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Old 03-12-2017, 08:01 AM
longyard longyard is offline
MetalShaper of the Month September 2013
 
Join Date: May 2012
Location: Winston-Salem, NC
Posts: 1,083
Default Elvis' BMW 507: Original Buck: How-To

Also at Stuttgart: Martelleria is a restoration company in Forstern, Germany owned by Martin Deggelmann. It was given the assignment to restore the metal on Elvis Presley's recently discovered BMW 507. It used ORIGINAL BUCKS to remake panels, including this left front fender. The bucks are still owned by BMW and were lent to Martelleria.

I asked Deggelmann to explain the process, and he instructed one of his team members with better English to fill me in. HOWEVER, the team member who spoke to me mostly does 3-D scanning in the company, and is not a metal worker. I therefore SUSPECT some of his answers, and would INVITE COMMENT from those who know more.

According to the person I spoke to, this is the process:

1. Using MOSTLY AN ECKOLD KRAFTFORMER, the shape of the fender is created so that it fits tightly over the buck. NOTE: I questioned how this could be done with the protruding body line which keep the panel at least a 1/2" off the buck.
2. Once the shape is in the panel, the panel is clamped to the buck and using a series of caulking (corking) tools, the bodyline is impressed into the panel. NOTE: The bodyline is make of cast zamak and is screwed into the wooden buck. I ASKED if the casting was removed to first shape the panel and was specifically told "No."
3. I asked how the flat top of the body line was retained during the caulking process, and was told that a series of wood strips were clamped to it as the shape came up which maintained its flatness.
4. I wanted to confirm these answers with Deggelmann, but he was very busy with other people, and I didn't want to appear impolite or ungrateful to the man who answered my questions. HOWEVER: I hope those more familiar with this process will comment. KENT WHITE? MARK SAVORY?

The egg crate buck was made using 3-D scanning and CNC cutting, and is covered in fiberglass so that details can be caulked/corked in. DRAT! I forget what car it is for, but know that it was for a competition car wrecked in the 1950/60s which needed a nose in the original configuration to replace a bad repair. I think it was English.

MOST WORK ON BOTH CARS DONE ON AN ECKOLD!

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Bill Longyard
Winston-Salem, NC
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