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Projects Oh no not another Willys Gasser build, this time a Willys shop truck

Discussion in 'The Hokey Ass Message Board' started by langy, Dec 8, 2013.

  1. langy
    Joined: Apr 27, 2006
    Posts: 5,730

    langy
    Member Emeritus

    Well I thought today's progress was scuppered when I looked out the window [​IMG] !!!



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    But luckily the sun came out at 10am and melted it all [​IMG] Anyway today was mostly fibreglassing, first thing was to get the hood sorted, the sides flatten slightly when moulded and they should have a barrel shape to them, just the way it is with glass, but its easily sorted [​IMG]
    Heres a couple of pics where the shape can be seen or not seen depending on which one your looking at [​IMG] the first is my coupe



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    The solution is to bond in 2 thin strips of ply to bring the barrel shape back.
    First I used a piece of aluminum fuel pipe to copy the curve, then I traced it onto some ply.



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    Then I cut 2 thin strips out, a third much thicker strip was cut to form the curve for clamping.



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    Next it was clamped in place and the bonding area marked for keying (its tricky on white to see where you have been)



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    The thin strip is held in place with a few blobs of body filler



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    Here the strips are bonded in but still green



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    Here you can see the shape in the correct profile



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    While the strips were kicking off I decided to glass in a hood lock panel, a piece of offcut glass was cut to shape and held in place with a blob of body filler.



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    Here's the hood back on the car.



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    farmer12 and volvobrynk like this.
  2. The 39 guy
    Joined: Nov 5, 2010
    Posts: 3,524

    The 39 guy
    Member

    Great step by step post Langy! Do you think many people actually fix this problem area on Willys? I have never looked at on that close to notice so I have no idea myself.
     
  3. langy
    Joined: Apr 27, 2006
    Posts: 5,730

    langy
    Member Emeritus

    Some don't bother and then have trouble fitting the fenders etc etc and then moan about the fit up !!!
    If you look at the fenders there is a curved lip which the hood fits over, If the hood isnt curved it won't fit correctly.
    The step by step posting is to help others, saves me writing a manual :D
     
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  4. Inland empire hot rods
    Joined: Aug 5, 2010
    Posts: 995

    Inland empire hot rods
    Member
    from so cal

    Steve, we appreciate your posts!!
     
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  5. langy
    Joined: Apr 27, 2006
    Posts: 5,730

    langy
    Member Emeritus

    Thanks Mark, seems awful quiet here these days
     
  6. Inland empire hot rods
    Joined: Aug 5, 2010
    Posts: 995

    Inland empire hot rods
    Member
    from so cal

  7. Kiwi Tinbender
    Joined: Feb 23, 2006
    Posts: 1,155

    Kiwi Tinbender
    Member

    Don`t worry, Steve--even if we don`t post, some of us check every time there is more to see..
     
  8. Finn Jensen
    Joined: Dec 20, 2008
    Posts: 675

    Finn Jensen
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    X2
     
  9. greaser
    Joined: Apr 30, 2006
    Posts: 866

    greaser
    Member

  10. weeniewawa
    Joined: Mar 18, 2014
    Posts: 54

    weeniewawa
    Member

  11. langy
    Joined: Apr 27, 2006
    Posts: 5,730

    langy
    Member Emeritus

    I meant in general mate, I like to follow other builds and used to get an email notification when progress had been made but since the change a lot seem to go missing, don't know why ?
    The whole site seems to be much quieter but Ive been told by a mod its actually just as busy but I certainly don't see it !!!
    Seems to have lost the buddy feel the site used to have, that's progress I guess 8-(
     
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  12. rottenleonard
    Joined: Nov 7, 2008
    Posts: 1,993

    rottenleonard
    Member

    I hear you, I sure miss the days when Bass, Littleman, Salt Flat Speed Shop were keeping us up to date on their builds. But your doing a great job of carrying the torch, for top shelf work.
     
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  13. langy
    Joined: Apr 27, 2006
    Posts: 5,730

    langy
    Member Emeritus

    Yeah what happened to salt flats ???
    Bass & Littleman I see on FB a lot, shame they don't post here much these days
     
  14. langy
    Joined: Apr 27, 2006
    Posts: 5,730

    langy
    Member Emeritus

    A bit more progress, Saturday was flipping freezing here but I got a little more done, first job was to finish off the footwell strengthener on the passenger side, I had tacked it up but couldn't finish weld it as gas had run out. Also finish welded the cage bar.



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    Next up was to try and get the front fenders mounted, not the easiest job to do in the wind on your own but I got the rear mounts buttoned up eventually but had to stop until I get someone else to hold them while i drill holes.
    Next up I decided to cut out the grille opening to take the original Fairlane grill, I have 2 of these and never realised they are not all made in aluminium as my spare one is steel.
    First I cut the rounded corners with a holesaw, then joined up the holes with a thin cutting wheel in a grinder, next finished the edge with a bit of 80 grit wrapped around a block.



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  15. GearheadsQCE
    Joined: Mar 23, 2011
    Posts: 3,375

    GearheadsQCE
    Alliance Vendor

    Don't leave us hanging...... at least hold the grille material up behind the opening!:)
     
  16. langy
    Joined: Apr 27, 2006
    Posts: 5,730

    langy
    Member Emeritus

    I'm gonna cut it up tonight so you will have to wait :)
     
  17. langy
    Joined: Apr 27, 2006
    Posts: 5,730

    langy
    Member Emeritus

    The rear sides of hood were slightly flexy so made up these stiffeners in ply and glassed them into position, spot on now . A simple frame was made in wood to hold the position once off the car.



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    Mai Ki-Ki likes this.
  18. langy
    Joined: Apr 27, 2006
    Posts: 5,730

    langy
    Member Emeritus

    Had a good day today and got lots done, its been bleeding cold and wet too this morning but hey I gotta get this done !!! So overalls and coat on and lets get out there [​IMG]

    First job was to glass a bit of strength back in the front panel as enlarging the grille opening took away some of its strength, I use a bit of 3/8" copper pipe and put 2 layers of matt over it, done the job perfectly.



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    I'm using some front panels that a customer returned as they didn't like the fit, odd as its fine on mine. Unfortunately they had drilled loads of odd holes in them so had to reglass these first.:(



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    We supply the panels with a generous flange on them but I prefer to cut it down, looks neater, so they were all trimmed to suit.



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    While the glass was kicking off I drilled the holes to hold the grill insert into place, following the rivet theme on the car a few stainless coach bolts gave up their life to become rivet bolts [​IMG]



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    The next hour was spent outside making dust !!! All the trimmed edges had to be sanded back and made smooth. :D



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    Next I trimmed the 58 Ford grill to fit the front panel and bolted it in, I will make a finisher for the edge later as got no stainless round bar the right size [​IMG]



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    I thought I would post this pic for anyone struggling to fit the front fenders, they are not the easiest things to fit but if you look at this pic it shows how the should sit at the rear.



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    I got the fenders and front panel bolted together and then bolted on the body at the rear, its all propped up with bits of wood at the moment but you get the look [​IMG]



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    farmer12 likes this.
  19. OahuEli
    Joined: Dec 27, 2008
    Posts: 5,243

    OahuEli
    Member
    from Hawaii

    Just caught up with the last eight or nine pages. As always your creativity in dealing with issues as they come up is impressive. This is one of my favorite threads.
    I also noticed that the majority of the work is done in a one car garage. Just goes to show that one doesn't have to have a huge garage or shop to create works of automotive art.:D
     
  20. farmer12
    Joined: Aug 28, 2006
    Posts: 7,717

    farmer12
    Member

    You are the master Steve, looking awesome!
     
  21. Hi Steve. I really like the idea of using small copper pipe, glassed in for a stronger structure. I am going to use this method. Thank you for the info, and teaching me something. I had not thought of this for fiberglass. Mikey.
     
  22. langy
    Joined: Apr 27, 2006
    Posts: 5,730

    langy
    Member Emeritus

    Cheers bud, yes its built mostly outside and pushed back in the garage, the saying its not the size but what you do with it springs to mind !!! :D
    I've only got a small shop which is permanently filled with customers cars and bits, Anyway outside I have the biggest garage going, Hahaha

    I know a guy not far from me who has a huge garage filled with brand new lathes, milling machines, snap on tools etc etc, even got a 55" Tv on the wall !!! Looks mighty impressive but never seen him do anything in it :rolleyes:
     
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  23. langy
    Joined: Apr 27, 2006
    Posts: 5,730

    langy
    Member Emeritus

    Cheers Eric, not sure about that but i'll take it !!!
     
  24. langy
    Joined: Apr 27, 2006
    Posts: 5,730

    langy
    Member Emeritus

    Hi Mikey, I use whatever is around usually, its only to make a form, I've used rope saturated in resin, bits of copper pipe, bits of plastic pipe, bits of wood, foam, basically anything that will make a shape and won't get attacked by the resin.
    I wanted to make a round plinth the other day so glassed over a biscuit that Sue bought me with my cup of tea :D worked great !!!
     
    OahuEli likes this.
  25. big fun to watch, and, what Eric said!
     
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  26. Kiwi Tinbender
    Joined: Feb 23, 2006
    Posts: 1,155

    Kiwi Tinbender
    Member

    Steve...You want to be a bit careful with what you do with Food supplied by your better half....just saying.....Hate to see you wind up with Carbon Fibre Spaghetti for dinner...:eek::D
     
    langy likes this.
  27. langy
    Joined: Apr 27, 2006
    Posts: 5,730

    langy
    Member Emeritus

    Its been a bit chilly here this week so looked for a job to do that could be done in the nice warm workshop Spotted the dash on the wall so decided to plan the layout, I'm using a set of Dolphin 3 3/8" quad gauges with a electronic speedo run off a Cyberdyne GPS sender because I stock them and want to use stuff on this project that I sell, I usually like white or black faced gauges on my own cars but thought I would have a change so have gone with a Tan face, it will look good against the final colour and be a bit different.
    Heres the proposed dash layout



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    Dug my 3 3/8" holesaw out and viola the 2 main gauges was in !!!



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    Next I got to thinking about switches & warning lights, I had a set of really nice old warning lights from a Warbird but wanted to keep them for another project, luckily they have been reproduced but unfortunately not in the original stainless steel, these ones are chromed but I just love the look of the jeweled lens. My plan is to use mostly Red but one Blue for high beam as i'm not keen on lots of different coloured lights on the dash.



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    Moving on to switches I rummaged around my stock shelves and found a universal ignition switch and a selection of push pull switches, I like the push pull switch as it suits old cars better in my opinion, the Headlight switch also solves the problem of the dipswitch being on the floor which always looks looks untidy to me, this one has side, dipped beam and high beam all in one switch so nice & neat, the knob$ I will replace with custom made jobbies.



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    While searching around I remembered I have some of these Classic instruments Rocket tachs so will fit one either on the column or on the dash, decision to make, don't like the mount so will make a stainless mount later.



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    Thats it for today as we are now off to The annual Hotrodders ball for a few beers :D:D:cool:


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  28. Lytles Garage
    Joined: May 6, 2011
    Posts: 621

    Lytles Garage
    Member

    CRAFTY, Very CRAFTY !!! Chris
     
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  29. BrerHair
    Joined: Jan 30, 2007
    Posts: 5,006

    BrerHair
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    What they said ^^^. Extraordinary craftsmanship, a pleasure to watch.
     
    langy likes this.
  30. langy
    Joined: Apr 27, 2006
    Posts: 5,730

    langy
    Member Emeritus

    Been fiddling with the hood fit and now pretty good, I'm not a fan of tight gaps on old cars so these are stock willys size gaps.
    I aim to fit inner fender panels as this is a street truck so I decided to fit brackets here and there to keep it all nice and solid, working from the back of the fender forward I made a bracket that bolts the the fender lip and then bolts to the firewall.



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    Just adding the first bracket makes the panels fit together nicely as the fender follows is natural curve instead of sagging slightly under its own weight. A little sanding of the gaps and it should be there.



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    While I was there I radiused the hood corner and made a template for the infill panel



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