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Old 01-28-2012, 11:33 AM
merlinsautobody merlinsautobody is offline
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Default modifying a brookville 32 ford

most of you have seen what I have already done with the chop and roof panel so now I'm doing a lot of other changes to this so I'm starting this post to show as I go.

One of the things the owner of this car wanted was all the wood replaced with steel so I am going about looking this over and have formulated a plan of attack. I am starting with the passenger side , it will be used less so I can learn what I’m doing on this side and by the time I get to the driver’s side I should know a little more about how to accomplish this. I know that many hot rodders use 2x2 square tubing but I don’t want that kind of look, I want it to look like a factory made part. I started by making the first one of what will be many hammerforms for the lower inside of the hinge pillar, first one so it will be hidden behind the quarter so I’m not really concerned how “pretty” it is. I had already made one [shown in another post] but was not happy with the way it came out so I modified the hammerform and did it this way. Here is the blank and modified formfficeffice" />>>
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The screws in the bottom serve as a stop to position the blank; they are also countersunk so the press doesn’t break them off. This piece was a little longer than my press could handle so I put it in at a slight angle>>






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And the bending begins.>>





The 2x6 is cut at an angle to replicate the piece of wood this part will replace. That IS A PIECE OF 16 GA, so I was wailing on it with a 3lb sledge and a 2x4 until my wood broke then just used the hammer . being an outside curve the metal has to shrink the entire length so it didn’t come out as pretty as I would like but it’ll hidden so no problem. I had to wrap the piece around the 2x6 to the other side.>>



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I then took it out of the press and used the other half of the original form to finish the turn.>>



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I used a spoon to lift and finish the edge>>



After I took it out of the form I was satisfied with what I got. At least it won’t show when I’m done


fficeffice" />>>
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After looking it over I saw that I had enough material to make the lip it needed so I clamped it to the bench and grabbed my tipping pliers and went to work.


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Last edited by merlinsautobody; 01-28-2012 at 11:57 AM.
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Old 01-28-2012, 11:58 AM
merlinsautobody merlinsautobody is offline
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I forgot to take a picture after I finished the lip but it will show up in later photos. next I had to make the face of the jamb where the hinges mount so everything has to line up pretty close. I’m going to make nut plates that fit behind this piece so I can allow for some adjustment. I won’t be able to get a perfect fit so I need a little adjustability built in; the door gaps all depend on it. I used my shop press to make the hinge pockets I made some accessories for my 20 ton press and I had to play with them. I’m still figuring out how they work so I will show them when I get a better handle on what and how they work but I’ll make a separate post for that when I get a little free time to play with them some more. This picture shows the hinge plate face and the hammerforms I made to shape the part. That is just some mdf with some hardboard glued on to match the steps in the panel.





I vice gripped it all together and lowered it into my press






All ready to be tipped


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Tipped to about 30 deg with a steel body hammer. If you start the tipping with a soft faced hammer it tends to tear up the face of the hammer so I start with steel





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I continue with a dead blow hammer.




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I cut reliefs where the hinge depressions where to make it easier to bend, remember this is all 16ga material.>>
Then I flipped the piece over to do the other side.

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Used the same technique as before and this is what it looked like out of the form, I will cut the extra material at the hinges off.


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A trial fit to the door to make sure I’m heading in the right direction.



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Last edited by merlinsautobody; 01-28-2012 at 12:16 PM.
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  #3  
Old 01-31-2012, 10:54 PM
merlinsautobody merlinsautobody is offline
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I wanted to have some way to gauge what I was doing so I joined the cover for the door jamb to fit the chopped door and also the body. Now I can use this to make sure I get the hinge pillar face correct. Here it is vice griped to the hinges.




fficeffice" />>>
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referrelative="t" o:spt="75" coordsize="21600,21600">ath o:connecttype="rect" gradientshapeok="t" o:extrusionok="f">ath>I will do the same with the hinge pillar face and make sure the hinges work freely as the upper hinge has been moved and it had to be twisted to get the alignment with the other hinges, lots to do before I get there. There is a place on the lower part of the door opening wood frame that was routed out to allow for a brace that ties it to the floor and I have to allow for that brace also so I can use it. Here is what I had to make.









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I had the piece already formed that that had to be stepped down so I made a die set for my whackformer to do that with.>>





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Then I took the hinge plate face and put in the depression>>




I set it in the body to check the fit



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Everything looks like it’s lining up





That’s where I’m at right now but as I thought about this it seems to be taking a lot longer than I expected which is going to drive the bill up into the stratosphere. I was wondering if there were steel inner structures made for this car or ones that would work with some modification or what some of you that have done a job like this have done. I’m certainly not the first to do this job so some [a lot] of you know something that I don’t, so if you know something please tell me.>>
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Last edited by merlinsautobody; 01-31-2012 at 11:11 PM.
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Old 02-01-2012, 10:59 AM
robert robert is offline
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the ford roadster had steel inner structure from factory
maybe there are sets available that you can use
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  #5  
Old 02-01-2012, 01:17 PM
TheRodDoc TheRodDoc is offline
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The upolstery man won't like it much.
Should have tack strips on inside.

I've made a few and I weld them from pieces.

A steel post is made different then a wood one would be. You don't use the cover. The post itself shows. No need to put the hinge pockets in like you did,

I drew a couple ways to make a post with 2 different ways for the tack strip and hinges. The hinge mount with the counter sinks needs all adjusting done at door and by bending hinge.

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Last edited by TheRodDoc; 02-01-2012 at 01:20 PM.
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Old 02-01-2012, 03:00 PM
TheRodDoc TheRodDoc is offline
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Here is a drawing of how I have done a couple and it doesn't take to long to make them this way. Made with 4 parts. I cut a plate with my pattern torch to match skin shape. One cut and will use both sides of the cut plate. I hammer the post face outer edge over. Then clamp it and that form to table and slide other half of form up against edge I just bent over, Then hammer The spot weld lip over it.

Use same form to make the other three parts. Spot weld them all together with tig. Make sure hinge plates are put in before welding the inner piece of post in. (Welds in last) The wood type tack strip is just 1/4" plywood screwed on with a few countersink screws.

Yellow spots are to show spotwelds.
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  #7  
Old 02-12-2012, 04:27 PM
merlinsautobody merlinsautobody is offline
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First of all I would like to thank those who responded. Unfortunately I have already committed to doing things this way, if I had asked sooner I may have been able to save myself some extra work. I have however changed the way I am finishing this up, I am no longer concerned about copying the piece exactly just in making sure that it all fits. I have been working on this for the last week and I’m just now making the upper corner. I will finish the upper rail over the door in 18ga to make it a little easier on myself. I have already billed out almost 50hours on this part and I still have the other side and a upper tie bar to go. In making the upper half of the hinge pillar the first one I made was wrong, I marked the location of the hinge on the wrong side of the line so the hinge pocket was too close to the bend in the post. I also formed it wrong and made it pucker up at the bend. Here is a shot of the first setup I made.fficeffice" />>>






And here is the corrected setup. I needed to stretch the piece more at the indentation so I did it right the second time.fficeffice" />>>






You can see where I didn’t stretch enough and the part had a bit of pucker at the indentation. i used a piece of heavy bar to stretch this time.fficeffice" />>>






Here you can see the difference between the two pieces the second one came out a lot better.fficeffice" />>>







Next I had to bend the post where the roof starts to lean forward so I cut a couple notches and bent it over a pipe.fficeffice" />>>







I then joined it to the other half of the post facefficeffice" />>>





I then added hinge nut plate pockets and an inside piece to finish the backside of the pillar.fficeffice" />>>









Next I had to make a part for the inside just behind the outer qtr panel. So I made another setup for that and did it in two steps to make the part have the right curve in it. Here is the first part.fficeffice" />>>







After I had done the end that bends I relocated the part in my form to do the rest of the panel. The part is not the prettiest but it will be welded in behind the quarter panel so you and I are the only ones who will ever see it.fficeffice" />>>






I have done more but I didn’t get any pictures I’ll take some Monday as I have already joined this piece to the post and am now working on the upper corner.fficeffice" />>>










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Last edited by merlinsautobody; 02-12-2012 at 04:44 PM.
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Old 02-17-2012, 10:48 PM
merlinsautobody merlinsautobody is offline
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Well this week didn’t go as planned. I made the top rail on Monday but didn’t notice that it had a slight curvature to it so I tried to put one in but was not satisfied with the results so I cut it off and started over. The curve was only a quarter of an inch deep at the center but without it it just didn’t fit the top of the door. So I came up with this setup to put a curve in the part.fficeffice" />>>






I just glued a little piece of 1/4“ hardboard on the ends and middle, stuck it in the press and instant curve. I then remade my top rail and was much happier with the results. Went ahead and finished up the post assembly here it is with the original wood piece next to it.fficeffice" />>>










I have put this in and taken it out a couple dozen times to fit all the areas and make sure everything is lining up. Here it is in placefficeffice" />>>











I took it back out to spray galve it but I forgot that I had marked where the hinges were supposed to get drilled for so I guess I’m doing that again. The original cover plate will fit over the new piece so any rough areas will be hidden. Next week I will mount the door then this side will pretty much be done. I think the other side will go a lot smoother, now that I have made all the mistakes and know what to do.fficeffice" />>>
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Last edited by merlinsautobody; 02-17-2012 at 10:57 PM.
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Old 02-29-2012, 08:29 PM
merlinsautobody merlinsautobody is offline
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Well I have finally got the door mounted and adjusted. I had to make a few adjustments along the way. I had taken a pattern off the original wood but it must have shifted during the transfer because it was off a little and I had to bend the new post. I only needed to move about a quarter of an inch at the most but the door wouldn’t line up until I did. I made a quick setup in my press to do thisfficeffice" />>>
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I took it real slow so I wouldn’t over bend it, but it came out fine then I found another issue but first I’ll show you what it looked like in positionfficeffice" />>>







I had taken another picture but it came out too blurred to use so I’ll show a later shot the shows the gap I have above the top hingefficeffice" />>>







This was taken after the door was mounted, I must have gotten the angle off just a tiny amount when I joined the upper half of the post face to the lower and I didn’t catch it. Have to watch that on the other side. Anyhow I got the door to line up pretty well. I’ll just have to cheat on that gap, oh well I’m still learning I have only been doing the metal shaping for about five years and I’m working with a disability [stroke related]my right hand is less capable than my left and I was right handed all my life. Here’s what the door looks like closed, from the inside.fficeffice" />>>
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After this I moved the car outside to clean up the shop and took this picture. this is the side the other shop cut up for me so I started with it.fficeffice" />>>








I took a couple days off and did a major swap meet show this weekend It’s my one big advertising for the year. I have a big sign board I made with about a 150 pictures on both sides so I can show people what I do. I have been doing this for about five years now and I always have people telling me that they are still saving my card. I have people call me that saw me three years ago and are finally to do their job. That is one show I try not to miss although it got rained out two years in a row. It turned out to be a gorgeous weekend and I talked to a lot of people. Talked to two metal men that just had sold their pullmax’s one was trying to retire [he was 73] but said his customers just wouldn’t let him; he was from Arizona and was drastically downsizing. I worked on shop equipment all day today but I’ll get going on the other side this week. That’s all for now.fficeffice" />>>
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Last edited by merlinsautobody; 02-29-2012 at 08:42 PM.
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  #10  
Old 03-01-2012, 01:54 AM
Dyce Dyce is offline
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Thanks for posting the project Gale. It looks like a struggle, but that reminds me of the progress I'm making on my Lincoln project!! I like it you point out the troubles you are having, and how you get it to a finnished product. To many projects posted just look to much like magic. Most people are afraid to post the corrections made, and we all know it's not a perfect world, and good things come at a price.
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