Thread: metal fab complex for me...

Tweet

Hey guys I need a few pointers how best to fab up patches for a trunk seal corner on a 63 Galaxie. I can do the flat stright stuff OK but this panel has many shapes, contors and curves.

Should I cut it out and rebuild it on the bench?

Should I leave it installed and fab each small piece one at a time and weld it in?

Any ideas would be great because I am new to fab work.



Thanks
Rodney Robbins

They have some really good metal fab books out.
The problem for me is I don't have 20,000 worth of metal shaping machines in my shop.
I would first see if you can buy the pieces you need.
If it is just that one corner and not the whole car I would use some flat bar and bend it after I got some good measurements. Measure it a couple of two or three times first.
I'd say at the very least you'll need lots of clamp some cutting tourches and a welder
You could use sheetmetal and cut it yourself as well, I just like the flatbar when I have a bunch of it laying around. I had to make a door jam last year and it worked out nice with the flatbar. Easy to clamp heat up and bend to shape. Kurt
What is that your working on a 63 Ford Falcon?

The trunk opening is a pretty common angle among many make and model cars. Take a cardboard tracing of yours and hit the junk yards. Even if it's not an exact fit, it will probably be easier to modify it than to build from scratch. I've taken pieces from door jambs, rocker panels & other places to repair rusted areas.

You'll need some 20 ga., hammers and dollies, and a shrinker-stretcher. If you don't have access to the shirnker stretcher some V cuts and a lot of patience should duplicate the panel contours and make up a good patch. If you could find a same vintage parts car with the section(s) you need still intact it would make the job much easier.

What the others said here are pretty much spot on ,( just depends on how many tools you have available and skills ) but first , and only first you need to sand blast this area to see how much unseen repair is needed !
Usually more then meets the eye

Metal shaping isn't rocket science just common sense really , you can also use small amounts of heat with a torch to move metal with hammer and dolly too . But having lots and lots of tools make metal work much easier , its why I had to sell my 37 Ford humpback 3 years back because I ran out of money buying TOOLS and parts to build my rod .

Thanks guys, I have plenty of tools, welder, hammers, dollies but I do not have shrinker stretcher. I will do as you have recommended sandblast, cut and weld.

I wish I would of bought a shrinker stretcher when I bought my 4 foot Finger break , as bending a 90 deg. piece of sheet metal and forming those trunk channels it would of came in handy redoing my whole trunk channel on the 37 !!!
Instead of doing it like Dave mentioned , cutting V's to shape it

I know alot of guys don't think horbour freight tools are any good,, but for the home shop they work fine,, especally for the price, I have a lot of H/F tools and havn't had any problems with them at all,, hand tools seem to be a different stiory tho,,
That said,, if you plan on fabbing those trunk channels,, you definately are going to need a Shrinker strecher,, http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...emnumber=95062

if you intend to fab many body parts , you need the correct tools,,

might find some in a junk yard, that you could modify easy enough,,
I did a serch for repo parts for the 63 ford,, and didn't find any thing that would work for you,,

Good luck,, have fun, and don't throw hammers

I guess I will have to save up and purchase a shrinker stretcher.

Thanks

I would try using a hammer form made from MDF. Bill

Doc has what is probably the best way to repair this section. Check hemmings for someone who is parting out a 63 with this section ok and see if you can get this section sent to you

If you don't have a few thousand dollars worth of tools to do this job you will have to do it with what you have. You would need to make the patch panel out of 5 flat pieces and weld them together in the shape of that portion of the trunk seal. A true craftsman can do more with a hammer and welder than some people can do with a whole shop full of tools.

I am with dave and volksrod.....a few pie cuts and some time you will have a nice piece to put in there......

Honestly unless this is a super build or a customers car ,you could get pretty creative with those pieces....
Several different pieces ,some grinder work,some hammer work and you will be all set.

The middle of the hood would be a different story .

Just take out what is bad and give it a try ......

Take out small, square easy to work sections one at a time and only cut out the bad metal , the patch might end up looking like a snake with a square back ,but will be fine.

Maybe start with the lower part and a small oblong piece and build from there.
All this is out the window for a show car or 50,000 build..

I have seen those cars being parted out due to a wreck ,I am sure you could find that piece from a donor car if it has to be perfect.

You could have some pieces bent or buy them pre bent and have the local shop stretch/shrink a piece for you and do the rest yourself.

In doing metal work for the first time ,I found a flanging tool to be helpful ,rather than butt welding everything ,the flanger gave me a little wiggle room and a good solid platform to weld to.

Take a look at some of the pictures in my gallery ,this was my first time having a go at it........you can do it ,I have confidence in you ,just from the fact you are asking questions and trying to learn.....that`s over half the battle right there.

Good luck and keep us posted....there are plenty of smart fellas and gals here to help you thru it if you get stuck.

Just take small pieces at a time out ....dont go wild and cut a giant section out.

I can see you doing it with a hammer,dolly,welder and a grinder and possibly some simple wood forms to hammer the metal over or worse case a few simple bends, stretches and shrinks from the local metal shop.

You would be surprised at what a simple anvil will allow you to make.

Hey I just purchased a set of Lancaster shrinker stretchers from Ebay for $89 bucks man what a deal.

I have a new Lincoln 180 mig that is just chomping at the bit ready to go. I have purchased some 18 ga sheet metal.

It looks like a week or so I will be a rookie fabricator, and the sparks will fly hahahahaha

Thanks everyone for your helpful ideas and advise. This board had a huge amount of very smart car guys.

I plan on attacking my lower quarters first to try to get a little experience before the harder jobs.

Here's another good site for metal shaping info. www.allmetalshaping.com