No money but want skirts? Make em cheap!

Well I really want a set of skirts for my 47 cadillac, build thread is here

http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=639761

I have been looking for skirts for my car for awhile, this is a model 61 and the skirts are shorter than the fleetwood model. My Fleetwood parts car came with skirts but I didnt want to cut them to make them fit since they are worth something to a restorer. Repros are availble but at $500 a pair it wasnt worth it to me. So today I started to make my own. They are not going to be perfect or show quality but will do just fine.

So first thing I made a pattern, since I had my fleetwood skirts I traced them and then trimmed the pattern down to the size I needed. I used my favorite plastic box material, you can see through it so even if you didnt have a pattern to trace you could put it against the car and draw it. Anyhow pattern was made.



I wanted to use some steel that was sturdy enough to not flex much, just happened to have this rotted out 53 buick hood that was only good for scrap.



traced out the pattern plus 1/2" longer on the bottom and 3/8" or so wider all around the outside edge. Cut it out with a $10 harbor freight grinder and cutoff wheel.



I dont have a bender strong enough to bend this steel, not sure of the gauge, I didnt bother measuring. Scored the bend line with the cutoff wheel so the steel could be bent with a wide mouth vice grip and a hammer. I cut some reliefs around the corners so they would fold over and not look too bad.



Inside edge folded over and bottom bend 90 degrees.

 

What are you gonna use for brackets..?

 

Front view



Cut some hooks for the bottom to match the caddy quarter panels and welded in. They were initially tacked, test fit, and then final welded.



I knew this project was coming so while on the lookout for the correct skirts I was also looking for a junk set to rob the latches. Found a horrible set from a 65 bonneville that were rotted out but had good latches, scored them for $10. Scrapped the skirts and kept the latches. Still have the stainless from the skirts if anyone needs em!



Latches were too tall, have to cut them down.



Latch height cut down and welded in place.



Fit into place and it fits nicely. Fits tight enough not to come loose but I can still take it off without fighting it.



Took about 3 hours to make the first one, second should go faster. Total cost $10 for the pair.

 

Way to go man!

If you think you can you might , if you think you can't you won't.

 

Nice work!!! traditional to do things without fancy tools and equipment.

 

You are the man!
I am not afraid to make a set now.

 

Nice job. HRP

 

Looking good! I might try that for my '51 Shoebox. I'd like cruisers.
(Do you call that brown stuff rust or purina? I highlighted mine with two shades of primer. I hope it doesn't get criticized ! Har! Har!)

 

Done!

 

Thanks guys, they actually came out better than I thought they would. I sanded them and sprayed them gray primer, now I need to get a darker gray to somewhat match the lower side of the car. Hope it will help someone knock out a set for cheap, some of these skirts are stupid money to buy.

 

Love the matching color.

 

Nice job. Good easy to follow instructions too.

 

Great post! Love this type of thing. Lowbuck is the best! Very nice! E

 

Thanks for the post. True spirit of the hobby.

 

Looks good, but I don't get why you hammered the upper lip over completely, instead of making an inch wide lip 90 degrees all the way around. That's how most of the stock ones I've seen are made. Does the Caddy quarter have a recessed lip that these fit up against or something? Not a criticism, just wondering why you did it that way.

Also, if the center piece of that Buick hood ornament isn't broken, they're worth some money as a core to replate, they tend to have the long ends broken off. Might make you some coin on eBay to sell that piece off of that hood. I had a pitted-to-shit one I got $134 for a while back and the buyer was tickled pink to get it.

 

Questions and comments always welcome..the original caddy skirts actually had a small rounded edge around the perimeter, I could of copied it by tacking a piece of 1/8" rod to the skirt, hammered the edge around it, and then removed the rod. I didnt have any 1/8" rod and it wasnt that big of a size difference so I tried it this way. It actually worked fine and fit well, if you had a deeper recess in the quarter then the 1/8" rod trick, or whatever size needed, would work well. There is a recessed step in the fender that the skirt fits up against so having any thickness greater than 1/8" around the perimeter would not work.

Buick hood ormament is broken so no luck there, the ring is broken off.

 

You did a great job on the skirts, you made it look so easy.

 

good job !

 

Nice work!!!!my kinda guy....bigern

 

very nice...thanks for the inspiration.

 

Not into skirts (on cars that is) but I like when someone makes something use full out of something that would typically be tossed in the scrap pile. Fine job!

 

Okay.... cut an banged up some steel, little photo shop and then installed a swap meet skirt you found for the pic........
All kidding aside, you did a great job on it. Sometimes a "want" creates ability.
Now at 10 bucks each to make, add some finishing work to them and sell them for $100... Hahaha

 

Love it! That's better than anything you could buy, and truly a neat project build!

 

EXCELLENT!!! Very timely for me too as I've been on the prowl for a set of skirts to go on my '48 Dodge coupe. Don't feel like dropping $200 on fiberglass ones! This will be a good, winter, weekend project!!! THANKS!!!!

 

looks great, nice job.

 

nice job

 

looks good, nice work!

 

Knowing that you want something that you can't afford, and then using your brains and your hands to make it yourself, out of stuff you already have....

Isn't it a shame that these skills are disappearing for the most part, they're the ones that built our country

 

Very good point. We sure as hell see a lot of those types of skills right here on the HAMB though! Gives me some hope!!!

 

Great job!