*TECH WEEK* how to build a door for your 26-27 model t /28-29 a pickup

[wingedexpress]

Be patient guys this is my first tech post and may take a few days to finish.
I'm going to show you how i made extra doors for my 29 model a pickup.
This is not the only way to make one, just the way i do it. Cheap shop
built/modified tools and about $100 in material. I know they sell new
doors but they are expensive and this process can be used to make
any part of the door and doors of other makes and models.

When you find a model t coupe or pickup most of the time the doors are gone or junk




Try to find a car/truck to take patterns from ,even a junk door will do
.cut your metal a couple of inches larger than your pattern.Lay out your
lines to bead roll.also mark the area that needs a crown to be wheeled.
I use squares to make a low crown panel,just start in the middle square
and wheel in one direction then turn the panel and wheel in the opposite
but stay in that square.next move to the next square and do the same
,this time you will also go over the first square.repeat out to the bead
roll marks but not past them.check your work ,add more if needed.i usually
make several passes to get the shape .








made these patterns to check the crown

[rust&patina]

Nice work your doing there... I think most of us who have these or are into 28/29 pickups all know how hard it is to try & find good 28/29 Ford pickup doors... Awsome Job

[wingedexpress]

After you get done wheeling you can make your bead rolls. find/make a die that
matches the bead/swage in the door .In this case i modified a harbor freight
1/4" step.use some scrap and test and shim as necessary to get the right bead.
make your rolls but don't try to make the corners with the roller .i will show you
how to fix the corners next.






To fix the corners get a steel dolly and lay under the corner. Next take a
chisel and a piece of 1/2" square key stock and use them to shape the
corners working from both sides.

[wingedexpress]

Thats all for now ,i will add more tonight after work.

[prewarcars4me]

Love it so far.

[chaddilac]

Awesome!!!!!!

[rjgideon]

Could you create a scaled down version of your pattern on paper and scan it in? That would give the rest of us the same measurements that you used and guys could blow it up at Kinkos if they wanted a full scale copy.

That would be awesome. I don't know anyone that has a pickup that I could get the measurements from.

[THE235KID]

Awesome. I have to make doors ans a decklid for my 28 chevy roadster. .... Subscribed.

[black 62]

did you build your own equipment ? your engineering and execution on this are quite impressive---puts me to thinking i can make my own tri five door skins---thank you for sharing

[BAILEIGH INC]

good job man

[monster]

looks really good so far

[nailhead terry]

Good looking job now show us the rest !

[need louvers ?]

More more more!

[doubledawg]

waiting impatiently..........

[CRH]

So far, this is the best tech thread on the list. Awesome.

[wingedexpress]

Originally Posted by black 62

did you build your own equipment ? your engineering and execution on this are quite impressive---puts me to thinking i can make my own tri five door skins---thank you for sharing

I have modified most of my stuff. the e-wheel is my frame and harbor freight upper and lower anvils. the bead roller is a harbor freight that i added 8" ,braced up and a 50 to 1 gear box to use my milwaukee 1/2" drill.

[wingedexpress]

Sorry about the picture size .i tried to re size some worked some didn't.
Next step is to make a hammer form to shape the window. you can use any kind of wood or metal to make one. This one is made with pine and oak top.cut and shape to match your part .
Measure and mark both the metal and the hammer form so you can get the window opening the same. I used the bead rolls and center line as a reference point. leave extra metal in the opening except at the corners they will have the most stretch.This door has shallow corners at the top and deeper at the bottom corners.The bottom corner of the metal will have to be cut more or else it will split, we will fix this later.



Place metal strips under your bead rolls so you don't smash them when you clamp down the part. cut out the window hole so you can see your marks and clamp it down. use plenty of clamps you can move them later if needed.


The red line is the edge of the hammer form

[chaddilac]

Show pics of your bead roller... I see a drill attached to it!!!

[wingedexpress]

Pick some good hammers with a head that matches the radius of the corners and a big rubber hammer to work down the straight sides.
Start next to the hammer form and work your way around and down.The corners will be tough but the straight sides will move easy take your time.You may have some splitting in the corners don't get excited we will fix it later.




I forgot to show it but the upper and lower windows have the same radius as the lower door skin.I used wood to clamp it down because it would flex.Starting to look like a door now.

[wingedexpress]

Originally Posted by chaddilac

Show pics of your bead roller... I see a drill attached to it!!!

A hopped up harbor freight model.added around 8" and braced up ,50 to 1 gear box,3 to 1 on the pullies.lock the drill trigger and uses a sewing machine pedal to control it. Redneck engineering.