Cleaning out corners of shop and forgot I had this laying around...... Its a old fender stand for repairing 1900-1950's fenders off the vehicles. You clamp the damaged fender to the jig so you could straighten,metal finish, or lead the damaged area. Anybody have an idea about how old this really is and does it have any value ?????????? Don't know if I should continue to drag it around for another 40 years. Its handy when needed.
I'd love to have somethig like that. I'd also love to have the slots in the floor to clamp and pull against. Those look like a lot of work to install and keep clean, but sure would come in handy for straightening jobs.
What are the overall dimensions? could you please provide close up pics of the hooks? Looks like just what I needed a few months ago....I'm sure you could sell it to a shop that works on old cars.
The frame is roughly 30" wide x 60" long x 30" tall . The arms are 1 1/2 " tube w/ a slotted end that fits a 1 1/2 " wide , 2x1 piece of angle iron the has a leg welded to the bottom that fits in the slot . You could fabricate something like this but you would spend at least a day worth of effort plus material. The slots in the floor are a 60's era Blackhawk Korek frame repair rack . Pinned brackets and anchors fit into the channels and pulls are made with ball end hydraulic rams . Still haven't found a rack today that can pull as well and is a versatile as these . The only draw back is the under car work space is limited . But who wants to crawl around under a car that is under tension as the structure is being pulled back.
I was one of these at a swap meet about ten years ago, I'm sure that it went for a lot of money. Whatever the selling price was, it sold very fast. That was the only one that I'd seen before. If it were mine, I'd keep it.
Hey Larry, Haven't seen one of those in over fourty years! Last one I saw was at an old trade tech school that taught auto body to returning WWII vets on the G.I. Bill.
Today, I wouldn't want anything to do with an in-floor frame rack. Unless you're building ''totals'', little money in that today, most medium to heavy hits total. A light hit that requires a light pull, but deployed the airbag would also total. I've made better money with the old Blackhawk Dozer and pinch weld clamps, than with any "Chief Easyliner'' or "Kansas Jack'' drive on rack before they were payed for Which takes us back to your "Blackhawk Wreck-Rack''........when skilled labor was cheap, panels like fenders , doors and decks were rebuilt. Today, most guys learning the trade don't know a pry pick from a vixen file " Spending a nation into generational debt is not an act of compassion "
The voteck school I went to in the mid 70's had those fender/doors stands. They were purchased new in '72. We also had the Blackhawk Koreck frame system. I agree with Pimpim Paint, I made a heck of a lot more money with a Blackhawk pull dozer than I did with a Kansas Jack. I still have 2 Blackhawk pull dozers.
I know this one is earlier than 1950 as it was old back when I got it in 1972. I don't remember being able to purchase these new in the 70's. I thought production was canceled in the 50's. As far as dozers go , the Korek is hands down the quickest for light and medium work and it will easily pull the new UHS structures.
i love the slot style floor pulling system you got. I miss that from the shop i use to work at. It was the blackhawk system with a midrise lift sunk in, and you could clamp a car down and measure it plus we have the rams to pull anything from rails to sheetmetal. I plan on doing my garage that way.
The school opened in 1972 and all of the equipment was brand new. Possibly the ones we used were made from a different company.
I acquired this "straitening bench" 20 or so years ago, I never used it. It did not come with instructions.It is a Porter Furgeson. I am missing a couple of beams that clamped to the top as part of the set up. The clamps inside, bolt to the slides on the top to hold panels I guess. The only reason that I still have it is because it makes a great stand for my slitter that is bolted to the top of it. Has anyone ever seen this?
Yes, I have You're missin the cross beams that bolted to the upright & the cabinet. The clamps, with their rubber feet, bolted to the cross beams to hold fenders, doors, decks & hoods whyle they were being straightened. You could also jack from the deck of the unit with a 4 ton porta-power, and with some of the other clamps provided, use the unit as a press to straighten facebars with a 10 ton porta-power. These were probably first sold in the late thirties/fourties. Your missing cross beams would be easy enough to fab, is necessary " A government by the people for the people my ass ''
pimpin paint, I actually threw away the cross beams, I tried to use it a few times. I thought I was going to crush the door when I clamped it. Coulden't figure out how I could use it. The beams were made of 1" X 3" Sq tubing doubled, just like the parts welded to the base. It is called Porter Furgeson Body and Fender straightining equptment. Hydro Method. Have you ever used one? I would like to find out more about it. [I love old things (older than me)]
Roger, used one 35+ years ago to hold an old Caddie fender whyle I did rust repair on it, and beat out the headlamp area with a calking iron. These are a bigger, beefier version of Larry's Blackhawk Wreck Rack with the added benefit of being able to use the base as a jacking platform whyle the part is held clamped, at a good working height. Sad to think how many of these, and Larry's rack, have been melted down to build new Kias
I'm sure there has to be a couple of these laying around someones shop somewhere . Several years ago I spoke to the Ron Fournier about this stand . He mentioned they were far and few in between but not that uncommon. I wonder what other similar equipment is out there .
Hmmm, I've been in the paint and body biz for 40 years and surprized I've never ran across any of these fender racks. I did build on thou, got tired of chasing fenders around the bench. Has tie downs a lot like the OP's but mine pivots on a centered pin with a stand kinda like an engine stand with a HEAVY base, works great cause you can turn it to any angle. I'll try to take a pic of it monday and throw it on here.
Mr P Paint Sir you are so correct about today's young body shop workers.. Last week I went to pick up my OT truck from a body shop about 9000 worth of damage.. I told them the bed was not in correct aliment I them pulled out my string and taped it on each side to show them.. Their reply.. "I never saw or heard anything about that"" Back to the Fixture. Glad you saved it..
I know this is an old thread... but I just inherited a Blackhawk Reck Rack and I’m trying to figure out it’s value.... any help would be greatly appreciated!
I have no real use for it. I’m considering putting some plate steel on the top and turning into a welding table....
Surprised this thread came back to life . Where are you located at ? It would be great to see this tool kept together as it shows what the past was all about . This tool is still relevant in todays fabrication and restoration shop . Please keep me posted of what you plan to do . If you decide on the table I may be interested in just the arms .
The value would be in how complete it is along with someone having an actual use for it besides having a cool vintage piece of equipment in the shop. For someone who beats on vintage fenders every day in a restoration or rod shop it might be pretty handy. Body shops that cater to late model stuff wouldn't have a use for it.
Your correct . Restoration or someone repairing old fenders and the like. If you have used one during the repair of an old fender or the like , you won't let go of it. Beats wrestling with the parts on a stand or table.
I don’t do body work. My FIL, who passed away and is the one I inherited all this from, did body work for almost 70 years.... along with the Reck Rack I inherited more hammers and dollys (?) and other body work tools than you can shake a stick at. I really like the look of the Reck Rack it just takes up too much real estate on the floor especially when I will not have a real use for it. And I don’t really want to destroy it.
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