Thread: 55 Wagon Progress

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Hey Robert, if you had the opposite problem on the lift gate and the gaps were too wide, how would you repair that?

You could use the same basic procedure to weld along the edge, then grind to flatten front and back sides, mark with compass and grind edge to set gaps.

You metal work is very impressive. The sad thing is that your modifications are so subtle and so well done that most people won't be even realize what you did. Nice work!

Originally Posted by MP&C

You could use the same basic procedure to weld along the edge, then grind to flatten front and back sides, mark with compass and grind edge to set gaps.

Robert, I know the most important point is for the gap to be consistent, but what do you use as your "ideal" gap width? I'm sanding out gaps on my 'glass body now.

Most times you'll have wider gaps to contend with, and in the case of a f/g car, adding material to a door edge is less of an option, so it's more about making the gaps consistent for less noticeable differences. Here's a thread on a car I didn't get a chance to finish, but shows some of the challenges with gaps and f/g. Quite a bit of work went into that, and a paint job went south because the owner's "project manager" (a nicer word for bitch boy) forced unrealistic demands in getting a paint job done when weather conditions didn't match the materials I had bought.

Progress Pictures, 1954 Vette - THE H.A.M.B.


So as you can see, Robert can screw up with the best of them..

With steel, you have more options in removal and adding material to adjust gaps. Depending on the paint, about 3/16 gap is what I shoot for. If you're looking at much more paint going on, i.e.: multi-coats that a Kandy finish would give, you may want to open them up a bit more....

Thanks for the reply. My gaps are almost all 1/16" or even less in places. I'm going basic black base coat/clear coat, so buildup shouldn't be an issue for me.

Robert, very nice metal work! Do you plan to shave the inner seam on the front fenders on the 8 o'clock posiotion on the head light openings of the front fenders? On the widening a door gap, I always see pictures of a metal rod welded to the edge of doors or what ever. Is that metal rod a coat hanger or brazing rod of some sort?

Roger, IMO 1/16 would be too tight and will result in paint chips as the body/doors/trunk lid flexes and moves around during road travel. On a positive note, at least they give you plenty of material to get the gaps set as you like...

Ryan, that will likely get done as well, but will wait until the front end comes apart again.. Re: the welding rod tacked on, I think you were likely looking at a TIG welding rod, which is copper coated steel. I haven't run into the need to fill a gap (yet) on steel, seems all of mine have been the other way around.

In the past I used the striker end of a match book as a guide for gaps.

Originally Posted by MP&C

Roger, IMO 1/16 would be too tight and will result in paint chips as the body/doors/trunk lid flexes and moves around during road travel. On a positive note, at least they give you plenty of material to get the gaps set as you like....

I agree, I was simply saying that my door gaps are very, very tight, and wondering what the "ideal" gap would be. I've got the driver's door done about 1/3 of the way around, using a 5/32" drill bit as my "feeler gauge". I need to find one of those "Vixen" files. The Mill Bastard tooth is a bit light for the work I'm doing.

Paint stick and a penny is the gap I've always used, kind of an old saying around here. When doing body work, always seem to have a paint stick around, and on the good days even a penny in the pocket!!!!

Originally Posted by Dave Severson

Paint stick and a penny is the gap I've always used, kind of an old saying around here. When doing body work, always seem to have a paint stick around, and on the good days even a penny in the pocket!!!!

Paint stick plus a penny thickness, right Dave? My paint sticks measure 5/32", plus a penny takes it to 0.21", just a hair over 13/64". I'm shaving the penny off my measurement. The important thing to me is a consistent gap.

That's a thick paint stick!!!! I like to stay somewhere's between 1/8" - 3/16" on driver's, tight side of 1/8" on trailered cars

Continuing on to the driver's side, this one is a bit tighter at the bottom than the other, shows about 1/32 gap. Used the compass again to mark the cut line...








Tacked, welded, and welds dressed...








All finished for this evening, have a couple pin holes to fix, will get them when we do the top...








Measured the gap on both sides, it is right at 5/32", or to be more technical, one paint stick width....

Wow, great work! Thanks for posting this. I never gave a thought to using a compass for this. That's a great idea!