Well, I've read a whole bunch of sheetmetal posts that always seem to involve English wheels, or folding machines, or shrinkers and such, and I've always felt a bit left out because all the gear I have is wrenches, hammers and a bench vice. Oh, and a single round dolly that | bought for about a pound at a swap meet. So, I thought I'd have a go at repairing a lower door using the sort of stuff most all us guys have around the shop. Basically, the lower 4" of the door was rotted out completely, so I made a cardboard template of the shape the door needed to be, and transferred that to some 18 gauge steel. I used two pieces of steel as there is a compound curve in the door and a single piece wouldn't curve enough. Two pieces made it better. Also left about 5/8" extra around the outer edges that needed a rolled edge on. I rolled the edges using my hi-tech tool: an adjustable wrench: After I'd bent them as far as I could I hammered them almost flat with an ordinary hammer. Then I tacked them where they needed to go, trying the door in place on the car as I went along to get the curve somewhere near. After that I cut a filler strip for the bottom, that matched the curve of the door. Took a bit of fiddling around, using a bit of cardboard as a template before cutting steel. Another piece of sheet steel was cut to make the inner door, and the edges bent as required using the usual hi-tech edging tool. Finally, it started looking like a door again, and just needs finish welding and a little pounding to get it just right. Got to admit, it looks far neater in the pics than it did in real life. Now, a little filler and some paint:
Hell yeah Man use whatever you got layin around. Thats whats its all about. I did things that way for years till I realized that i was going to do this shit for a while and shouldnt suffer. Now whenever I have a lil cash I'll buy a tool that I really need, It makes things a bit easier with nice tools but doesnt mean it cant be done without.
Nice looking work, and practical tool useage, also! Just curious, where the two patch sections went on the lower door skin, are they lapped or butted? BTW, I dig that little recess in the lower cowl for the pitman arm - cool!
Bwaaahaahaa, try $6 a gallon for UK pump piss. Kinky 6, I just overlapped them a half inch. It was a quick and easy fix, and I'm running low on enthusiasm after three years, just want to get it on the road.
Very nice work. You're next investment should be for a simple panel flanger - they make them hand-held like a pair of vice grips. I'll make the job eaiser & stronger (you can weld on both sides most of the time). Cool car too. ~ Paul aka "Tha Driver" Easy on the Giggle Cream!
Nice work...skill and ingenuity will always win out over high tech tools if they're not used properly. That Morris sure would make a killer sedan delivery...ever thought about filling in those back windows? Time for a photoshop!
Very nice first attempt. What'ca got under the hood? Do you have a picture with it open (the hood, that is ). An SD would be nice too.
That looks great! And that's the extent of most of our tools too.... Now, if you haven't already, drop a marble, ball bearing or a gum ball, something small and round into the door with it closed and see where it rolls too. Where it stops drill about an 8mm hole to let the liquid sunshine and rust maker out.
Hey, great work and grreat tech article. Tech articles like that can really inspire folks as they can see what can be done without all the pro tools. Why spend 20 or 30 bucks for a flanger to use one time when you can use an adjustable wrench!! Brilliant!! Thanks for taking the time to share!!
Here ya go, crappy picture but it's the only one I have with the car looking anywhere near together. The motor is a 215 Buick/Rover
Great post and nice car by the way! This is thge kind of stuff that inspires me. I will patch the bottom of my doors tomorrow!
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