1940 Ford Tudor Build Thread

[parkwood]

Do you mean like this?? I can tell you that it was done just using a spray gun to shoot the base and then just paint brushes to make the grain. My friend did it for me in the suburban we built and he's in So. Cal. if you need more info. i can put you in touch with him..

[rspears]

I agree with Parkwood, everything I've seen was just done using a brush and two or three colors of paint then lots of clear to level the finish and give it the shine you want. If you Google "How to woodgrain ____" (fill in the blank with a dash, a metal door, a garage door) there are tons of YouTube videos out there showing techniques. I'd say the guy recommending a $650 kit was getting a cut on the kits!!

[40FordDeluxe]

Yes sir! I was thinking the kit was expensive but if you don't know how to make the brush technique look real it will look pure fake and gotty in my opinion. I've seen guys brush out woodgrain but they practiced for years on their technique. I'll get some pics of this other guys work so you have an idea. Thanks for the help though, maybe your guy can offer me some cheaper aid.

[40FordDeluxe]

Do any of you guys know of any supplier selling fiberglass gas fill door kits? I have the wider rear fiberglass fenders and I want to put a gas fill door on instead of a tube sticking through the fender. The only thing I can readily think of to use right now is a fuel filler door from a 84-97 ford dually fender. Did any other fiberglass cars have a decent gas fill door besides a Corvette? I doubt I can find a Vette to hack a fill door set up out of.

[parkwood]

Do any of you guys know of any supplier selling fiberglass gas fill door kits? I have the wider rear fiberglass fenders and I want to put a gas fill door on instead of a tube sticking through the fender. The only thing I can readily think of to use right now is a fuel filler door from a 84-97 ford dually fender. Did any other fiberglass cars have a decent gas fill door besides a Corvette? I doubt I can find a Vette to hack a fill door set up out of.

ryan just a thought, if you have the inside parts of the gas door off the dually and it would work couldn't you make your own door... i don't know of anyone who makes a glass gas door just by their selfs.. hit a junk yard you might be surprised about finding a vet to take one from.

[34_40]

Ryan, not sure if it'll work for you but, I have a "universal" metal gas door with the magnetic latch. The latch "catches" when you push in once and releases when you push in a second time. It's sitting in a pile of parts, brand new, and I have no use for it. You pay for the ride and it's yours free if you're interested.

[randyr]

You could also mold a metal one to the fiberglas, right? Of course, one of the reasons to use a fuel door on these fenders is to make the filler tube "go away". If the fuel door is too large, it will probably have the opposite effect and draw more attention.
On these fuel door kits, the surface sheet metal is tack welded to the box. It would be easy enough to remove the surface metal and mold the box to the underside of your fender and cut a hole in the fiberglas to use the metal fuel door. It would be small and match the contour of your fender, has a spring-loaded magnetic catch and should work fine. I installed one on my '37 fender (steel) but I welded it in. Just exploring options....
prd_lg_2266fuel door.jpg

[40FordDeluxe]

Ryan, not sure if it'll work for you but, I have a "universal" metal gas door with the magnetic latch. The latch "catches" when you push in once and releases when you push in a second time. It's sitting in a pile of parts, brand new, and I have no use for it. You pay for the ride and it's yours free if you're interested.

Thanks for the offer. I'll keep this in mind and I might take you up on this later. Ryan.

[40FordDeluxe]

You could also mold a metal one to the fiberglas, right? Of course, one of the reasons to use a fuel door on these fenders is to make the filler tube "go away". If the fuel door is too large, it will probably have the opposite effect and draw more attention.
On these fuel door kits, the surface sheet metal is tack welded to the box. It would be easy enough to remove the surface metal and mold the box to the underside of your fender and cut a hole in the fiberglas to use the metal fuel door. It would be small and match the contour of your fender, has a spring-loaded magnetic catch and should work fine. I installed one on my '37 fender (steel) but I welded it in. Just exploring options....
Attachment 59574

Thanks Randy. I thought about using steel but was concerned with the shrink and expansion rates between the two, worried it could crack over time? I've got a ford dually fender I'm going to hack one out of and see if it'll even remotely fit. I'm guessing it won't because the fuel door is flat and I'm thinking the fender has a curve to it right there.

[Scooting]

Hi, my opinion is to cut the 40 fender where you want the filler and use the cut out fender portion as the base lid. You could take the dually mechanism and add the "new" cutout 40 lid to the setup. Then, work the dually mechanism into your tank fill. Doing that, you will end up with a 40 lid that exactly matches the fender because it once was a part of the fender.

[randyr]

Thanks Randy. I thought about using steel but was concerned with the shrink and expansion rates between the two, worried it could crack over time? I've got a ford dually fender I'm going to hack one out of and see if it'll even remotely fit. I'm guessing it won't because the fuel door is flat and I'm thinking the fender has a curve to it right there.

I hear ya, Ryan but early Corvettes and various other fiberglas cars have steel imbedded in the glass at various points for strength, etc. so I'm not sure that the shrink/expansion rates will be that big a deal.

Scooting's idea is similar to what I was suggesting except using the "behind the fender" portion of the unit from the dually fender you already have. The challenge with that idea is finding a hole saw that will cut a clean enough hole that you can still use the cutout for the lid. Will be cool to see what you come up with....

[Scooting]

Outside the box... French a Jaguar or aftermarket flip up flush with the fender.
Still want flush but tiny? Look on Ebay for pop up gas filler for Harley. They have kits where the button is flush with tank, push in on it, it pops up so you can unscrew ita harley gas.jpg.Aston-Martin-DB4-GT-Zagato_3.jpg

[rspears]

Outside the box... French a Jaguar or aftermarket flip up flush with the fender.
Still want flush but tiny? Look on Ebay for pop up gas filler for Harley. They have kits where the button is flush with tank, push in on it, it pops up so you can unscrew it.

I really like that Harley pop up filler idea! Going to have to try to put that one in the memory banks where it doesn't fade away....

[Scooting]

You can purchase the pop up center by itself. Then if you wanted it in a fiberglass fender, get a chunk of fiberglass rod, drill the center, thread it, and mold it in. A bit of work to get it correct but it should be possible.

[rspears]

Ryan, I think you're worrying about something that can't happen. Differential expansion is by unit area, meaning that the bigger the piece the more expansion affects it. If you were joining a piece of steel ten feet long to a fiberglass panel then the expansion rates might be a concern, but you're looking at a piece a few inches, so any difference in expansion will be negligible, and will be absorbed by the panels. I wouldn't be concerned with grafting in a small steel fuel door assembly.