Customs Wagon hunt may be OVER!!! 1952 DeSoto wagon is HOME!

Well, sure enough, the roof was used as a trampoline, and had 1/2" of Bondo, on top of the original paint of course. LOTS of pressure ridges where somebody pushed up the caved in sections, and LOTS of little divots, seen here as paint spots. It's a mess. Shrinking disk? I don't have one but always thought I needed one. Now I'm pretty sure I do.

 

A stud welder also, pull up those little divits first then hit them with a shrinking disk.

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I used a shrinking disk this summer for the first time, they work great. There are some online videos that show the proper way to use. Go with the 9” disc. I got mine thru pro shaper tools. I initially bought a small one, it may work hood in small spots, but the larger one works a whole lot better.


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My 49 Buick is very similar. Just got my,gauges back from the instrument shop.

 

Brian check out Robert McCartney's (mp&c) thread on the 55 wagon build. He uses a magnet and some metal grinding dust to mark the spots where he need to hammer and dolly. Otherwise, its hard to know where to position them on a large panel. A shrinking disc will help after you've raised the low spots. You really need a helper on this.

 

This will be first time we’ve ever hired upholstery out. Picked this houndstooth fabric and matching red leather, cut pile carpet and a cream headliner fabric. It is on.


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Get lit.


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LOVE the herringbone (I had a sport jacket with the same color/pattern when I was in elementary school)

 

Never mind the dangling wiring and general mess, but I finally got something done today. The courtesy and dome lights in the DeSoto are wired, and, even better, all the magic smoke stayed in the wiring and the little lights come on with every door opening. I'll put cargo lights in the rear, and ran wires for those too. This, and getting the actual year of the rear axle, and the CORRECT brake parts ordered, I feel good.
Oh, and the shrinking disks I was waiting for to get the trampoline dents out of the roof came too, so tomorrow we're gonna rock.

 

I know it’s hard to see, but I put the new shrinking disks to work on the VERY stretched out and “oil canning” roof of the wagon. In just a few minutes it’s reasonably flatter, NO More oil canning with even heavy pressure. I’m kind of torn right now between a bit more work and raising the couple of very minor low spots or calling it good and skimming it. It’d be a little more than FeatherFill will take care of, just enough to feel. I’m very happy with this addition to my tool kit!


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Sounds like you have some good luck on your side now!

 

I also have had very good luck with the shrinking discs. The large one is the easiest to use because it covers more area and remains flatter on the high spots than the small one. The small one is good for tight spaces but on large areas where the big one can be used, it is my "go to".

Great job, Brian!

 

An almost ripple free roof!


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I purchased the rippled shrinky disc many moons ago. what a great tool. looks like yours has some sort of guard, with mine "good luck" guards your skin and your skin guards your bones! it's like doing bodywork using a rattlesnake, I bet more than one person got bit.

my favorite job was an off topic car that had the roof punched in, then popped back out leaving the stretch marks around the edge. had several "experts" say I was going to have to skim coat the whole roof, and the tool was a joke. turned out the joke was on them. it came out near perfect. all I did was prime it and block a bit.

 

Wray Schelin makes a very nice and safe shrinking disc with the smooth edge. I would be very careful with the rippled discs. I'm sure they work but they could also do some damage if you dropped it against your thigh, for example. Those big grinders spin a long time after you've released the switch. Just sayin'...

https://www.proshaper.com/product-category/shrinking-disc/

One other thing. Use some sort of lubricant or the stainless will start to gall and remove metal. If you see sparks, you are doing it wrong. I use a bar of soap to lubricate the disc but I have also used a spray bottle of soapy water. Either will work.

Didn't mean to hijack your thread, Brian.

 

That's what this roof is like. It has, or had, pressure ridges all across the front, more than halfway down the right, and just past the drivers door on the left. It oilcanned terribly. Not so now, and will require just a tiny bit of filler. I'm super happy.

 

I saw sparks flying in the "how to" video from Wolfe Metalworks, but didn't have any. It does wad up the tiny bit of lacquer primer and original paint I didn't get completely off. Didn't seem to impact how it worked. I could probably get it better, but would still end up needing a bit of filler. Perhaps once I get more comfortable, and not afraid to "over shrink" or "over stretch", even thought the video says you just shrink 'em back and not to worry, I would. For now, I'm thinking it's SO much better than it was that I'm calling it good.

 

Jeff Spence sells a shrinking disk. I haven't seen any feedback on it though . I haven't have the need for one YET but that day may come.

 

Too many years ago to be very embarrassed now.......so, I’ll ‘fess up.....in the early ‘70s I had a pair of bell bottom slacks in that white/red herring bone.....was kinda proud of them at the time...

Ray

 

Correct brake pads, new calipers and correct rotors.


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No change. No rear brakes.


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Half an hour on the phone with a Speedway tech guy, leads this potential issue. My brake pedal assembly, a piece from the engine donor car, has a pedal ratio of 3.5:1. Not the 5-6:1 I should have. Houston, we may have found the problem.


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Somewhere some time ago, I read that the ratio was 7:1
Seems like a lot of mechanical advantage ...IDK

 

In eithe case, I don’t have enough...


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Here is an article about pedal ratio:

https://techtalk.mpbrakes.com/how-to-series/correctly-calculating-pedal-ratio


And another


https://help.summitracing.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/5037/~/what-is-brake-pedal-ratio?

 

Sparks indicate metal removal. So, a spark here and there 8snt critical but you can burn through a thin panel if you're not careful. Ask me how I know.

 

3.5:1 should give you a hard pedal and not enough pressure. 5:1 is good with a booster. If the ratio gets much higher than6:1, you will have a soft feeling pedal.

 

I CLEARLY don't have enough, which, by both of those tech sheets, describes my brake pedal "feel". this may be as simple now, that I have the correct mix of rear brake bits, of modifying my existing pedal. Otherwise, I'll just get a different pedal bracket and pedal assembly. Thanks!

 

400 PSI at the rear calipers no matter what I did. So, we're trying a new focus. New MC with a 1"bore, new 8" dual booster, new pedal/hanger with the correct geometry, new distribution block/prop valve on the way. Checking account somewhat lighter, so that debit card will be easier to carry around now.

 

Seems that pile of parts aught to eliminate the problem.