Stretching a Model A Hood....continued

No. It doesn't touch on the sides of the hood. This is why both the profile of the rear of the front section and the front of the rear section will have to be modified...

That's why you have to saw cut both the front section and the rear section into an equal number of segments, prolly at least five segments each side of the hood, maybe more. And they should be fairly equal when viewed in the plan view. If you cut almost to the folded edge, you should be able to manage a relatively smooth transition.

You have to modify the profile to fit the longer hood. You must saw cut the rear of the front section and narrow it, and saw cut the front of the rear section and widen it. Use a straight edge the same length as the new hood side and clamp it at both the cowl and the shell and keep it on a flat surface... It may be difficult, but it can be done.

A few minutes with a straight edge will show you why it has to be modified. Not that it won't work...

I haven't heard any reason as to why it "won't work", only that it doesn't work in it's present condition. We already know that. It is definately about angles, or maybe it would be better to say the changing of the angles of the old hood to fit the angles of the new hood. The hard facts are that it'll be a lot of work, but it can be done. An ol' timer told me long ago, "Advice is the most worthless thing in the world. A wise man don't need it, and a foolish man won't heed it". I say "Go for it!!!" It's your hood!!!...

 

How many reasons do you want?did you take time to read any of the above?


my weekly metal work blog www.themetalsurgeon.com

 

I'm sure it is somewhere. If you find it let me know

 

Nothing against any one person but some people are flat out assholes. This guy is trying to do something for himself whether wrong or right. Give him some advise on ways to do it and let it be. Like he said he has the time to spend working on It and wants to work on It. Maybe it can be done In 10 minutes with a new piece of sheet metal or aluminum but who the hell wants to do that way, NOT HIM! If he wants to do it "the hard way,or incrrect way" let him do it.

 

I guess the people your referring to is someone like myself that is trying to help by saving alot of wasted time and energy.There is no need to call people names if you dont like the answer.What was the point in posting in the first place,to show us how not to do it?

my weekly metal work blog www.themetalsurgeon.com

 

As someone else said you learn from trying. The advice being given by the pros on here is correct I feel however if you try and fail you will still learn something. As others have said I think you would be better off making a new panel but good luck to you.

The biggest problem you will face is when you weld it. I have been doing metalwork for more than thirty years and I would have a problem welding the sections and ending up with anything useable.

When making panels part of the process is putting any welded joints in places where distortion will be less of an issue.

What welding process were you intending to use to join the sections?


David

 

i was going to suggest pm'ing mindover but he beat me to it... congrats on accepting the challenge to try.....

 

I see a great attitude here, So everyone says it won't work, but he will continue to try it and perhaps he will learn some things along the way. I say go for it and keep us informed!

 

It's not that he can't get it to fit somewhat, it's that after the HOURS UPON HOURS of cutting, welding, grinding, heat, and warpage he will put into the panel , He could Literally spend less money and time on a new piece of metal than he will on all the supplies to "make it work"

not that he won't learn something in the process.

 

Well, it was a famous quote from someone famous...but I forgot whom..

"you only learn from your mistakes, not from sucesses"




Once he does all the pie cuts and filler pieces......he will have learned a bit about what you guys have said.

 

Let me start by saying that I never before got involved in such a long, and sometimes contentious, thread. I started by asking for some guidance and did in fact get some. None of my previous posts were designed for boasting, it's not my style. I am simply a hobbyist that enjoys testing his limits.

In line with the above, I jumped in with both feet today, and made some cuts. I am getting closer to believing I can accomplish this. Things are starting to line up OK, not perfect, but OK. Check the photos.

 

I hope you did not take my first post wrong... I was only implying that you are learning. Nothing wrong with that. Keep going...it's only metal.

 

Good Job Bob, Don't let anything I've said get you down. I didn't mean it as discouragement, I'm coming from a business side of things and what would be most efficient for me vs quality. You'll do fine. After all, it's only metal.

 

oh, and looking at pic #6; I think I see that the rear cut is not all the way to the back? If you try welding that without cutting it into two pieces, the area at the end of the cut will be raised up like a crown.

You can visualize that by taking a piece of computer paper, and making the same very narrow pie cut and stop before you get to the other side. Then try to spread the seam. It will cause the paper to not lay flat anymore. Hope this helps.

 

i completely agree with working with what you have... look at my truck? like mindover and other people have said it could have been alot less work going new. thats why my next build is completely different than my first. i would never have learned so much unless i did it the way i did.. good luck. just try to keep the heat down when your grinding..

 

Very, very good advice from F&J and LK32Hudson. I've been thinking about the resistance while clamping this together, not too much, but some. I'm concerned about heat warping, I'll have to go very slow. A question though, would wet towels over the surrounding area help or hurt?
Bob

 

weld an inch then quench it with a cold wet rag.Then ,move the opposite end of the panel

my weekly metal work blog www.themetalsurgeon.com

 

use compressed air. i was always told not to put water on bare metal. i know there is moisture in the air but wouldnt water start the break down process metal surgeon...

 

as mindover asked what welding process are you going to use?

metal surgeon great advice. this reminds me about when i give estimates to fix rusted rocker panels, after i give them my price they ask me how i would fix it.... haha

 

good point ,but compressed air never cools at rapid rate you need it to.
The water only hits the surface and no further.


my weekly metal work blog www.themetalsurgeon.com

 

I'm not on board with the water quench of the weld...that will shrink it even more

as you weld, you need to stretch the area at the weld, because the welding has shrunken that immediate area.

Hence the term "hammer welding" which goes back to gas welding.... where you weld a bit, then hammer/dolly it out, then weld a bit and repeat.

 

Both cold wet rag and compressed air have their place and both arre good "tools".

Grant

 

I guess your going to mig weld it? I Tig all sheet metal as not only better for metal finishing but i do find mig weld on sheet metal brittle in comparison

my weekly metal work blog www.themetalsurgeon.com

 

After going through this whole thread and perhaps having some idea of the original posters abilities, you really thought he was going to TIG it?

 

what do you mean by "rapid rate" surgeon

 

Haha no!


my weekly metal work blog www.themetalsurgeon.com

 

anderson... haha. as F&J said when im shrinking with air i can control the shrink.. because i use the air pressure. with water its all or nothing. i could swipe the rag i guess.... surgeon i know theres a difference between building new panels from scratch and restoring henrys steel. like mindover said where the weld is matters most.

 

each to there own i guess!

my weekly metal work blog www.themetalsurgeon.com

 

It's sheet metal. Anything can be done. Keep going, it'll be fine.

 

cools quicker

my weekly metal work blog www.themetalsurgeon.com