Thread: Project Sebring GT Spyder

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Complete newby question but, would it have been any easier to mill that shape into some stock and then bend?
Just thinking out loud...

Probably. That would have avoided a lot of the distortion caused by welding, too. I tried welding the parts together before bending, but my bender just didn't want to handle bending the heavier built-up pieces. It felt like it was about to break or bend something besides the part. I think a solid milled section would have been as bad or worse.

Now, if I had milled the sections to be bent out of aluminum, it might have handled it. If I do another one or something similar, I may test that idea.

Originally Posted by Hotrod46

Probably.
Now, if I had milled the sections to be bent out of aluminum, it might have handled it. If I do another one or something similar, I may test that idea.

Do another one? Yeah, right!?!?! 8-)

I was actually looking at my stack of cutters + spacers and I think I could do that setup in my little Atlas Horizontal.
Why? I don't know! Because is all I can say! Just because.

Originally Posted by 34_40

Why? I don't know! Because is all I can say! Just because.

Sometimes, that's the only reason we CAN give for some of the stuff we do in this hobby!

Originally Posted by Hotrod46

Sometimes, that's the only reason we CAN give for some of the stuff we do in this hobby!

My response is always: "Because it seemed a good idea at the time."

Originally Posted by johnboy

My response is always: "Because it seemed a good idea at the time."

Right up there with; Here...…..hold my beer...……...……….watch this...………….

Originally Posted by Bob Parmenter

Right up there with; Here...…..hold my beer...……...……….watch this...………….

Here you go. https://m.facebook.com/story.php?sto...42134512631101

Great beer story!

Compared to the bottom and sides, the top parts were a piece of cake! I made a 14 gauge angle section out of some of the scrap left over from my earlier fails (I sure had plenty!) for the front and used 16 gauge for the rear. This kept all the thicknesses the same as the other parts. The top glass groove is just a simple welded channel.



The rain gutter was made from more 14 gauge scrap. There were some tapped holes in the backside of the posts where the convertible top buckles attached and I used them, as well as some 1/4" studs to pull everything down and hold the frame the together. Eventually, the 1/4" studs will be capped with some dowels to locate my convertible top. The large rear bolts will be replaced with studs for top buckles, just as in the original cars. There are also a couple of #10x24 cap screws that go in from the side near the bottom of the post to anchor the frame to the posts.



Of course, the original Classic Roadsters top won't fit as it is now. I will have to make a wooden header bar to mate with the windshield frame. This is commonly how a lot of roadster type tops were made. I may have to get a little help from a trim shop for that job.

And here it is all assembled. I'm pleased with it after all the work and frustration.





I did make some angled brackets to butt against the rear of the lower section for some extra support. I was surprised to see a picture of an original AC Cobra after I did this that showed something similar. I guess great minds really do think alike!





They say hindsight is 20/20 and that certainly was the case here. It all seems so simple now that it's done, but what a crazy struggle it was to get here.

Here's what nearly 3 months worth of precision scrap looks like. Sure doesn't look like a lot for all the work that went into it!

You might feel better if you refer to that last picture as stock for future doodads.

That windshield is a beautiful piece. People will glance at it not having a clue how much effort, skill, and persistence it took to fabricate it. But you have the satisfaction of knowing.

Reminds me of being at the NSRA Nationals in Columbus, '96 I think. My late buddy Bubba and I were walking about looking at the various cars. We'd stopped at a '32 Ford coupe. As I looked inside the column drop caught my eye. Not because is was one of those lumpy, hacky, carpet covered abominations that were all too common, but because it had proper scale, and a graceful yet uncomplicated shape. A simple piece of function that was so well suited to it's environment it almost disappeared. So Bubba and I are commenting about how nice it is, and how similar it was to a couple we'd done together for projects when I see a guy out of the corner of my eye. We turn, and this guy says, "You noticed that column drop. Do you have any idea how much time...….. Oh, yeah, you noticed it so you probably do." It was the rightfully proud owner. I think that simple little observation made his day.

Nice job, it looks really good.

To quote Uncle Bob, "That windshield is a beautiful piece. People will glance at it not having a clue how much effort, skill, and persistence it took to fabricate it. But you have the satisfaction of knowing."

Thanks for sharing the ride. So far it's been a great roller coaster trip.

Thanks a bunch folks. Sorry for all the long posts, but it was a long story. It was also very humbling to fail so many times.

It means a lot when seasoned veterans of car building say your work is beautiful. I hope that the rest of the car turns out as well.

I hate to say too much, but I feel like I'm kind of on a roll with this project. Many pieces seem to be falling into place. I've felt this way before and have had "life" setbacks beyond my control derail my progress. Keep your fingers crossed that it doesn't happen again. I'm ready to drive this thing!

Originally Posted by Hotrod46

Thanks a bunch folks. Sorry for all the long posts, but it was a long story. It was also very humbling to fail so many times.

I hate to say too much, but I feel like I'm kind of on a roll with this project. Many pieces seem to be falling into place. I've felt this way before and have had "life" setbacks beyond my control derail my progress. Keep your fingers crossed that it doesn't happen again. I'm ready to drive this thing!

Don't ever apologize for a long post with many pictures. It adds so much to the story of this build.

And I'm not certain, but you may have just jinxed things

But I hope not - we're all ready for you to drive this thing too!!