I see many guys doing a superficial rounding, and not going into the door seal frame on the pillar. What did they do at the shops back in the day? Just wondering. If anyone has some pics please post them. Thanks
Superficial rounding? Without a photo I'm not even sure what that means? Most of the photos I've seen of cars "back in the day" were rounded at the corner only OR they replaced the whole window frame like in the Hirohata and Matranga Mercs.
This thread is totally useless without photos. I have no idea what the original poster is talking about, but here are some rounded door corners. Most people think the Matranga and Hirohata mercs are hardtopped, but in fact they have door posts and window frames made out of chromed channel. The channels stay up when the windows roll down just like a coupe or sedan. I assume they got the idea from the '39-'40 Mercuries with their thin window frames? The last photo is a pretty typical corner rounding as commonly done today. I cannot see how anyone could round the corner of the door without adding a similar shape to the posts??
I think I understand what you are asking. Your radius is determined by how much room you have in the door seal area or you will have to create a new door seal area. Not all rounded corners are the same they are sometimes determined with how much room you have to work.
Agreed, for example. Tri-Five Chevy post models. They have a square upper corner on the outside and a radiused inner door frame and inner jamb.
I am not talking about the Matranga and Hirohata mercs. When I will get home I will try and snap a couple photos, with some paper or cardboard used to describe what I am talking about. Basically, how did they do the Pillar corners on the inside of the jam. Not the part you see with the door closed. (really dont want to post pics of the many I have seen on here due to thats just messed up to call out someones work with photos.)
Most builders of the time just did the outside with no mods to the inside area. the exception would be the hood area then they would work the inside of the hood area dur to its sean with the hood open. Winfield was good for reworking the unseen areas.
There was a how to article in a fifties hot rod or car craft. Probably by Barris, he did a lot of them. The bodyman took a grinding disc, laid it on the door corner and traced around it. Then cut the corner to the line. I think he must have brazed the edge to hold the inner and outer piece together. Then he cut a matching piece of metal and welded it to the body. I think he cut another strip and welded it inside to finish the corner. Finally grind it all smooth, a little lead or filler, prime and paint.
I remember seeing that one now that you say that, I think in the Barris books, I totally forgot to look in those.
Oh I thought you were saying you've see guy rounding the door corner but not finishing the jamb area... Hence my "lazy" comment. Just have a piece of sheetmetal broke into a 90, and use the stretcher on it to match the door!
this makes no sense. you round the corner on the door, you make the post match. what more are you going to do?
Here is what I did on my doors. I don't think this is superficial rounding as I had to radius the b-pillar to match the radius'd door edge...
The jam area not being filled in. Thats it, this is on my todo list in the next couple weeks. The door jam looks like poo with repop front rear 1/4 panels anyways.
Oh, do you mean they leave a gap between the outside filler piece and the inner post?? That's just lazy and/or uninformed. All a person needs to do is lightly weld in a flat piece of sheet metal bent to the shape of the curve. It might not be as quick and clean as a 90 degree piece and a stretcher, but it'll do just fine if you take the time to grind and file it smooth. Mine looks just like 52chevtrev's. Back in the day they tended to just fill it all with lead. I would think even a mo-ron would take bondo on their thumb and smear it in there to fill the gap?
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