|
|
May 11, 2017 21:12:53 GMT
|
insert code here Hi everyone,
I thought I'd share some of the things I get up to, they are all car projects, but not necessarily about just one project.
I'll start with the MGB GT I'm restoring, it's got the usual rot in the floors, sills & wheelarches, I had the body shotblasted, so I can see what I've got to work with, as always this process takes no prisoners & what you thought was a solid shell soon evaporates quicker than money does buying new repair panels! I'm sure you've seen loads of these projects, they are all pretty much the same, so I won't bore with too much of that, but show how I make or repair the outside body panels, with ultimate aim of using no body filler, it maybe a bit ambitious, but that's the plan.
I started with the door skin, the skin does not have much, if any curve front to back, but curves top to bottom to varying degrees, this is how it happened..
|
|
Cheers Martin
No matter how clever you think you are, stupidity is always one step ahead of you
|
|
|
|
|
May 11, 2017 21:19:02 GMT
|
|
|
Last Edit: May 11, 2017 21:20:57 GMT by maxakarudy
Cheers Martin
No matter how clever you think you are, stupidity is always one step ahead of you
|
|
fogey
Posted a lot
Posts: 1,590
|
|
May 11, 2017 21:47:22 GMT
|
Fantastic fabrication skills and interesting to see . . . . . but why go to all that effort when MGB door skins are readily available?
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Fantastic fabrication skills and interesting to see . . . . . but why go to all that effort when MGB door skins are readily available? Thanks for compliment What do mean MGB doorskins are readily available , you must be mistaken, this isn't the kind of car you can go on Ebay & get a doorskin for £77.95 + £9.95 delivery, not a chance. No this is a very rare handbuilt car, the very nice man who I bought it off, said there were more Ferrari 250 SWB's built than this exotic beast & the 50k asking price was drop in the ocean of what a fully restored MGB GT was worth, after hearing that I couldn't get down the bank quick enough..... Fogey, that's a very valid question and in all seriousness it is something I wrestled with, why would I do that? Without sounding like I'm up myself, restoring an MGB is not challenging enough on it's own for me, but from a learning point of view of how to make panels, it made a lot of sense, if I screw things up, then just buy the part. I think I need to explain what the ultimate plan is so it makes more sense. The cars I love are from the 60's, L/W E Type Jags, Aston Martins, AC Cobras etc, all handbuilt by coachbuilders back in the day. These cars are now so expensive I'm never going to own one, but if I learn the skills necessary, then maybe I could build one, hense me starting with something basic like an MGB, which I intend to use as a daily driver instead of a standard euro box saloon. As I add more items to this tread you can see how my skills are developing from this point, stay tooned......
|
|
Cheers Martin
No matter how clever you think you are, stupidity is always one step ahead of you
|
|
79cord
Posted a lot
Posts: 2,607
|
|
|
Makes it look so easy, I'm sure it wasn't quite so simple but great for inspiration & shows it can be done for all the priceless, worthless exotics no-one provides for.
|
|
|
|
|
|
May 12, 2017 10:03:05 GMT
|
Hi good work so far. If you eventually get round to building an AC cobra body and indeed maybe a chassis, I should be able to help with lots of advice. Before I retired I used to be a coach builder and aluminium welder. I built many bodys for 289 cobras and ac ace s and acecas along with Bugatis, Frazer Nash le mans replicas 1950 Aston Martins and so on. I actually was involved in building AC Cobra 289 body bucks right the way through to attaching the new body to the chassis. The body buck can be made using a Kit car fibreglass body. I would suggest you learn to use a wheeling machine and gas aluminium welding Good luck
|
|
|
|
fogey
Posted a lot
Posts: 1,590
|
|
May 12, 2017 17:21:59 GMT
|
Fantastic fabrication skills and interesting to see . . . . . but why go to all that effort when MGB door skins are readily available? Thanks for compliment What do mean MGB doorskins are readily available , you must be mistaken, this isn't the kind of car you can go on Ebay & get a doorskin for £77.95 + £9.95 delivery, not a chance. No this is a very rare handbuilt car, the very nice man who I bought it off, said there were more Ferrari 250 SWB's built than this exotic beast & the 50k asking price was drop in the ocean of what a fully restored MGB GT was worth, after hearing that I couldn't get down the bank quick enough..... Fogey, that's a very valid question and in all seriousness it is something I wrestled with, why would I do that? Without sounding like I'm up myself, restoring an MGB is not challenging enough on it's own for me, but from a learning point of view of how to make panels, it made a lot of sense, if I screw things up, then just buy the part. I think I need to explain what the ultimate plan is so it makes more sense. The cars I love are from the 60's, L/W E Type Jags, Aston Martins, AC Cobras etc, all handbuilt by coachbuilders back in the day. These cars are now so expensive I'm never going to own one, but if I learn the skills necessary, then maybe I could build one, hense me starting with something basic like an MGB, which I intend to use as a daily driver instead of a standard euro box saloon. As I add more items to this tread you can see how my skills are developing from this point, stay tooned...... OK, that makes alot of sense. Judging by the skill you have already I reckon your goals are well within your capabilities. And, yes, please keep showing us your progress.
|
|
|
|
|
|
May 12, 2017 17:40:59 GMT
|
Kinda figured from the start that is what you are up to. Seems you already have a head start of some sort; it is obvious that door is not your first piece of bent metal? If it is, you might want to quit your day job and pursue this as a new career!
I have done a lot of work in MGBs and would say that they are a great car to learn the metal shaping basics because they are simple shapes and you can pick and choose the panels you want to make and buy the rest.
There are only four things you can do with tin: You can cut it, you can bend it and you can shrink it. Once mastered, the tin does not care if it is going on an MGB or an E-type or a Ferrari, it is just tin.
looking forward to seeing how the door-skin fits. Out of curiosity I did go put a straight edge to the door on my MGB GT and there was an arc front to rear. Maybe 1/4"
Bookmarked the thread. If you can you should change the tittle to reflect the metal shaping content because I would have missed it and I know that a lot of people are interested in this stuff.
|
|
|
|
|
|
May 12, 2017 18:20:21 GMT
|
rally not a fan of MGB's, but your enthusiasm for it and the ethos of the build, i like that !
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
There are only four things you can do with tin: You can cut it, you can bend it and you can shrink it. Sorry, this made me giggle! Great thread by the way, I often make little repair panels but I'd never think of attempting door skins!
|
|
1968 Cal Look Beetle - 2007cc motor - 14.45@93mph in full street trim 1970-ish Karmann Beetle cabriolet - project soon to be re-started. 1986 Scirocco - big plans, one day!
|
|
|
|
Martin's restoration mash uppeteh1969
@peteh1969
Club Retro Rides Member 107
|
|
Fantastic fabrication skills and interesting to see . . . . . but why go to all that effort when MGB door skins are readily available? Thanks for compliment What do mean MGB doorskins are readily available , you must be mistaken, this isn't the kind of car you can go on Ebay & get a doorskin for £77.95 + £9.95 delivery, not a chance. No this is a very rare handbuilt car, the very nice man who I bought it off, said there were more Ferrari 250 SWB's built than this exotic beast & the 50k asking price was drop in the ocean of what a fully restored MGB GT was worth, after hearing that I couldn't get down the bank quick enough..... Fogey, that's a very valid question and in all seriousness it is something I wrestled with, why would I do that? Without sounding like I'm up myself, restoring an MGB is not challenging enough on it's own for me, but from a learning point of view of how to make panels, it made a lot of sense, if I screw things up, then just buy the part. I think I need to explain what the ultimate plan is so it makes more sense. The cars I love are from the 60's, L/W E Type Jags, Aston Martins, AC Cobras etc, all handbuilt by coachbuilders back in the day. These cars are now so expensive I'm never going to own one, but if I learn the skills necessary, then maybe I could build one, hense me starting with something basic like an MGB, which I intend to use as a daily driver instead of a standard euro box saloon. As I add more items to this tread you can see how my skills are developing from this point, stay tooned...... Can you post some pictures of your car or what ever parts you have please?
|
|
|
|
|
|
May 13, 2017 12:18:29 GMT
|
Thanks for the comments. Yes metal is metal & creating shape makes anything you want, that's how I think of it too. The MG is not everyones taste, but it will suit my needs for now & it's a learning excerise, I've been on 2 metalshaping courses one at Contour Autocraft, when Ian was there & also went to MPH Panels in Cornwall, but there is only so much you can learn in a few days. The metalshaping forums have been a fantastic source of knowledge & anybody who is interested in knowing more should check them out, they have professionals on there that can give the correct advice, I'm an amateur & I don't think amateurs are the best people to ask advice about things, we've all heard ridiculous things said, as well intentioned advice in forums, but it's total garbage. I'm not new to fabrication, I've been messing with cars for over 35yrs, doing the usual basic restoration, but now at 52 I want get more serious at it, I would never do it for a living, I have my own business making signs, which pays the bills. Any way here's some panel work, some of you might have seen this already, but I'll put here as well...
|
|
Last Edit: May 14, 2017 21:03:20 GMT by maxakarudy
Cheers Martin
No matter how clever you think you are, stupidity is always one step ahead of you
|
|
|
|
May 13, 2017 12:35:52 GMT
|
Is that your own workshop or place of work ? I suppose that really helps as well having that place!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Yes I have a unit to play in, it's got 3ph electrics, so I can do most things. The door skin was rolled on a slip roller, btw A bit more on the wings, one was quite badly dented, so much so that I had to stand on it to get most of the shape back, then spent several hours straightening out with a hammer dolly. The wings I have are for a rubber bumper model, the only difference is the indicator area, this is cut out as the indicator is part of the bumper, where on the chrome bumper model which mine is has raise plinth area the indicator is mounted on, so I re-modelled to suit Gas welded btw
|
|
Cheers Martin
No matter how clever you think you are, stupidity is always one step ahead of you
|
|
|
|
May 14, 2017 19:39:55 GMT
|
all i can say, if you call that "amateur", then most of us must be chimps breaking macadamia nuts with a rock !!
|
|
|
|
|
|
May 14, 2017 21:26:57 GMT
|
all i can say, if you call that "amateur", then most of us must be chimps breaking macadamia nuts with a rock !! I study a lot of work by professional coachbuilders, who I would regard as the most skilled in the industry & try to emulate their work. They work on a completely different level to the average restoration shop doing mig welding repairs, that's what I was doing like everyone else, under a coat of filler the end result looks the same, so it's become the norm. You can't metal finish a migged repair to the same standard as a gas welded or tigged repair, but it really depends on what you want to get out of it, I really enjoy tappin metal, missis thinks I'm mental, The lightbulb moment comes on when don't worry about distortion & start to get your head around it, anybody can do it even monkeys like me.
|
|
Last Edit: May 14, 2017 21:27:37 GMT by maxakarudy
Cheers Martin
No matter how clever you think you are, stupidity is always one step ahead of you
|
|
gn3dr
Part of things
Posts: 391
|
|
May 14, 2017 22:12:28 GMT
|
all i can say, if you call that "amateur", then most of us must be chimps breaking macadamia nuts with a rock !! I study a lot of work by professional coachbuilders, who I would regard as the most skilled in the industry & try to emulate their work. They work on a completely different level to the average restoration shop doing mig welding repairs, that's what I was doing like everyone else, under a coat of filler the end result looks the same, so it's become the norm. You can't metal finish a migged repair to the same standard as a gas welded or tigged repair, but it really depends on what you want to get out of it, I really enjoy tappin metal, missis thinks I'm mental, The lightbulb moment comes on when don't worry about distortion & start to get your head around it, anybody can do it even monkeys like me. I hear you. i'm a bit addicted to forums like Metalmeet.com and looking at metalshaping tags on Instagram.
|
|
|
|
|
|
May 14, 2017 22:33:27 GMT
|
Put me in the Mig and Fill camp. I have a TIG welder and can use it, but have never been able to wrap my head around the planishing process that would justify the hours that go into TIG welding a panel to a metal finished state.
|
|
|
|
|
|
May 17, 2017 19:30:09 GMT
|
Put me in the Mig and Fill camp. I have a TIG welder and can use it, but have never been able to wrap my head around the planishing process that would justify the hours that go into TIG welding a panel to a metal finished state. I know what you are saying, but having had a bit of success with metal finishing it does become addictive, plus you get more efficient the more you, I reckon by the time you filled it, there's not a huge amount time difference in it. Don't get wrong there are times you can't get a dolly in behind the repair, so you just have to use filler, I've seen 100k cars with 4-5mm of filler in them.
|
|
Cheers Martin
No matter how clever you think you are, stupidity is always one step ahead of you
|
|
|
|
May 17, 2017 20:05:27 GMT
|
As I said at the start of this thread, it's not all about one project, so the MG is on ice at the moment. After the bit of success with it, I wanted to test things out on aluminum, I happened to have an E Type V12 wing knocking around, so I thought I'd have a crack at this for a challenge. I have been messing around tig welding, but always struggled to get the settings right, there are too many dials & options on a tig welder for my liking. So needing more education I joined the Mig Welding forum to see if I could understand where I was going wrong, it helped a lot, so I spend many hours practicing & finally felt I was getting somewhere. When welding sheetmetal it's not necessary to worry about "Stacking Dimes", more about strength of weld, as it's gonna be filed off smooth anyway. I made the wing in 3 sections, made it to touch the original panel as close as possible, then butt weld together, hammer & dolly to shape Headlight section Wheelarch in progress Wheelarch finished Rear wing section & all panels positioined for trimming, prior to welding Welded all together Filing & metal finishing all joints Finished
|
|
Last Edit: May 17, 2017 20:11:10 GMT by maxakarudy
Cheers Martin
No matter how clever you think you are, stupidity is always one step ahead of you
|
|
|