48 chevy truck

[kb426]

Good pic, Matt. Lots of thinking ahead. 2 very different radiuses.

[WZ JUNK]

I think a person could bend one like Matt proposed using the old acetylene bottle bending technique.  I would make a crude wooden buck once you have both ends and the distance between them.  Make the hood a little bigger than the buck and then trim it to fit the truck. 

Keep in mind that my thoughts are random and could easily change.

[idrivejunk]

Curious about the profile with different grille heights, since in theory you now can control the cowl angle if you were to cut all the way back next to the wiper bead? Feed me a square side shot and convey thoughts. It always amazes me how guys can eyeball evaluate proposed theories with all the clutter and confusing contrast that exists in person looking at mockup stuff. Burnout haze helps vision in that last image.

I think the key in that view is at base of windshield post... side of truck goes outward from there but we need inward. Not one step out then five steps in. For rod-like eyeflow from front.

John's bottle bend is about all the bending required... in the pictured version.

Fun thought task. Even funner to see what actually shakes out. 

[kb426]

Matt, I forgot to get a good side shot.
O&S is tired. I knew last night that I would have some fun today. The 1" strap was not headed towards the grille shell when I quit yesterday. I made some miter cuts and tried that 1st thing. I ended up cutting the radiuses from the hoop and tacking the main loop in. Then I bent and twisted the 2 ends to get them to make the sheet metal line up and point towards the grille shell. Then I welded the mess together. The hoop has short welds about every inch. Where the hood is welded to the cowl, I was unable to get under that area so planishing the weld wasn't possible. That means that filler will be required.

[kb426]

O&S had another light day of progress. I have radiator support rods in place. There is fender shims behind the brackets on the front. As you move it in to adjust, it gets shorter. This is the beginning of a support system for the hood and side panels.

[kb426]

O&S invited Gilligan and the Skipper along today. I made 2 patch panels for the cowl and then decided that it was time to make some dies for the bead roller that could do deeper offsets. The originals I have were designed for .040" material. I went to the local metal supplier and picked up 2 scraps of 2.25" shaft. I faced the ends of and needed to cut them to length. I drilled them in the lathe for .935" diameter for the bead roller. After that, I have a mandrel that I made years ago to put items on to machine without being tied to the chuck. Then the parts were put in the mill and a 3/16" cut was performed to allow the drive pin in the bead roller to fit. After a long day, I'm about to flange the 2 panels and weld them in place. 2 hours turned into 8. LOL.

[kb426]

O&S has the 2 small panels welded on the bottom of the old hood - now cowl extension. I got started bending 3/4" tubing to do the rest of the hood side panel supports. I had to move a lot of items to get the table where the bender is mounted can be used. I have a few bends completed. That was the stopping point for today. O&S at his best. LOL.

[kb426]

O&S started off by making 3/4: tubing bends. Then I decided that the radius was too large to do what I desired. I have the 2 lower hood panel supports in place. Maybe accomplishing one thing per day is how this is going to go. LOL.

[kb426]

O&S did yard work for a few hours so that gives me an excuse for not much progress. I have dzus tabs welded to the hood side panel supports. I have cardboard mocked up on the left and right side to simulate the panels. I have to decide how to fabricate them now. More decisions.

[kb426]

O&S made a tiny bit of progress. I have several sheet metal panels cut to size. I have one bed side close to completion.

[jaybee]

Looking good!

[idrivejunk]

x2 

[kb426]

O&S put in a full day. (for him). Both bed sides are welded and ground down. The front and rear panels for the bed have been bead rolled and are ready to go find a longer brake. The left side has holes drilled. One of the pics shows how much overhang there is underneath. One pic is of my makeshift bead roller table. This worked better than I expected.

[416Ford]

What gauge material are you rolling KB? Mine is fighting me with 18ga and yours look good.
Wish I worked at your speed when I worked in my shop.

[kb426]

Dave, I'm using 20 gauge. If you look at the pic of my bead roller, the bracing was necessary to be able to do 16 gauge. My roller is an old Williams Low Buck tools unit. I sure wish I had adapted a drive unit to it. 20 gauge is light for body panels but that's what my brake can handle in 4' lengths. Another compromise in my world.