Fantastic problem-solving, and thanks much for documenting your work so thoroughly. I'm very fortunate to have a nearly rust-free project, currently, but the one on deck will need a fair amount of creative rust repair. It's already clear that this one will be one to save, text and all, for future reference, so it's much appreciated. "Plan for the car is a early style custom, with chop, lowering, retaining most of the trim and use of a '49 331 Cadillac mated to the stock Ford box and banjo rear. Hubs and breaks will be changed for repro Lincoln units." Sounds like a good plan to me...can't wait to see it unfold. These Mercs don't need much to be stunning. I'm building my '46 as a hot rod for its first go-round, but will re-do it as a custom after a few years. My main change will be to switch to a '41 Merc front clip because to my mind it's already custom.
Thanks for the feedback everybody! Little more progress: all individual pieces are finished and can now be joined. Here is a joint with the formed flange using the HF flanging tool. The tool does not make a flange quite deep enough for 18 ga so had to be tweaked but now works fine. I love the hole punch on it... Aligning the pieces is crucial. The all share a straight bottom surface which makes this easier. The rear piece has an angle towards the middle of the car. I only tacked the vertical wall, which allows me to test fit and tack the piece on the car in the correct angle.
Very nice work you're doing and thanks for posting up your progress! Is this the flanging tool you have? http://www.harborfreight.com/air-punch-flange-tool-1110.html -Chris
Welding the joint solid both inside and outside. Same thing with the front piece. This is a straight joint which is easier. Length is critical, so careful when marking and adding the additional length for the flange. Here is the right side finished. Lot of work but doing manageable sections makes it possible to do this with simple tools. Replacing the trunk section of the floor will be next before welding in the main floor, which still needs a couple of features added. Until next time...
I have to keep telling myself this is a hobby, else I should have bought a done car. You have to concentrate on one single aspect at a time, else it's overwhelming, at least to me.
That's the one. Had to take the jaws apart and deepen the groove a little to create a flush fit with the 18 Ga.
You are doing a nice job and I like your effort to make everything look like factory made parts.Following with great intresst
So true swissmike (one little project at a time keeps it manageable) you are doing a great job on the project and the posts!
Excellent work, Swissmike! This is 10,000 times better than the dummies who use 1" square tubing for a floor
Great job, Swissy. Me and the boys need to make a pilgrimage down there in the near future. Still have not forgotten those yummy raspberry pancakes. JT
Quick update. I started on the trunk floor... It's a goner. I will trim it back to the middle of the axle hump and form a shape that allows room for a straightened rear crossmember. Does anybody know what the two circular holes are in the flat part of the floor? One is open and the other is still closed. There is absolutely nothing under that location that needs access as far as I can tell and this floor is specific to that car model.
I will make the floor in several sections. The first section covers the axle and the crossmember. It has two rectangular raised areas where the crossmember protrudes from the frame. I made a wooden buck to form them. Here it is in use... The shaped feature from the outside next to the stock piece.
The panel with the bend and flange for the bottom floor. Then added some ribs to keep the panel from buckling. The area in the middle will get a cover to access the rear axle U shackles. I am only going to cut the opening once everything is welded solid. I left a recessed flange on the stock floor where the two panes join. This helps me align the panels while inform the features and test fit the piece. This was one evenings worth of work. I apologize for documenting what may be completely trivial to some of you guys, but it keeps me focused and plan ahead. Hope to get the trunk floor completed this weekend...
Trivial shmivial...Keep those pictures coming! Incredible results with minimal resources and maximum skills.
Finished the first piece. The panel needs some general shaping to match up with the existing edge as well as curvature by shrinking the edges. I found that I needed a little extra clearance over the crossmember rivets, so I just used a piece of pipe to form the dimples in place. Next was filling the corners and welding everything solid A little clean up and voila...
I had the same type of holes in my 40 Ford's trunk floor. I was thinking that they may have been used as access holes for whatever jig they used for lifting the floor pan or the body during assembly and were filled in after the body was installed on the frame. I am really enjoying your build thread! Keep the details coming. I have already observed several great ideas I will incorporate into the floor project of my next build.
The Jalopy Journal
