Thanks all for the welcoming words.
Quote:
Originally Posted by David Gardiner
If you want to build an aluminium body there are many skills to learn first. To me there is no point in making it in ally if it is going to be coated in plastic filler so shaping the metal and smoothing it to a metal finish are important.
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I agree wholeheartedly. The main reason I'd use aluminum for a body, other than ease of forming, is to have a polished aluminum, finished product. Like a Lotus IX or series 1 Eleven. With a painted body, steel, aluminum, fiberglass, it doesn't really matter.
Quote:
Originally Posted by David Gardiner
Welding ally is somthing you need to be able to do well to get good results with the finished panels. I use only gas welding for aluminium. Even though I make new bodies and panels for a living and have several wheeling machines a couple of pullmax machines shrinkers etc. I would say that eighty percent of the work I do is by hand, hand forming, welding and hand finishing so in my opinion these are the most important skills to learn.
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I weld o/a, tig, mig... stick. I can quickly and proficiently melt holes in many metals, in many different ways.
Welding is not a problem, it's the learning/confidence step in going from forming a simple steel 6"x14" patch panel up to a large section of swoopy aluminum fender.
All I have now are basic tools, hammers, dollies, shot bag, etc., but they have been fine for patch panels, sculpture pieces. More big boy tools as I progress.
Since I have a fiberglass version of the body and flares I want to replicate, I guess I already have a buck.
Body being restored, early on in the resto:
My J5
Friend's, finished (one of 30-40 left):
Mark's J5
Mark's J5
Rick