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Best metal thickness for a door

Discussion in 'The Hokey Ass Message Board' started by thechondro, Jan 13, 2012.

  1. Best metal thickness for a door on a late 50s car? just need quick advice thank you in advance:)
     
  2. Same as the other side!
     
  3. dirtydixon
    Joined: Aug 2, 2010
    Posts: 296

    dirtydixon
    Member

    18 gauge would be my guess. If I am wrong I'm sure someone will correct me.
     
  4. Midwest Rodder
    Joined: Dec 7, 2008
    Posts: 1,768

    Midwest Rodder
    Member

    I was told that most cars in the 50's were stamped out of 19 gauge, I think 18 gauge would be the closest thing, 20 gauge is a little thin.
     

  5. Hnstray
    Joined: Aug 23, 2009
    Posts: 12,355

    Hnstray
    ALLIANCE MEMBER
    from Quincy, IL

    According to Ron Fournier, 19 ga is what body metal was until the newer high strength steels were introduced and the guage was thinned.

    Ron uses 19 ga DQAK (Draw Quality, Aluminum Killed) for his fabrications in steel. However, for a low crown panel like most doors skins the deep drawing potential of the DQAK wouldn't be all that important.

    For the same reason, I would think 18 ga dirtydixon suggests in the above post would work well too.

    Ray
     
  6. HomemadeHardtop57
    Joined: Nov 15, 2007
    Posts: 4,328

    HomemadeHardtop57
    Member

    19 or 20..sometimes I'll do patch panels with 18
     
  7. Seems like many different answers.
    I am using 18g for mine.
     
  8. R Frederick
    Joined: Mar 30, 2009
    Posts: 2,658

    R Frederick
    Member
    from illinois

  9. desotot
    Joined: Jan 29, 2008
    Posts: 2,036

    desotot
    Member

  10. Dan Parker
    Joined: Jul 6, 2009
    Posts: 94

    Dan Parker
    Member
    from Salem Al.

    19 ga. dqak is what we used in Lazze's class. I ordered mine from Central wire and steel. I just made two roof fillers for laqte model Jettas and could tell the differnce between it and regualar cold rolled sheet.
     
  11. Pops1532
    Joined: Jun 19, 2011
    Posts: 544

    Pops1532
    Member
    from Illinois

  12. That's what I thought my asshole next door neighbor who I swear has been doing body work for 30 years on old cars is fuckin with me. He told me 22. After I bought .20 gauge.!
    Thanks guys I'll stick with the 18 or 20. I'm never asking that dick anything else.
     
  13. That's what I thought my asshole next door neighbor who I swear has been doing body work for 30 years on old cars is fuckin with me. He told me 22. After I bought .20 gauge.!
    Thanks guys I'll stick with the 18 or 20. I'm never asking that dick anything else.
     
  14. ebfabman
    Joined: Mar 10, 2009
    Posts: 499

    ebfabman

    Never rely on a next door neighbor when the HAMB is one click away......;)
     
  15. 22 ga and rivets under bondo is better than window screen. Lol
     
  16. R Frederick
    Joined: Mar 30, 2009
    Posts: 2,658

    R Frederick
    Member
    from illinois

    22 might be what his gay-ass Toyota is made of, but not a real car.
     
  17. HomemadeHardtop57
    Joined: Nov 15, 2007
    Posts: 4,328

    HomemadeHardtop57
    Member

    hahahahahha
     
  18. fleet-master
    Joined: Sep 29, 2010
    Posts: 1,780

    fleet-master
    Member

    depends what tools you have Chondro...18g is hard to form with out a bender. i use 20g for door skins(and i have a guillotine n bender). plenty thick enough. bear in mind if you weld a half skin or new bottom on the door skin,it'll be a lot harder to correct any distortion if you use 18g. just my .02 PB
     
  19. fordcragar
    Joined: Dec 28, 2005
    Posts: 3,198

    fordcragar
    Member
    from Yakima WA.

    I posted the following on Metalmeet.com last year after trying to figure out what you buy when ordering metal. What you want to look at is the thickness and not the gage. All gages are not equal.

    If you look at each gage and the tolerances, you will find that there is some overlap between the gages. The info below is out of the "Machinery's Handbook, 21st edition, page 467" for sheet metal. When you call your metal dealer, ask them if they don't have 19 gage for the thickness of 18 gage. It might measure close enough to the upper tolerance for 19 gage to work for you. Even it is a little more, it might not be that much of a difference. Most of us would rather work with a little extra instead of less.

    Several us have been talking about a metal purchase on the west coast, you would be surprised on some of the metal thicknesses we have been quoted. The only way that you will know for sure is to mic it and it will vary some.

    The tolerance for these gages is +/- .004, this was from the table on page 467 for Cold Rolled Alloy Steel (for coils and cut lengths) between 40 and 48 inches wide and between .0314 and .0508 thick.
     

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  20. Cruiser
    Joined: May 29, 2006
    Posts: 2,241

    Cruiser
    Member

    You'll need an English wheel to get the door crown right with 18G, 20G would be easier without one. I always use 18G for most everything.

    CRUISER :cool:
     

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