Handmade 28 / 29 Roadster - Pics needed

I have a tank skin a buddy sent home with me. I have been building panels for it just for something to do when I am not working on customer cars. I have a 29 Roadster, but a previous owner molded everything in and I cannot tell how it is constructed so I need pics if anyone has any good ones.

The first picture below is where I am now and the rest of the pics are just so you guys know how I did it in case you want to tackle it yourself.

If you have any high resolution pics you can throw up of a cowl or any other parts please feel free to add them. I cannot seem to find any pics online for the windshield post and dash area so I cannot determine where I need to go from here..

Thanks for your time and any pics you throw up!

-Ronnie

 

That last pic is a jig I made. It is .25" plate steel with .25" welded and molded to it to hammer against. You could make a simple wooden jig, but I make a lot of patch panels and this just stands the test of time..

 

nice work ....can't help w/ pics but i must say i enjoy the use of the wood chisel and framin hammer.

 

None of the body hammers I own had enough balls. It was the next step up..

 

Still looking for a picture of the top of the cowl where the windshield posts connect..

I have a lot of planishing to do, but I am happy with it.

 

Don't know if these are any good to you but it's all i got. They are over 30 yr old pics with a crappy camera

 

wow, your off to a great start.
I don't know if this helps or not, but I found a link to this build of another hand build 28 roadster. Its all in french so i have no idea what the guy is saying, but judging by the pictures he has a lot of skill.
www.rods-customs.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=36&t=9930&st=0&sk=t&sd=a

I don't have any good or accurate pictures of how the top of the post should look. The tops on my rpu were badly damaged, so i just made new ones which are not an exact replica of the original.
1st picture is whats left of an original

next 3 show the new top, its just 3 pieces of metal cut to shape and welded together...holes still have to be drilled to mount windshield posts.


The top bar is recessed on the edges and slides underneath the posts, originally it was riveted, but i chose to weld mine in place

if you need any more pictures let me know.

 

Looks like mine. 22oz??

 

Sure is..

 

You guys have been a big help. Thank you!

 

Go here and paste your french url in and presto.. It will translate it to english.

http://itools.com/tool/google-translate-web-page-translator

 

Get in touch with pat pryor ,,,,

 

Sorry if I am confusing anyone with the backwards pics. I came here to ask for help from HAMB members so my posting picks with explanations is my way of giving back. I am in no way saying this is how things are done, just the way that I tackled it..


Below is a pic after I cut the sheet metal for the door skin allowing 3/8 around the edge to lap over the inner door structure. As you can see there are markings on the metal going back and forth. These are the paths that I took with a hammer to shape it. The outside of the door is slightly convex. To get this shape I put the outside of the door down on my steel bench after I made sure was very flat and clean and started hitting all over the back with a slight radius hammer following these paths to make sure I hit every square inch about 10 times. This action slightly raised the other side creating the convex shape.




In the picture below you will see the door skin that has already been shaped. At this time the door skin is convex and looks like a door skin without a raised belt line. To create the belt line I clamped a 1/4" thick bar to my table and allowed the section that would become the belt line hang over. I then chased that 1/4" bar with a well rounded edge 1" flat chisel (The sharp edge is ground off) and a hammer. slowly beating the panel down to create the belt line.





Soon I will be starting the inner door structure..

 

Damn! Glad I'm not the only guy crazy enough to attemt something like this. Nice work and some serious creativity. You can build about anything with a half million in equiptment. It takes some skill to build off a bench top.

I've been using a well flattened shot bag and leather slappers to crown my panels. Don't know if you ever tried that but it seems to leave less planishing work later. About the same as a power hammer would leave.

My build thread.... http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?p=7814107#post7814107

Lookin' good. I want to watch you do the quarters.

 

Thanks for the leather slapper tip. I will try that soon. Nice looking build BTW..

On the crazy comment I have a bead roller and two reciprocating machines, but I prefer to beat what I can in by hand when its for myself. You appreciate it a lot more when you remember the time you had creating her..

 

The simplicity of your operations is a revelation to many here. This is a lesson that these 'impossible' feats CAN be accomplished with a few tools and a good mind.

Your 'step' operation using 1/4" steel as a form is crystal clear, as is the mention of the rounded-nose chisel. Many guys would have waited to go buy a metal brake.
These methods are classic examples of old world European craftsmen that pounded body panels over wood and steel molds.

This is a very comprehensive thread.

 

Thanks buddy!

 

heres a coupe i did . maybe it can help you out somewhere along the line .

http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=685430&highlight=flop

 

Nice working work Flop! Thanks!

 

I know... I pushed the inside bead from the wrong side. I noticed if after if was all together. Oh well, its not cosmetic.

 

Looks great to me

 

nice work man.

 

Thanks!

 

Very, very nice work on that door structure!!! How are you planning on mounting up your hinge and lock structures? I'm getting close to that point on my doors.

 

I haven't worked that out yet. Just kind of flying by the seat of my pants..

 

Wow, nice progress with minimal tools. I can't wait to see what you make after you build the fancy equipment.

 

I have the fancy equipment. I just prefer the hand tools most of the time.

 

Wow man, its awesome to see what can be done with a few simple tools.. Kinda stalled out on my project 'cause I didn't think I had the right stuff to move forward... Think I'm gonna go bang on some metal tonight..

 

sexy!!!

 

Much appreciated Pat. It's an honor coming from someone with your mad skills..