Thread: One way to build a '32 sedan

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Originally Posted by Ken Thurm

DAVE - Thanks, yep, you have always guessed the material thickness on my stuff, How do you do that?

Ken

Lots of time playing with making my own Hot Rod stuff???? I really like the formability of 20ga on a wheel, though 22ga works even better, just requires a lot more structure to support it...Have you played with .040 aluminum much for a skin? Just scheming on a down-the-road-someday project...... Been playing with wooden bucks to form aluminum, just so dang slow! Maybe a wider pair of wheels on the English wheel wouldn't crush and track on aluminum as much??? Could you slip into Martel's back door someday and see what him and the boys are using?

Dave - I asked them and it depends on what there building as to the material, kind of expected that answer. He said if you are leaving marks you are using to much pressure, go slower. I told him, you were in a hurry


Making the clamps to hold the steering box in place. Had to take a break from welding. These will be seen below the dash so I think I will anodize them black when I'm done.
Ken

Ken ... although I don't post much I do have to mention that your stuff is ALWAYS kick ass. Nice job on the steering set up.

REGS

REGs - Thanks, got a long way to go!



Got the other side done today. Now I just have to finish all the bracing. After looking at it installed I think it would of looked better with a series of holes instead of the slots. I'm not going to do it over just make it black so maybe it will not be so obvious.
Ken

Worked on the roof, trying to get that finished up. I stepped the front half and laid the rear on that so It comes out flush. Wheeled the corners for the transition from the front to the side, then hand formed the rest, it didn't take much to bring it in. Next I'm going to put a sealer between the bows and the roof panel and start welding it in and praying a lot.
Ken

looks great, Ken!!!! Really do like the two piece idea for the roof... All that welding sure does make for a loooooonnnnngggggg day, though!!!!!

Thanks Dave, that's for sure. I would of rather made it out of one piece but some times I have help and some times not. so I didn't want to take a chance on making it out of one piece. It's just to hard to handle. I could just imagine taking it off to form something and it fold in half, that would be disastrous
Ken

Ken,

Thanks for this post, it has kept my juices flowing and gives me added inspiration for my own build.

Jack.

Originally Posted by Jack F

Ken,

Thanks for this post, it has kept my juices flowing and gives me added inspiration for my own build.

Jack.

Your welcome, that makes the time it takes to do this worth while
Ken

That looks really good Ken, nice tight fit. Have you considered something like 3M panel adhesive between the ribs and top panel?

Don

looks great!!
any idea on the crown of the panel ended up being?

Nice fit Ken. The seams look great. Stuff like that takes so much time and skill, but rarely gets noticed unless the fitting is sloppy! It's funny what we take for granted.

Don -- Thanks, yes, that's exactly what I got. I just imagined after the interior is all in and I'm cruising down the road and at a certain speed the harmonics from the wind and the vibration of the motor creating this rubbing of the roof to the bows and driving me nuts.

STREETWERKZ - I have no idea. What I did was use the body line that is just above the windshield frame, in the photo above, and started with that. It turned out to be very close. Then I just sighted them as I worked my way back. I think it is really close.

Steve - Thanks, It tool awhile. What you don't see is all the different ways I tried and threw away Lil' John told me once, how to tell if someone is a good craftsman. He said, "look in their dumpster, if it's got lots of parts in it, the guy is a real craftsman. The hardest person to please should be yourself ". Now I'm nowhere near what John was, but I try to live by that.
Ken

Ken
Know what you mean by the dumpster ---When Nye Frank was doing the frontend axle fairing for our rear engine dragster he make a piece for one side and then made 4 more like it---well they didn't fit so he tossed them so then made 2 pieces and duplicated them--didn't fit so dumpster---by the time I stopped off to see how it was going he was pretty much half way thru his carton of tipperellos (menthol cigars) and I pointed out that the axle was offset he had done about every combo of trying to build it with same pattern right and left--he said at least the first piece was right and only had to make 3 more different ones----at least when they did the front wheel fairings they made a scaled down version off the land speed record car--made a buck, did 4 panels and then oil canned (popped curve backwards) them and welded edges together

Sure miss him and Quincy!!!

Excellent job so far and I wish you well with the welding job in front of you,but heck it can't be any worse then welding up your stainless chassis.
Joke time..... hammer and file finish ????
Yes.I agree with the sealer to stop any drumming sounds but make sure it (the sealer) doesn't dry out or shrink as it could pull your roof panel. I am not familiar with the 3M product that you are going to use but hope it is a urethane sealer adhesive that can stand high temperatures.