Show off your sheet metal fab projects

[lilredex]

Yes this is a great thread.

More on metal forming (Divco door) , had this site book marked....

http://heritagesonline.homestead.com/metalworking2.html

 

[MP&C]

I've had that site bookmarked for a couple years now also.. Very good insight....and don't miss the other 2 pages on metalforming, I think he also does the windshield opening.


Got some work done on the other corner today, but only after some shelves were put up in the pantry. A quick trip to Lowes this morning, and most of the afternoon was spent making sawdust...


Back to metalwork, this is about my favorite "vise mounted" anvil. 2" diameter works well for hammering around most radiuses.

The hole relief for the other side is tackled, I'll show a bit more detail on the high tech tools used....

Rounded tips on some punches...

3/4 round stock....

Test fit.....

And after numerous times of hammering, tweaking, fitting, trimming, not all in that order, this corner is starting to take shape.....

 

[toms73novass]

amazing!!

I wish I lived next door and could be you apprentice!

 

[LIVELY]

nice forming on the curves

 

[MP&C]

Appreciate the comments guys. Doesn't look like much to show in progress, but I did get some good forearm exercise in using the snips today. Just about ready to tack in the top part there, and then check the crown of the outer skin once more with the radius sweep before the final trim between the repair pieces.

 

[reaperwayne]

I wish i had even a quater of the skill some of you guys have

 

[socapots]

that is some insane fab work man.... im an seriously speechless..

 

[MP&C]

Jim, how's the MG coming?


Got a bit of welding done tonight, one step closer.

The top repair patch was tacked on first, aligning flat to the original surface.

Needed a profile gauge for the tailgate opening, so the top of the tailpan location, and tailgate "gap" was marked, and a leftover piece of MDF used to make the gauge.

Once the lower repair patch was fitted up, the profile gauge was checked to the tailgate skin and the side section tacked.

And the #10 radius sweep verified the bottom radius and the lower setion tacked

Once everything gets tacked together, the outer skin will be removed so the welds can be planished as we go to try and keep things straight.

 

[PeteMoore]

Sheet alloy with HUGE time constraints and very little in the way of tooling at the time

All mainly flat sheet with single curves so nothing too complex, enjoyable, but was under a lot of pressure to finish quickly

From this


Uploaded with ImageShack.us

to this


Uploaded with ImageShack.us



Uploaded with ImageShack.us



Uploaded with ImageShack.us

 

[Jim Stabe]

Jim, how's the MG coming?

I've been working on it but not at the pace you have. I have the rear fenders done and the lower valence in the rear. A lot of work on the exhaust system so I knew where to make the exit for the tips in the valence. I have the engine and trans out now so I can get serious about finishing the bodywork. I have to fit the front fenders, make a new hood and make a windshield. I got a '68 Impala windshield glass which has almost the same contours as the MG on the outer ends and enough width to span the car. The windshield wants to lay back about 10 deg more than the stocker so I have to fab a new frame in the Porsche Speedster style. I made a sandblaster to cut the glass down. We'll see how it turns out, I'll probably post a "how I did it" when it's done, same with the hood.

Goal is to get the car painted this year.















Jim

 

[PeteMoore]

Jim, that is gorgeous

I know it probably wasnt the hardest bit, or even the most rewarding, but how long did each rear arch take you to flare?

 

[MP&C]

It's looking good Jim! I was out your way again in Dec and should have checked in, But we didn't have as much free time this go round. If another trip comes up, maybe I can give you a hand wheeling a new hood panel..

 

[Jim Stabe]

Jim, that is gorgeous

I know it probably wasnt the hardest bit, or even the most rewarding, but how long did each rear arch take you to flare?

I didn't flare the rear arches, I made the fender from scratch. About 2 full days per side.

Jim

 

[Jim Stabe]

It's looking good Jim! I was out your way again in Dec and should have checked in, But we didn't have as much free time this go round. If another trip comes up, maybe I can give you a hand wheeling a new hood panel..

Thanks. That hood will take some help. It's over 4' each direction.

Jim

 

[PCO6]

Jim - I've restored 2 MGB's. What you are doing looks like a LOT more fun!

 

[Jim Stabe]

Jim - I've restored 2 MGB's. What you are doing looks like a LOT more fun!

You have to like doing this sort of thing because I have been working on it since 2001. The fun should really start when it's running finally.

 

[PCO6]

... The fun should really start when it's running finally.

I'll bet it will! I've also restored 5 MGA's. I remember being at a NAMGAR meet in Indianapolis about 25 years ago when a guy pulled up in his MGA roadster. It seemed odd that there were 3 people sitting in it shoulder to shoulder. Similar to what you are doing but not nearly as extensively, the owner had cut the body and chassis end to end and added about 8" down the middle. The reason for doing it was so he could put a 396 Chevy in it. He did a great job. I'm sure he would love to see what you are doing.

 

[Jim Stabe]

I'll bet it will! I've also restored 5 MGA's. I remember being at a NAMGAR meet in Indianapolis about 25 years ago when a guy pulled up in his MGA roadster. It seemed odd that there were 3 people sitting in it shoulder to shoulder. Similar to what you are doing but not nearly as extensively, the owner had cut the body and chassis end to end and added about 8" down the middle. The reason for doing it was so he could put a 396 Chevy in it. He did a great job. I'm sure he would love to see what you are doing.

You didn't happen to take any pictures did you?

 

[PCO6]

^^^ I may have but I'd really have to do some digging to find them. If you're familiar with NAMGAR (North American MGA Register) events, I think it was at GT-7 which would have been about 1980. I remember the car being dark blue and the guy who built it was very quiet, almost shy. He didn't think what he did was a big deal ... but the rest of sure did. I think he was from Indianapolis but I may be wrong. I definately remember getting to drive on the track for 5 or 6 laps. That was back when they pretty much let you go at your own pace. That certainly changed a few years later!

 

[Jim Stabe]

^^^ I may have but I'd really have to do some digging to find them. If you're familiar with NAMGAR (North American MGA Register) events, I think it was at GT-7 which would have been about 1980. I remember the car being dark blue and the guy who built it was very quiet, almost shy. He didn't think what he did was a big deal ... but the rest of sure did. I think he was from Indianapolis but I may be wrong. I definately remember getting to drive on the track for 5 or 6 laps. That was back when they pretty much let you go at your own pace. That certainly changed a few years later!

A good friend wants me to go to the combined event this year but the car won't be finished. I'll try Googling the GT-7 event and see if anything comes up.

 

[Jim Stabe]

I'll bet it will! I've also restored 5 MGA's. I remember being at a NAMGAR meet in Indianapolis about 25 years ago when a guy pulled up in his MGA roadster. It seemed odd that there were 3 people sitting in it shoulder to shoulder. Similar to what you are doing but not nearly as extensively, the owner had cut the body and chassis end to end and added about 8" down the middle. The reason for doing it was so he could put a 396 Chevy in it. He did a great job. I'm sure he would love to see what you are doing.

This is the only thing I found
http://www.britishv8.org/MG/SteveWayne.htm

 

[NASTYZEN]

Jim,That's a fine piece of automobile and craftsman ship indeed.Remember it took hundreds of people to build it.You are on your own.It's reasonable to think these things take a while to realize and bring to completion.But the day you turn the key and drive off in a cloud of debris.You will automatically forget all the grief n money n time it took for this moment.You will live THE MOMENT!

 

[Call me the Breeze]

Here's some more work from the R1 Rhino.

I had to redo the rear shock mounts since the guy that built the chassis didn't know how to.

All pieces were either hand cut on my band saw or on my shear and dimpled using my JMR dimple dies. The shock tabs are 3/16" CRS and are TIG welded. The shock mounts and cross brace are all 11ga CRS are MIG welded.

The Shock mounts:

The Shock Tabs:

The Cross Brace:

DANG! those sure are some pretty welds

 

[ZRX61]

This is one of mine:

All skins forward of the cockpit were new, also wing fillets & sides of the rear fuselage. Also quite a few new panels in the wings.

 

[bobadame]

Here's my old bus. I've done some rust repair on the chassis and am in the process of re-skinning everything under the windows. I originally bought it to pull my Dwarf car.

 

[PCO6]

This is the only thing I found
http://www.britishv8.org/MG/SteveWayne.htm

Jim - I've seen pictures of that car before and think it was very well done. The one I am referring to was a road car and not done quite as well as that one (pretty good though). It's a LOT of work ... which you more than most would know!

Stew

 

[ZRX61]

Here's my old bus.

Flexible?

 

[NASTYZEN]

DANG! those sure are some pretty welds

Man those are sick welds!To keep the weld that even over a long distance like that is really hard.I've been trying for 29 years now....
You have awesome skills.Keep showing us some of that work.

 

[NASTYZEN]

The thing ama jig,

Dude invented this reactive suspension in 96 and asked me to make something presentable to the F1 teams for them to visualize his concept.Ambitious to say the least,man this guy has balls.He actually took this thing ama jig to Europe and met with all the big teams.I conceived it so that you could take it all apart and fit it inside a suitcase.
The idea didn't get to far but Luc made good friends there.
I got a privileged tour of the Williams,Renault,Ferrari and Mc Laren pits that year at Le circuit Gilles Villeneuve.I even got to touch the championship winning Renault engine.Look and touch the cars!!
Other than the birth of my boys,this was the most awesome day in my life.

 

[MP&C]

Nice thing ama jig

 

[NASTYZEN]

Lola T 212 replacement oil tank.

 

[PCO6]

Flexible?

That's what I think too - a Flexible Starliner. Great looking buses.

 

[bobadame]

Flexible?

Yup, It's a '48 Flxible Sightseer. Only one "e" in Flxible One of the previous owners removed the overhead windows and skinned the roof with aluminum sheet. The overhead glass and the long windows were the difference between this model and the more common Clippers. Some other sheet metal work I've done is 18 gauge stainless steel tanks for fresh water and "used water". Other work includes a flipped differential from a Freightliner semi, a newer engine from a GMC dump truck. It's a BF6L913 Deutz, 600 watts solar panels on the roof and a neat little 3 cylinder diesel generator. I plan to do the interior in cherry with an art deco, streamlined look.

 

[NASTYZEN]

Bobadame that's a cool project.Show us some more.A bus must take forever to restore alone.I've seen some that were restored that turned out awesome in the end.Beautiful lines in those days.

 

[e-tek]

Between Jim, Natchyn and Robert, we got our own MetalMeet going on here - Awesome!

 

[bobadame]

Yes, it's a wonder we actually get anything done.

 

[NASTYZEN]

Between Jim, Natchyn and Robert, we got our own MetalMeet going on here - Awesome!

Who?

 

[NASTYZEN]

This is one of mine:

All skins forward of the cockpit were new, also wing fillets & sides of the rear fuselage. Also quite a few new panels in the wings.

Vintage aircraft are so cool.Please post more shots!Need to see airplane guts.

 

[milner351]

WOW - this is very humbling!

Excellent work guys!

 

[Mickm]

Awesome craftmanship in this thread for sure.
I am drooling over the Spitfire!

This is my coupe project I completed a few months back. It can be seen on the TV show CarCrazy when they aire their 2011 SEMA shows.

Cheers!
Mickm