A simple fix for a stupid mistake

It all started when a friend of mine ask me if I knew anyone that could replace the rain gutters on his 40 Ford sedan,,,,This approch would work on just about any type of car or truck that need drip rail whether the were rusted away or cut off,,,,

The previous owner of this unfinished sedan thought the car would look smoother without them.

What he managed to do was cut off the perfectly good gutters and smooth the car with bondo and paint the car WHITE,,,,,looked like a milk truck.

So he brought it over yesterday,,,,,sandblasted the area where the mouldings use to be,,,did a little grinding because the bondo was so thick where it was built up get it smooth.


We used 5/16" cold rolled steel rod to replace the gutter line,,,tacked it into place

After cleaning the surface of the car and the rod stock we proceded to tack the rod in place,,,,,eye ballin' it every other tack to make sure the conture was on the money,,,,

Everything tacked into place we sandplasted once more,,,cleaned it again and spread a coat of dyno glass( kitty hair as us southern boys call it).

They don't look stock but kinda look like the drip rails on a 37 ford,,,but they are a major improvement over the no nothing look that was a stupid mistake.,,,,photos to follow,,,,HRP

 

Yeah. Thanks for the post. I would like to see the pics when you get them up. I;ve posted here several times regarding the drip rails on my 47. (http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?p=1605476#post1605476) I am likely to be going this route myself so the more photos you can share, the happier I'll be!

I am particularily curious how you formed it in the door opening.

 

For a coupe, Gene can hook you up.

http://www.geneshotrodparts.com/new_products.htm

JH

 

This is a good topic/Post....
I have been around a lot of chopped tops over the years and I personally have never seen a car that was better looking with the drip rails removed.
There...... I said it!

Another remedy is to weld a strip of flat sheemetal ,about an inch or 1-1/4" wide.....ON ITS EDGE.....horizontally-around the arc of the former drip rails....right where the old one was inserted between the roof skin and the framework below the roof....
then use a peice of1/4" steel rod about a foot long as a "die" and hammer the flat around [and over] the rod forming the shape of a new one...it is some work,[will require some torch heat]- but worth it in looks department.....

[If doing this for a customer it should be [by the hour].....as it IS a job]

 

Unfortunately I have a sedan...

 

Got any photos of the process or the finished product? I have considered going this way too.

 

Nice post HRP, sounds like a good fix.

 

Well Damn,as Rod Stewart sang,,,Every picture's got a story to it,,,But all I seem to do is tell the story,,,,,No Pictures,,,

If I can't get them uploaded with my steam powered computer today,,,I'll post them tomorrow from the computer at work,,,,,It ain't a hundred years old like this one!

 

Dunno how that worked but I'll try the same thing again,,

 

Keep 'em coming!

 

good looking fix since only rain gutters are available for coupes

 

The area above the door is even with the opening of the door,,,

 

The front of the rail was the hardest part to keep stright,,,a lot of close tacks and using channel locks and a screwdriver kept it stright,,,,also two extra sets of hands,,,

I might add that you need to measure and cut before you get to the hinge,,,,,and follow the rod down to the original location mid hinge,,,

 

All tacked and slightly grinding,,,ready for the skim coat of dyna-glass,,

 

Starting to shape up,,,,

 

I think this photo really gives ya a good idea about what a difference a little piece of rod and about 4 1/2 hours worth of work,,,,,start to finished,,,well not exactly finished,,,but it's close,,,

 

So on the bottom side you left it rounded and only added the filler on the top side? Or is there more to come and I am just impatient!

 

Yeah,,,,the bottom will get a little seam putty around the door opening but just a little wiped on with the finger(your choice of finger)

The rest of the drip rail will be left alone and body filler to smooth things up,,,,no extra work involved. HRP

 

One more,,,,and from 10 feet away I don't think the unwashed could tell the difference!

 

Excellent! Do you happen to have any pictures of the bottom side in the door opening?

I will be doing this very thing in the next few weeks. My buddy Jim and I were pondering this very fix last night and the timing of this thread could not be better. Unfortunately I have to be travelling this week so I am losing a week of work on it.

Thanks again man. Excellent work. Excellent thread.

 

I took this,,,but there is not much detail.,,

What we did was to grind the inside edge of the opening and use a chisel to remove the remaining traces of the butchery that had been left for us by the previous owner,,,

What could not be removed we used a piece of square stock and a hammer to make the rough edges flat,,,,a skim cout of mud will make it look good,,,

 

other shot,,,,looking up at the bottom,,,,

 

That shows me what I wanted to know... Thanks. Now I have a week to obsess on this!

I am sure I will have more questions... but thanks again for all your help!

 

Hope you seal up the bottom... wind will blow water up under that kitty hair and rust will go rampid!

 

Yeah,,,I ain't no virgin,,,,this ain't my first time.HRP

 

no shit?! you think a guy with a paint booth doesn't know that.

 

Well, we did one side today -- here are some shots. Thanks HOTRODPRIMER for all the input and help!

 

I bought a 34 Sedan That Gene Built. Im happy with it and feel I get a good deal for the amount of work he put in it. Ill change a lot of things here and there, but, deffinitly a good deal.

I would recommend his work.

 

Looks like you did a great job,,, HRP

 

Thanks HRP. I'm really pleased with the way it turned out. Can't wait to get blended and finished.