Thread: '38 Ford deck lid vs 37 Ford deck lid

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I've got a long head pick, then just a nice dingin' hammer with a chisel point end.

Body work goes so much better when you have quality tools to do it with!!! I've got a lot of different dollies that I've made to fit peculiar applications over the years, too. Sometimes it takes a special backer on an edge or in an area such as a door or trunk sill to get things straight. Different sizes of heavy wall tubing held in a vice are great for shaping rounded pieces, etc.... Oh yeah, and the aluminum light pole in the alley is the perfect shape for the rounded edge of a rolled pan!!!!

This is what I have for hammerin' car bodies. As Mike said, and not pictured, a bunch of ball pein hammers, a 4 pound sledge and for rough in work, a nicely balanced 8 pounder, then there are several general carpentry and specialized other versions.

The Martin dolly is a 1060, the Martin hammer is a 158G with the dinging hammer a Fairmont (I recall paying a buck for it at a yard sale) and every bit as nice as the Martin and the one replaced the 'glass handled hammer. That clunk dolly is what's left of a $10 K-mart set - and while beat up, does 'feel' good.

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What do you call those ? Sleepers cause they don't look used.

Originally Posted by angrystroker

What do you call those ? Sleepers cause they don't look used.

Hey angrystroker, I'm sure those hammers have seen plenty of use! It's just that Dave (IC2) is very meticulous about his tools & his workspace. I don't know how he does it because even after one use, my stuff looks like crap! LOL!

Originally Posted by angrystroker

What do you call those ? Sleepers cause they don't look used.

Do I even know who you are??

My tools are just that - tools. Whether they look used/abused or not - not your concern.
I use them, clean them and put them in their back in their clean storage area

So, speaking of Martin hammers.....you guys have seen pics of what I'm up against, so if I was going to allow myself to buy only 2 hammers (I already have several dollies), which 2 would you recommend would be best for me? Body Hammers and Body Picks

I've also ordered Frank Sargent's book on metal bumping. Perhaps I can beat out a few dents with that....

153G and 156G would be a couple good hammers to start with. Like anything else, once you get the basics you always want more!!!!

Ok, I just posted this on my other thread but since it applies more to the trunk lid/tail pan issues, I'm reposting the comment over here:

Dave (IC2) suggested I bite the bullet and spring for the EMS replacement tail pan/tool compartment.

I got a "best price" quote for the tail pan & tool compartment combo for $600 including shipping. That's a big chunk of change! I also emailed the guy building the 37 on this site Stellar Antique Auto Restorations 1937 Ford Restoration because he replaced the tail pan in that car. He said that they had to split & reweld the tail pan to make it fit because it was just a little too wide. Geez! For $600+ dollars you still gotta do a lot of fabricating!

Then I look at the metal work being done by Dave Seversen, 123Pugsy, that new guy MP&C, Charlie and a bunch of others who work miracles with sheetmetal, and think maybe I should try smoothing this one out before I plunk out $600 for a repop. Heck, maybe I could even cut this one out, rework it and weld it back in since it doesn't appear to be rusted. There is lead work on each side of the pan, which may be from the factory, I'm not sure.
Thoughts?

Randy, it's just sheet metal..... it can be repaired or replaced. Pounding the dents out will cause a lot of stretching, but that can be dealt with also. Or, here's another alternative.

If it were mine, I would consider leaving the outside flange, then coming in about 1" to the flat area of the pan and cutting it out. I would then make a very precise pattern with posterboard, transfer this to 20ga. and cut it out and weld it in place. Careful welding and some grinding would have you a new panel with minimal filler.

Or, make a template of the tail pan out of 3/4" plywood, then another piece of 3/4" cut 1" smaller all the way around. Sandwich a piece of 20 ga. inside these two, clamp them together and form a new panel. This is called hammerforming, and old sheetmetal working method.

No way I'd give some company that much money for a new one, then have to mod it to make it fit!!!! So loose of tolerances when these old cars were built, never yet seen a re-pop panel that fits correctly!!!

Originally Posted by Dave Severson

Randy, it's just sheet metal..... it can be repaired or replaced. Pounding the dents out will cause a lot of stretching, but that can be dealt with also. Or, here's another alternative.

If it were mine, I would consider leaving the outside flange, then coming in about 1" to the flat area of the pan and cutting it out. I would then make a very precise pattern with posterboard, transfer this to 20ga. and cut it out and weld it in place. Careful welding and some grinding would have you a new panel with minimal filler.

Or, make a template of the tail pan out of 3/4" plywood, then another piece of 3/4" cut 1" smaller all the way around. Sandwich a piece of 20 ga. inside these two, clamp them together and form a new panel. This is called hammerforming, and old sheetmetal working method.

No way I'd give some company that much money for a new one, then have to mod it to make it fit!!!! So loose of tolerances when these old cars were built, never yet seen a re-pop panel that fits correctly!!!

Thanks, Dave! I like those ideas and they are definitely worth trying knowing that if I totally FUBAR it, I can spring for the repops.
My big question with cutting out the "flat section" of the panel is that there really isn't a flat section. It's curved both vertically & horizontally all the way across. I would have to recreate that curve in the wood I'm using to form the new panel, right? I'm not sure 3/4 plywood would be thick enough to do that....

Might have to use multiple layers glued together and sanded to the correct contour. Time consuming, but it works. Your top piece could be like 3/8" plywood. With a bit of water and lots of clamps it will conform to the template and sandwich the 20ga. in between....

As you're fitting the plywood template to the opening, remember to leave a gap between the template and the car to allow for the new metal to be hammered over the edge of the form.

Or, easier yet. Just forget hammerforming the part bent over on the edges of the tailpan, form a sheet of 20ga. to the correct dimension and radius, weld it in solid and have a seamless tailpan on the back.....

Originally Posted by Dave Severson

Or, easier yet. Just forget hammerforming the part bent over on the edges of the tailpan, form a sheet of 20ga. to the correct dimension and radius, weld it in solid and have a seamless tailpan on the back.....

Can you explain this one a little further....I missed something. Thanks

Dave S - think what Randy is looking at is not only a compound curve, but curves in multiple directions. Without a decent template, even an old rusty one, gonna be tough. I've stood in back of a lots of '37s as it has always been my favorite '30s Ford and have seen some that in my mind are 'wrong' - and it just might have been that tail pan. I'd probably make up either a straight trunk floor or weld up something close as that tool box is outa sight, outa mind and just do the tail piece. I'll see if I have photos tomorrow when I get back to the desk top 'puter with my stash of photos and maybe I can find a good rear view for a comparative look.

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