Projects What!!? another 27 on 32 chassis!??. Scratch build body.

I get asked this quite often. As far as I know they are not available in the States. I don't know why, they have been sold over here for years. The ones in the photo were bought very cheap from a supermarket for two for two GB pounds. (less than a couple of dollars each) They are very good quality and I use them every day.

David

 

David, the welds on the cowl look as though you may have gone back and heated portions of the weld. Was this done to give you a more even HAZ, thus making it easier to plannish out?

 

I did a couple of shrinks. Like I said I got a fair bit of distortion.

When I first thought about making this panel I intended to make it in one piece. I did a test piece and decided I would struggle because the skin for the cowl is quite a big piece. It nagged at me and because doing it the way I showed above was not easy and I want to make some more of these bodies I decided to have a go - even though I had got a reasonable result I knew it would be a fair mount of work to metal finish the panel above because of the double reverse curve.

David

 

Wow.... I've just read this thread from the beginning. Amazing work. Every step carefully considered and executed.

I guess I shouldn't mention that I've given away a fair bit of '27 T sheet metal in recent years. Alas, none left. But then again, it doesn't seem to matter that you don't have reference panels close at hand.

Please continue to post updates.

 

Thanks tinman, I wish I had some more reference material but I can do it without its just harder!

I decided to have a go at forming the cowl panel in one piece so I cut out a blank (well actually I had James do it while I was busy on a customers car and he had five minutes)



The following day I marked the center point and the bend points



David

 

I then formed the radius at each side and stretched the back edge to create the double reverse, a little wheeling and I have the shape pretty close. I Just have to dress these areas to a smooth finish by hand now. I will have to do it by hand because its too large a panel to get a good finish on the wheel in such an awkward area but there is no welding so it will be a lot quicker to make this way as well for future bodies.



David

 

The one piece cowl is Lookin good David , hope the customers give you a bit more time to work on your car soon

Cheers Chris Bspoke

 

Cheers Chris, my deadline has gone by the wayside now but I will keep pluggung away.

David

 

Hi David, I found some of those clamps here in Melbourne. $10 each, from a Chinese tool shop. They only had four. There in my shed now.
How long have you got to get the car finish?
Cheers
Mark

 

Mark you should have bought some when you were here a while ago, it would have been a lot cheaper!

Like I said my deadline is now looking impossible. I just have too much other work on.

David

 

David. I should have, but the wife and kids. Had a big shopping list, of stuff I had to get for them!!!!!

 

This is coming along very nicely!!

 

Thnks fitzee I have the cowl panel almost finished now I will put some photos up as soon as I have time.

David

 

I always want to build a body from scratch.. love the work your doing.. i get alot of cool ideas.. so the double crown in the cowl? how you do that? Im very interested in that.

 

If you have read the last few pages of the thread you will see that I worked my way up to doing it in one piece. I saw by making the other cowl panel that I could create the shape (which is acually a reverse curve) by stretching the metal from the back of the panel. I hollowed it with a hollowing hammer graduating from the outer edge into the panel. this then has to be blended into the flat surface towards the front of the panel. When working on a reverse curve you have to bump up low areas. If you dress on dolly the panel sinks.



Reverse curves are the most difficult shape to make. A shallow one like this is even more difficult.

I show a little hollowing on mt youtube footage, just click the link.

David

 

I put the swage (bead) into the back edge of the cowl. I used a pullmax for the straight section of this but I could not get the area where it goes around the side of the panel because the opposite side touches the ground first so I decided to put this in by hand.


David

 

This shows the double reverse area of the panel and the hand formed swage (bead)



David

 

The double reverse of a 27 T cowl blends into a flat area at the center of the panel.



David

 

That cowl looks good David! That is too bad that you couldn't make your deadline. But you are very fortunate to have plenty of work in this crummy economy. That says a lot for your skills.
Keep plugging on it, we will keep watchin'! Thanks for sharing your first attempts, as well as the final results. I, for one, find it very interesting.

~Alden

 

When I make panels it is expected that I can make things right first time every time. Of course its not always possible to know the best way to make a panel. My first plan was to make the cowl in one piece but I got cold feet and decided it would be easier to handled in three. I am glad I had a go at making it in one, it turned out pretty good. I will post some more photos soon.

David

 

wow!! I always wonder about that curve and how to do it.. you da man..thanks

 

Cheers fitzee looks like you are the only person talking to me. Glad you find it interesting.

David

 

He's not the only one following though, so keep up the good work!

 

Not by along shot! Go man go!

 

Hi Brent and Mike I could see people had looked but like I said before I enjoy the banter, feels like a one sided conversation and hard to know if its of interest if no-one replys.

David

 

One sided conversation? Wouldn't bother Glen. Keep at it. Let me know if there's anything you need.

 

looks real good David,don't know if I'd have wanted to try doing it in one piece but you've worked it out. Impressive.

again..your makin hacks out of us again

 

Keep up the good work!... I'm following along and learning a lot to help with mine... working on a similar project... but using some original parts and no working doors... just a racecar....

 

SUHR
You did well to get the bun panels and door area in on piece. I did a similar thing once for a '23 T body but I put a joint in the panel each side of the door. Are you going to put the bead of the door in the panel? Why no build thread on here so we can see how you did it?

David

 

Cheers Phil, 'bout time you turned up to a Sidewinders meal!. I think I have all the info I need but if you find a roadster body let me know.

fleet-master- I am pleased to know you are still talking to me. Hope you are busy.

David