Lovely work! That guard is looking great! Reminds me of a story of a local panel beater in Maryborough, he wanted to widen a pair of rear guards on his A Tudor, but he felt they were too nice to modify. So he dragged out another pair which were worthy of being cut up, he then fixed them before he widened them, but another problem arose which he didn't anticipate, these too were too good to cut up! Haha Anyway again great job on fixing a previously stuffed guard!
Wow, some kind of voodoo going on there! So did you relif cut it so it could relax, then lay on the repair panel, mark it, cut pout the old, and fit the new? I tried replacing ther mounting lip of the rear fender on my 40, templated it, made a panel, all looked good .Cut it out, tacked in the new piece, and it was way off! Had to cut it out to do again, not got back to that yet....
@neilswheels No voodoo. When I slit up and beyond through the old weld it did relax some. I cut a very slight V and I was able to pull that together. Next I cut the lip off so I could lay the new arch in place. I clamped the rear half of the arch and pulled the front of the fender into position and clamped that. It took a bit of faffing about and doing it a few times to be where I was happy. With that okay I screwed it place then tacked around the outside. To do the cut and butt part I used a thin cut off wheel to cut along the edge of the new piece. You hold the blade about 45 degrees to the surface and basically undercut the new piece and through the old fender under it. I cut about 6" at a time. When you cut like this the new piece then sits in flush with the fender. Sometimes you have to push it or whatever then tack. Proceed all the way like this, then the old part of the fender just comes away and the new piece is tacked in where it is supposed to be. As far as fender mounting flanges, there are pics a few pages back of doing that. I clamp straps to hold the fender so it doesn't spring out of shape when I cut the old flange off. I keep it that way until the new flange is fully welded. Don't know if this helps, but it's what I have done. I'm sure there are many ways.
'faffing',what a great word, didnt know it was used outside of the UK. Thats pretty cool, cutting it away as you go, I did winder about the gap left, but the 45 idea makes sense, thats one to try in the future. It did look like the new panel was being attached with the old in place, but I couldnt see you welding it on top, Bracing, yep, should have done that.
These are the pieces that came out. The lip I cut first (so the new could overlay) then the flat bits that gradually came away as I cut and tacked. (I also cut the round ends out first - too tight to cut with a disc, even a small one. Those bits of scrap aren't in the pic)
well developed! i enjoy your buildthread so much and look really forward to a really unique custom that it will be, Thank you
Funny how life goes. I first met X38 , what was it 15 years ago? I was doing a roofing job on a factory and saw some hot rods across the industrial estate and went over to make acquaintance before I even put the ladder up. I wasn’t even a Hot Rod or Custom guy then. Purely a restorer. X38 is a good mate now and just keeps plugging away. He’s taught me a lot about traditional customs. I look forward to the day when we get out on the road together… but I still really enjoy the journey of creation, before we even roll a wheel in anger. No one will understand the blood sweat and tears and commitment it takes beside those who follow along on our respective journeys. Anyway here is to our friendship…. Tony, can you send me some beer ????…. The fridge is empty.
But wait, there's more! I'm not done with this fender yet. More bad stuff in the headlight area. Splits, cracks, old welds, lead... I decided to repair this by taking a chunk off the other standard fender that I liberated the wheel arch from. The shape seemed right and it was in better condition. I cut it off and dropped it in the de-rusting tub. With it suitably rust free I marked out the area to remove from the fender on the car and cut it off as well. Oh dear, what have I done Tacked in place, not too bad. A relief actually. Done, phew! I was shitting bricks for a while.
@X38 if you are ever on the far left USA coast and in need on an overnight halt, please do not hesitate to ask. I think we might just be of kindred spirits and I know the Australian word for beer. Its bourbon.
@Bandit Billy thanks for the offer, and I'd be happy to reciprocate. Except in my state we grow sugar cane, and where there's sugar cane there's rum, and here the rum of choice is this :
Moving onto the other fender, I started on some lip repairs. At the lower front, which had old repairs including a lump of 1/8 strap brazed inside, I cut this out and formed a new lower piece and then took a domed piece I matched off a scrap fender. I used a contour gauge to locate the right shape. All then tacked and welded together. Similar deal on the wheel arch. I made a piece for that. Then I thought I'd try the hood/grille and start getting the brain wrapped around that. The left side of the hood needs work before I can move on the the exciting actual 'custom' part!
This continues to be inspiring, or maybe daunting for me as I look at my projects. It just gets better and better.
Just to rewind a little. The hood had been roughly trimmed for the newgrille and here the lower stock grille is also cut away. Then attack the grille on the hood sides to make way. A nervous moment. I made a support pad and brackets to take the weight of the grille and locate the bottom. I also welded tabs to the back of the grille and fabbed brackets to locate it. This is the general idea. I covered the grille in cereal boxes for looks. A curved angle piece forms the front edge of the hood side and filled in lower grille. The whole lot is unified with the fender. Hood side in place and grille cut away. I plit and straightened the top edge to line up with the grille. And so we end up here. Now to do the other side, then make the section that blends the cut away hood to the grille and reshaped hood sides.
Amazing work! It looks like it was supposed to be that way the entire time. My favorite customizing is when it is done subtle so you have to look for the changes. You sir, are an artist.
I have to admit the only rum I have liked is from the Caribbean. Well, that and captain Morgan’s private reserve, I built a show car once on only that stuff, even gave it credit on the show board. Sounds tempting. Almost worth the day long flight to come see ya.
Been watching ( as a lurker ) since the beginning. You not only make it all better... You make it better. Just curious, you guys ever had Myers Planters Punch?
I'm not old enough to have lived past excellence but I rest assured I'm not missing out on it this time around...thanks for the inspirational Custom trip @X38...The build shots are breathtaking as well...sometimes I don't want them to end but you certainly are entitled to turning the key on what you've put you're unwavering workmanship into...
That's such a cool car. Your doing awesome work. Though I think it deserves something a lot more cool than a 302 and c4. True it's cheap and functional. But really that's all. It adds nothing to the cool timeless style you have put into this car.
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