T touring body is going back together progress pics

Had a couple hours to spare this afternoon and got the drivers side cowl, sill and B panel replaced. We have some nice 19G AK scraps to play with. You cant see it in the pic but the new sill is hammerformed around the inside of the subrail. This stuff forms like clay!!! Before installing, I sprayed the subrails and inside of the patches with ZERO RUST. Should keep this stuff looking good for a few years. Tomorrow I get to the other side, I get to reskin the entire B Panel on it. Easier that way.

 

Lookin good T. Your becoming quite the fabricator!

 

Had to, wouldnt pay $60 a pair for the tin repop sills! Thanks.

 

I must be dumb what is AK?

 

AK stands for Aluminum Killed.It is a specific alloy of steel developed for deep drawing applications.Also good for shaping because it is softer,and has less springback.

 

Trent, been meaning to get ahold of you. Charley Chops reminded me that your doing a 348 in the touring. Would you be at all interested in a 3x2 intake for it? It's a stock iron one. If so let me know as I aquired one a couple of weeks ago.

 

Very good my walking dictonary freind! Seriously Unk, I have a theory that you are Steven Hawking........you are always here WITH the right answer!!!!!!!

Yes sport, the AK is amazing stuff, we get cut offs from a pal that stamps hood scoops out of it. I am using as much of it up as possible before the boss gets to it

 

Phat Rat, I have one, thanks. It is nice to know I am cared for I have found then to be worth about $50 on the net if you try to sell it.

 

[ QUOTE ]
Seriously Unk, I have a theory that you are Steven Hawking........

[/ QUOTE ] While there are similarities,I think Steven Hawking gets more chicks than I do.

 

This Ak stuff how do you weld it? mig ,tig ,or gas?Whats the price like compared to mild steel?

 

It welds the same as mild steel.Price isn't bad.The bitch is finding it.

 

Unkl,Got anywhere around your area that has this stuff?I am not to far away by the looks of it.

 

I know it's available.But don't know where to get it.Most places have no idea what you are talking about.AK is also know as Drawing Quality.Jim Bailie,from Windsor,says all 19 ga is AK.Some will say it doesn't make that much difference.All my FREEBIE metal supplies dissappeared.

 

Our pal gets it from Denver, so it is available down there. Like that helps the rest of us?!

 

Lookin' good Trent. Are you doing a whole touring or doing a modified or RPU?

 

he's doing a more door roadster version of the MUNSTERS COACH. and then GEORGE BARRIS is going to sue him..

germ

 

Dennis, full on touring. I am rebuilding the body from front to rear. The rear part of the tub is getting some special attention with a few mods.

 

Are factory car bodys made from this stuff? They are formed in a press so you would figure thats the natural destination for this formable steel...
I've reused loads of car body trunk lids but didn't really notice a difference in how the stuff shaped.
If it isn't I doubt I'll ever see the real stuff up this way! LOL

Bill

 

Bill, I dont know. That would be a good question for Carps. But I can say when you get your hands on AK you will KNOW it. I can take the edge of a piece and form it with my thumb it is that maleable. Those sills were formed freehand. I crimped the panels under the subrails like OEM and the stuff just melted around the edge. This is why those metalworkers like Ron Covell make it look so easy!

 

I gotta get my hands on some of that AK stuff.Sounds too good to be true

 

[ QUOTE ]
Are factory car bodys made from this stuff? They are formed in a press so you would figure thats the natural destination for this formable steel...


[/ QUOTE ]

No, old cars were mostly made of cold rolled (mild steel) In modern cars were seeing alot of HSLA, (high strength low alloy) sheet metal used for outter body panels. It's harder so it can be thinner, and lighter, and still hold it's shape. It's hard to straighten, not worth a shit for patch pannels!
Unibody structural parts are HSS, and UHSS (high strength, and ultra high strength) Even seeing some boron(sp) steel.
It's getting harder to keep up with the changes.

 

Oh well...
I figured as much! Didn't notice any difference between salvaged metal and the stuff I've bought from the local metal shop.
The trunklids are free but you have to contend with cleaning up the steel before you can do anything with it. PITA when your trying to get things done!
I can't think of an industry up this way that might need AK steel...
Next time I'm at the metal shop I'm gonna ask about it!

Just so we'll have a comparison, how much does it cost for a 4x8 sheet compared to a sheet of regular "black" steel?

Interesting stuff!

Bill

 

So if this AK stuff is so soft, what happens down the road when someone steps on your sill, or leans on your fancy sheetmetal air cleaner? Is there a post forming step to "harden" the metal?

 

As it forms,any steel will workharden to some degree.AK is originally intended for difficult to form parts,applications where the shape would provide sufficient stiffness.

 

Thanks Unk

 

Bill, I just recived my steel order for the mig class. I buy 4'X 10' sheets of 18 ga. mild steel. 40.00 a sheet delivered. Just not worth salvaging old sheet metal.

 

Dennis, what Unk said. These parts are tough due to the shape. Considering the stock sills were something like 22G!

And nobody mentioned the windshield post

 

Did you ever price the AK steel Tinbender?
I'm wondering how much of a price difference there really is. IF I order a sheet (Depending if the local suppliers would even consider bringing a sheet in!) I'd like to have a price difference to compare it to. I figure the local supplier would try a major price increase because he might have to... ahhh "special order" it.
Thats an easy and common scam up this way.
HEY!
Maybe someone could buy it state side, write a BIG message on it and just mail it to me as a POST CARD!!! Might slip thru during the Christmas rush ya think? Hahaha

Bill

 

OK, both sides match now. If you look at the pic there is light shining through the passenger side B panel. No more. Another hour and a half tonight and I got that side done( and when I got to the shop I didnt feel like working!?). Now to work on the rear 1/4s this week. I hope to have the body back together in a week.

 

theres a company called a.k steel thats about an hour from here in rockport ,in .my cousin poured alot of concrete there when it was being built.could this be the company that makes it?or just a coincedince?somebody that knows metal check this page out. http://www.aksteel.com/markets_products/carbon.asp