm not mistaken.

Here are a couple bad spots I fixed in January of '15. Right before wrist breakage. I don't doubt that they looked much like that door does, but they lived to shine another day... its all thanks to that little yellow box.










Stuff like that is never really pretty again though, like this Mustang quarter. We just do the best we can with what we're given. If I end up needing to make a door skin after trying some straightening, I will.

[Fat Cat]

Gee Matt ... I know that we come from different trades but, an 11 oz. hammer  :?:  :?     You REALLY need to swing that pretty hard to get results,huh  :?:
 I still have one of the first Snap-On hammers that I ever bought ..."BP-48" stamped on the head...  ( "Big Pounder" 48oz.   ) ...
How about an 8lb. sledge with an 18" handle for kingpin work  :?:  Frank can prolly relate to that .....

 An 11oz. hammer ...BWHAHAHHAHHAHAHAHHAHAHA......    );b(

Bob..

I have a 20 lb sledge hammer with an 18" handle for releasing frozen truck brakes. You don't have to swing it so much as drop it in the right places.

[idrivejunk]

Thats more of a beefer than a hammer, ain't it? :?   Oh great now I'm hankerin' eggs and taters. With a glass of Pepsi :T)

They say it ain't the size of the rock but how hard you're willing to throw it... and that applies to many things but not hammers  

A regular sledge is what, 8-10 lbs  :?:  thats all I've swung.

Took until I was about 40 to realize a splitting maul needn't go over your head    but when I was a kid I saw the head drop off my Grandpa's maul on a high swing. It just so happened to go through his foot when it landed    :!: