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Projects HELP - Hood flew off my '51 Roadmaster - Will any '51 Buick Hood Fit??

Discussion in 'The Hokey Ass Message Board' started by '51 Roadmaster, Sep 6, 2017.

  1. '51 Roadmaster
    Joined: Aug 13, 2017
    Posts: 231

    '51 Roadmaster

  2. TagMan
    Joined: Dec 12, 2002
    Posts: 6,295

    TagMan
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    I'd say it's coming nicely ! Good job.
     
    '51 Roadmaster likes this.
  3. razoo lew
    Joined: Apr 11, 2017
    Posts: 536

    razoo lew
    Member
    from Calgary

    Great progress, looks good.
    Not sure what you are grinding / sanding with but you might want to cover up that windshield. Ugly little pits and chips will really take away from that soon to be perfect hood.
     
    '51 Roadmaster likes this.
  4. '51 Roadmaster
    Joined: Aug 13, 2017
    Posts: 231

    '51 Roadmaster

    Thanks! I'm using 80 grit - hand sanding with a sanding board. No power tools as of yet!
     
  5. '51 Roadmaster
    Joined: Aug 13, 2017
    Posts: 231

    '51 Roadmaster

    Today's progress..Made some horses so I can man handle it better and started to strip it. IMG_2809.JPG
     
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  6. 1-SHOT
    Joined: Sep 23, 2014
    Posts: 2,693

    1-SHOT
    Member
    from Denton

    Looks like you are getting the hang of it, just don't rush it and take your time. It's just moving the high spots to the low spots. Pick the hammer with the correct face to work with, some have a bigger radius and some are almost flat each moves the metal in different ways, same with the dolley. The railroad looking one we call the universal dolly has tighter radius than a toe dolly or heal dolly. Never had much luck with a shrinking dolly but some people have. Think of the metal as a frosting on a cake and you have to push the metal where you want it to go. Shrinking disc work but I suggest that you practice on a piece of scrap metal the same thickness before you get on the hood. There is a little learning curve. Good Luck Frank
     
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  7. '51 Roadmaster
    Joined: Aug 13, 2017
    Posts: 231

    '51 Roadmaster

    1-Shot - thanks for the note, I'm trying my best and learning on the fly! Every bit of advice helps.

    Today's progress - Still having trouble with the crescent shaped dent, but it's coming out slowly. It starts right under the cross brace, so I'm going to have to get creative about how I'm going to get behind it. Good news, there hasn't been too many surprises under the paint aside from the plastic filler near the lip at the back on the passenger side. Whoever said getting there is half the fun never had to strip a '51 Buick Roadmaster hood.... IMG_2817.JPG IMG_2818.JPG
     
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  8. flatford39
    Joined: Dec 3, 2006
    Posts: 2,799

    flatford39
    Member

    That's getting there. You are doing great for a first timer. I bet you are getting an appreciation for people that make a living do this.
     
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  9. '51 Roadmaster
    Joined: Aug 13, 2017
    Posts: 231

    '51 Roadmaster

    Thank you very much. I most absolutely am......
     
  10. '51 Roadmaster
    Joined: Aug 13, 2017
    Posts: 231

    '51 Roadmaster

    Stopping for today. Spent some more time on the dents, finished stripping it and worked on the alignment pins/latch plates. Still having trouble with the bulged area visible on the LH side... IMG_2819.JPG IMG_2821.JPG IMG_2822.JPG
     
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  11. woodbutcher
    Joined: Apr 25, 2012
    Posts: 3,310

    woodbutcher
    Member

    :D Hi 51Roadmaster.Looking excellent for a first attempt.That`s a lot of acreage to cultivate.
    Good luck.Have fun.Be safe.
    Leo
     
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  12. '51 Roadmaster
    Joined: Aug 13, 2017
    Posts: 231

    '51 Roadmaster

    Update - here's where I'm at as of September 26th. Hood is in primer, I'm now working on the hinges, fit and gap. I figured now's the time, right? Still a few small dents to work out and I'm still on the hunt for a replacement hood ornament.
    PS - I have enough pics and info to start a thread just about the hinges (and what I've learned), if there's interest.
    Buick Sept 26th 2017.jpg
     
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  13. TagMan
    Joined: Dec 12, 2002
    Posts: 6,295

    TagMan
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    You should be very proud of what you've accomplished. Your first metal working project and you hit it out of the park !!
     
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  14. Budget36
    Joined: Nov 29, 2014
    Posts: 13,174

    Budget36
    Member

    Looks good, hope you shrunk the metal on the bulge, then brought it back up? Hope you didn't knock it in and fill it up;)
     
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  15. '51 Roadmaster
    Joined: Aug 13, 2017
    Posts: 231

    '51 Roadmaster

    Thanks for the note. I didn't use any filler, just hammers and dollys. I'm learning how to 'read' the metal with my palm and working one dent at a time. Its amazing what you can feel but not see. A fellow HAMB wrote - "think of it like spreading icing"....it's absolutely, positively true. Once I got in that mindset, the dents just 'flowed' out. I've still got a few spots to go, but all the major stuff is out of the way. I'm in no rush, I want to do this right!
     
    Last edited: Sep 26, 2017
  16. [QUOTE="'51 Roadmaster,
    PS - I have enough pics and info to start a thread just about the hinges (and what I've learned), if there's interest.
    View attachment 3665719 [/QUOTE]

    Absolutely!

    Ben
     
  17. '51 Roadmaster
    Joined: Aug 13, 2017
    Posts: 231

    '51 Roadmaster

    Hello Ben - I started a thread called 'Late'50-'51-'52 Buick Hinge Study' to explain what I found.
     
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  18. BJR
    Joined: Mar 11, 2005
    Posts: 9,817

    BJR
    Member

    kidcampbell71 likes this.
  19. 48fordnut
    Joined: Nov 4, 2005
    Posts: 4,215

    48fordnut
    Member Emeritus

    Excellent work and post. I can only imagine the hood lifting up and ending up in a field. Great post an thanks for sharing. Good to still have the money in your pocket.
     
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  20. Dick Stevens
    Joined: Aug 7, 2012
    Posts: 3,710

    Dick Stevens
    Member

    And, some new knowledge and confidence that you can get it done! You can be proud of your accomplishment, that repair is easier said than done!
     
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  21. '51 Roadmaster
    Joined: Aug 13, 2017
    Posts: 231

    '51 Roadmaster

    Update - October 30th 2017

    One of the problems I've been having is sourcing a suitable replacement hood ornament. The ones I've found are either A) badly pitted, B) damaged/distorted or C) ridiculously, laughably over-priced.

    Mine exploded on impact, shattering the 'bomb sight' ring (sending the pieces to places unknown) and bent the casting -

    IMG_3147.JPG

    You can see how badly it's warped -

    IMG_3148.JPG

    The one from my parts car ( See my thread 'Something Followed Me Home This Weekend') is pitted and warped in the opposite direction from the damage the hood sustained in the tornado...

    IMG_3149.JPG
    IMG_3150.JPG

    Anyhow, Canada Post dropped off a greatly anticipated package today - Found this on Kijiji out in British Columbia (Canada).

    IMG_3151.JPG

    It's no show stopper, but it's something to work with and it fits like a glove!

    IMG_3152.JPG

    Life's joys are about the simple things, right?

    So folks, that's all for now. Either than this, I recently bought a good vintage 9" grinder and I have some shrinking disks on order to smooth things out and see if I can finish it without filler. I'll keep you posted!

    Thanks again,

    '51 Roadmaster
    Saskatoon,Saskatchewan
    Canada
     
    Last edited: Oct 30, 2017
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  22. 1-SHOT
    Joined: Sep 23, 2014
    Posts: 2,693

    1-SHOT
    Member
    from Denton

    You can warn up pot metal and reform it, just enough to soften it then use glover and you candbend it. We use to do it in the body shop with a torch all the time years ago. I think we heated the pot metal till it got hot enough that spit on your finger would fry.
    Some one else may add to this. Try it on a bad one first to get your technique down.
    We use to straighten head light doors and 1/4 extensions all the time.
    Frank
     
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  23. '51 Roadmaster
    Joined: Aug 13, 2017
    Posts: 231

    '51 Roadmaster

    Thanks Frank. I've done some homework reading old threads on the HAMB about repairing pot metal. I'm going to try my hand at repairing the one from the junkyard and cover the process in another post.

    Thanks again,
    '51 Roadmaster
     
  24. scrap_metal
    Joined: Sep 26, 2017
    Posts: 182

    scrap_metal
    Member

    Look up muggy weld. I have used it on pot metal and it works great. it fills pitting or when you heat it up to bend you can fill and grind down to a profile you need
     
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  25. 1-SHOT
    Joined: Sep 23, 2014
    Posts: 2,693

    1-SHOT
    Member
    from Denton

    Muggy Weld works but you need to practice first to get the technique down.
    Years ago, in the late 50's early 60's there was a rod made for welding pot metal and had a flux in a jar that looked like the hair gell dippity do, we use a lot of it at the Mercedes Benz body shop.
    We also used a lot of Dutch Boy (lead) before Bondo came out.
    Just take your time and practice. Let us know how it turns out. I am following,
    Frank
     
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  26. '51 Roadmaster
    Joined: Aug 13, 2017
    Posts: 231

    '51 Roadmaster

    I will be buying some muggy weld and trying my hand at repairing the shoddy hood ornament. I've been looking at it for years but have never had a reason to buy it...now I do! I won't be tackling the pot metal repairs until spring, but I intend on posting a photo essay about that when it happens. It's something else I have not done before but - call me crazy- I'm looking forward to tackling that too.

    I said it before, but damn I love this hobby!
     
  27. belair
    Joined: Jul 10, 2006
    Posts: 9,013

    belair
    Member

    You have done a great job. Thanks for sharing.
     
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  28. Real NICE work 51 road master! Bruce.
     
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  29. 1-SHOT
    Joined: Sep 23, 2014
    Posts: 2,693

    1-SHOT
    Member
    from Denton

    Mugged also has some Aluminum Rod that you use a propane torch on it more like brazing than welding.
    Aluminum and pot metal repair cleanliness is first and foremost and always use a new stainless brush so you don't have cross contamination. Grinding disc will leave small particles imbedded in them the ceramic disc work better. Frank
     
    '51 Roadmaster likes this.

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