Model A job

idrivejunk · August 15, 2018, 08:39:24 AM

I had no idea there were shapers here

That will probably be the only attempt. My idea of making one panel to cut a door skin and quarter patch from for cheap was just unrealistic. Now I know. Theres no advantage to be had by doing so, but I imagined a potential one. The piece is 4 by 2 foot and I did it all myself. There is a release lever problem with the wheel that makes it near impossible to use. Having two people do the job makes it an impractical solution in light of new part price.

Thanks, Frank. I figure its par.

Thanks for the input Moose. I did study up some, leading up to this. It may be the only chance I ever get to try a large panel and am fairly certain there won't be any more attempts. Hope I am wrong.

moose · August 15, 2018, 10:00:01 AM

Mat if you do a search for posts by moose there are several I posted on my A Coupe rework. Several show fabbing replacement panels.
You are doing good work on this one!

chimp koose · August 15, 2018, 11:01:37 AM

matt , lazze metalwork on youtube , and find a comfortable chair ! very good instruction on things you wouldn't even think were possible on the wheel and bead roller .

idrivejunk · August 15, 2018, 09:28:36 PM

Quote from: "moose"Mat if you do a search for posts by moose there are several I posted on my A Coupe rework. Several show fabbing replacement panels.
You are doing good work on this one!

I appreciate it and certainly shall do that search but not tonight. Sounds like what I need to see more of. I learn at least one thing from every build I scoped out so far. Whew I am Model A'ed and metal shaped out though, I need like... a week of traction in a sensory deprivation chamber to set me right. Snapping from one build to the next keeps me off balance if ya know what I mean. Unrested, delirious.

But as always, I enjoy the work.

idrivejunk · August 15, 2018, 09:36:15 PM

Quote from: "chimp koose"matt , lazze metalwork on youtube , and find a comfortable chair ! very good instruction on things you wouldn't even think were possible on the wheel and bead roller .

I took in as much as I could stand back when I was making the rear right quarter patch for the '59 Pontiac job. Extremely informative and tolerable, he looks and pauses to let important sentences echo briefly and that is effective for me. I'd have brushed up on them the night before had I known yesterday was the day. Theres still quarter and cowl patches to make, sort of blindly though. Man I need a new chair like a hog needs slop. Theres no place like good chair.

Stay tuned for this evening's thrilling adventure

Body men may enjoy it.

idrivejunk · August 15, 2018, 10:13:12 PM

OK, I gotta make this snappy, theres logs to saw and sheep to count

Do you remember how Adam-12 would show up on Dragnet and vise-versa? Thats how my threads are here, they each have a frequent background guest star now.

Started off by shucking the B pillars down to bones, trimming interference, then cutting inch and a quarter tubing to fit onto the B pillar lower halves as support for the new hinge tubes.

Then I bolted in pillars and rockers, reconnected the rear of the body to the jig, screwed the pan in barely and then the visor.

Then I disconnected the side window cross brace and looped a ratchet strap over the right side window and the fixture on the far side.

Brought the quarter in with the strap until the tip of the roof side met the A pillar without the overlapped cut which it had.

Of course, this pooched the front of the back window panel way up due to all the stretching from damage and repair.

I will now release tension on the strap and slice the flanged ends of the curved, skyward portion of the window panel. Then it can overlap the quarters.

Then I can square up the roof hole altogether in preparation for the metal insert, and rig a top level onto my fixture to assure that the chop is nice and even.

idrivejunk · August 16, 2018, 09:14:05 PM

idrivejunk · August 17, 2018, 03:53:43 PM

chris spokes · August 17, 2018, 05:32:56 PM

nice work there Matt

kb426 · August 17, 2018, 07:49:39 PM

That was a good way to end the week.

idrivejunk · August 18, 2018, 11:39:57 AM

Don't worry about the cut up front, when flushing doors that whole edge gets chopped off.

Crosley.In.AZ · August 18, 2018, 01:44:01 PM

Quote from: "idrivejunk"

Don't worry about the cut up front, when flushing doors that whole edge gets chopped off.

hmm. flushing doors? there is a toilet joke there.

that body has had a rough life. Rust, hammer hits, cut marks, dents.

The patche panel? That was built in house at yer shop?

idrivejunk · August 18, 2018, 02:13:00 PM

Yeah, I sure would not want to be trying to flush one with cops banging on my front door.

Might take several flushes, yknow?

Yessir I made that patch at the Shack. Previous experiences indicate better results that way because the available patch is so awful. The one I made is just a little less awful.

I opted to get below the belt line door skins and short cowl patches, and when they come in you'll see how far from reality the aftermarket pieces are. A guy on the dark forum just unpacked his Howell's door skins for a Model T after buying them a year ago. Rude awakening because the bead goes all around the door there but the width of it is the only part that matches.

moose · August 18, 2018, 02:19:22 PM

For Model A patched I found Brookville Roadster has the best available.

idrivejunk · August 18, 2018, 03:44:12 PM

Quote from: "moose"For Model A patched I found Brookville Roadster has the best available.

Until this week the only Howells I'd heard of were Thurston and Lovey. Now that I might pay attention, oh my its all bad about them. Nifty. Some parts will be from different vendors, and its good to hear about BR. Sometime this weekend I will have a homework session that includes perusal of your threads, and I'm sure questions will arise so again, thanks.

The aftermarket world is changing to meet demands of a blossoming restoration market, and for example a decade ago the word Dynacorn was cause for depression if you were a repair man. But in the last few years, I have seen a fairly dramatic turnaround and even used a roof skin redesigned in a manner that was better for the installer. Some replacement doors are out now that even have added side intrusion beams where none were present. I'd like to do a little such improving on the A where its convenient because as-is theres nothing to stop a Harley from barnstorming right through the side of the car.

Only thing I can say for sure is that I'm glad I have been at this for a few years before these more serious and powerful builds appeared on my plate!