Vicfreg 771 Report post Posted September 5, 2017 Incredible work, Mike. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
latoracing 256 Report post Posted September 28, 2017 As I wasn't 100% satisfied with the way the holes lined up on the lenses, I had to do some alterations to the hammer form. The outer holes needed to slide to the outside by 1/8", so I epoxied some .125" steel onto the form and removed a little more on the opposite sides. That being taken care of I attempted to flatten and reshape my first part. It didn't fair too well, but gave me a good idea of how the form will function on the next part. I had to figure out how to get the upper and lower bends in the proper location, and made a tool to duplicate the lower bend's larger radius. The upper bend was as easy as sticking in my box and pan brake and bending it up. The larger radius was accomplished in the press with a little bit of creativity. Both bends turned out just right. A little measuring, and some sharpie marks, I went ahead and trimmed the panel down to a pre-fit size and fitted it to the car. I have been looking at my tail light buckets and I might see if I can get my hands on some '69 buckets as my original approach isn't going to work out like I had hoped. I have spent a bunch of time getting to this point, but still haven't modified anything on the car yet, or spent any money, so IF this doesn't pan out, I've just wasted a bunch of time. 1 Caseyrhe reacted to this Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
RPM 1,190 Report post Posted September 29, 2017 Nice work Mike. Working with metal is never wasted time. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
latoracing 256 Report post Posted November 25, 2017 I have been very lazy the past several weeks, just had all kinds of excuses to not work on pretty much anything. The wife and I have been on several adventures (one was to the Ark Encounter in Kentucky, you all gotta check that out), lots of autumn fishing excursions, and getting everything ready for the winter months (i.e. splitting wood lol) I've gone out and got me a Coyote motor, just because... It came in it's very own special shipping crate... 2017 GT with the performance package (can you say 15" Brembo's up front?) 3.73 tortion diff. and Recaro sport seating, it's fun and a much "needed" upgrade for the DD. I dug out my passenger side door shell out of the waiting to be fixed pile as I needed something straight forward that didn't need "inventing". (I'm kinda at a standstill with the tail lights, I've got to get my hands on some buckets.) The shell has been sandblasted forever ago and it hasn't rusted at all, which I am amazed. This shell is in very good shape with only a few areas that need some attention, like the lovely speaker hole someone used a hatchet to form. The usual cut and weld new metal in (I'm surprised I can still do this lol) didn't take too long. I've got it welded up and ground all nice and neat. There is a crunchy area on the bottom rear corner that will have to be fixed next and a few small screw / pinholes that will have to be taken care of, then it will be epoxy primed. I promise I'll do better and keep my project moving, even if it is slowly.... 1 TinMan reacted to this Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
MAC390 327 Report post Posted November 26, 2017 Like the motor and certainly like the crate it came in. That's our next dd car, wife loves them and they are not expensive down here, maybe 2018. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
RPM 1,190 Report post Posted November 26, 2017 He's back! A two month sabbatical? Sheesh. Nice ride Mike, is that Grabber Blue, or something close? Either way i like it. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Mike65 475 Report post Posted November 26, 2017 12 hours ago, RPM said: He's back! A two month sabbatical? Sheesh. Nice ride Mike, is that Grabber Blue, or something close? Either way i like it. X2 Mike, love the color. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
latoracing 256 Report post Posted November 26, 2017 I love grabber blue. If my '70 had not been an actual grabber green car, it would most definitely been painted grabber blue. The '17 is so refined, unlike any of its predecessors, it will spoil you. I can't get past not having to put a key in the ignition to start it, that is still weird. Since fotosuckit messed up the picture hosting for my build thread (what do you expect for free???) I'm adding pictures back to my thread little by little. It's time consuming but well worth the effort. Pictures are worth a couple of words... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Vicfreg 771 Report post Posted November 27, 2017 Mike, nice Ride! Good luck with it. I have some extra 1970 tail light buckets somewhere if you need them. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
latoracing 256 Report post Posted December 2, 2017 Since I have the speaker hole all fixed up, the rear corner was in need of some repair. There was no way I was going to attempt "filling" these holes with weld, that would have ended up constructing the corner out of MIG wire and grinding it smooth. I marked the area that i wanted to fix and cut it off with a cutoff wheel. The piece that I removed i covered with masking tape and marked the flange location with a pencil. Knowing that this part needed some extra material for the tuck (raised hump in the middle) the tape accommodated for all these profiles, much easier. I cut a piece of 20ga for my patch, leaving some extra material, and transferred the tape to my new corner. I measured the angle of the flattened out mark I had made earlier (which was 85 degrees) and made a forming plate out of some 3/16" plate. The corner was tack welded to the 3/16" plate, allowing for the step that will be formed in it. My line was moved off the plate by 3/16""ish. Clamped to my vice, I used a combination of tools and a chunk of aluminum to hammer the shape into the 20ga. Using aluminum and UHMW tipped forming tools (made when I did the battery-less apron) there were very few tool marks. Checking my progress with the original corner of the door, things were looking fairly good. A few more touch-ups and it was time to put the tuck in the part. More scrap plate was used to form the tool to shape the "tuck". More beating with a soft faced mallet, and a little creative vice work, the new corner was looking like it should. A little trimming, and it was tack welded in place. Weld, Weld, Weld, grind, grind, grind, done. The outer edge needs a little trimming (I made a template before I cut anything apart). This is in need of some epoxy along with the door skin, and the two will become one. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
MAC390 327 Report post Posted December 2, 2017 Real nice fab work there, you make look so easy , well done. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
RPM 1,190 Report post Posted December 3, 2017 You've got some outstanding metal fab skills there Mike. It's a blast to watch you at work. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Vicfreg 771 Report post Posted December 4, 2017 Dude, nice job replicating the form of the original piece. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ash 145 Report post Posted December 4, 2017 Wow, that is impressive Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bigmal 225 Report post Posted December 6, 2017 I learn so much from this forum. Makes me want to fix my doors now. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
latoracing 256 Report post Posted December 6, 2017 Thanks for all the compliments. This little corner was MUCH easier to fabricate than reconstructing the entire lower section of my driver's side door. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
RPM 1,190 Report post Posted December 6, 2017 Unless it's a trade secret/proprietary info, what was the process and the tools used to form the tuck? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
latoracing 256 Report post Posted December 6, 2017 2 hours ago, RPM said: Unless it's a trade secret/proprietary info, what was the process and the tools used to form the tuck? I shaped a scrap piece of 1/4" plate and opened my vice up to about 3/8". Laid the corner on top of the open vice jaws and used the 1/4" plate as a forming tool. Hammered until it was deep enough and straightened it out by hand. Nothing fancy. The entire corner replacement took about two hours, start to finish. 1 bigmal reacted to this Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Machspeed 219 Report post Posted December 15, 2017 Hey Mike, been awhile buddy! I've got some things going on and as such just don't make it here much. My cars on hold for a bit, but will get after it very soon. Nice acquisition there with the new Grabber Blue stang......congrats!!! Arn't they awesome! For the money I've poured into my 69, I could have bought a brand new one too. But, I wouldn't trade even my 69 Mach for one....sentimental stuff you know. As usual, you never seem to disappoint with your metal work. You're a master, my friend. Merry Christmas to you and yours, John Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
latoracing 256 Report post Posted February 13, 2018 It has been a very cold winter, and I'm a wimp lol. Haven't been out messing with this thing in a while, (actually been playing with the '17 , it's not stock anymore lol) Since its too cold to shoot primer on my door, I figured the back of the car needed some attention. I hate the quarter extension caps on these cars, and mine do not fit at all. So... Put my english wheel to work shaping some parts. I don't have a bead roller (YET...) so a little creativity on the wheel with a flat profile anvil I needed to get a little creative on the car with some additional shaping, but realized the bumper also needed to be in position as well. I've never fit a bumper up close, nor have I ever made mounts for said fitment. A little eyeballing, some 3/16" plate, a sharpie and a couple tack welds... it actually fits pretty close in the middle, but the outer ends are dumbo ears lol A little measuring and a cutoff wheel, gets the ends into a workable state You can see the plate I tacked in place, and the bumper end laying on the frame table. I did some chopping and a little shaping, it is going to need a lot of help. That bumper is at least 12ga, (NOS 1974 vintage) and should be fun to shape. I'm gonna try and get motivated cause I've got a bunch of forming to do... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Vicfreg 771 Report post Posted February 13, 2018 Mike..... you are back after hibernating ....., nice work! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bigmal 225 Report post Posted February 14, 2018 You are a craftsman. Can't wait to see how it turns out. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
latoracing 256 Report post Posted February 17, 2018 I removed 1" from the part I cut off, figured it would be "easier" to line up the outside first. I tried to remove a section from the middle of the bumper end, (black sharpie marks) but that just made a mess. So, I continued to cut pieces off of it, all the flanges and the inner section became scrap. I took some 11ga and got to forming the fill-in areas for the sides. Lots of beating and bending, tack welded and hammered on it some more. After a while i had something resembling a bumper end. Once I kinda liked the shape I went and welded it together and rough trimmed it in place. In fitting it to the quarter and end cap, I made it really close so I don't have to guess where it fits. I plan on opening the gap up a little later on. I've had this end on and off countless times, I might tack weld it in place once I get to fitting the inner portion. A little grinding and it is looking a little better. I'm not totally sold on the way this is looking, the end cap to bumper doesn't flow, but there is a little more to add to the profile. Guess I'll continue in this direction. Where the valance to quarter fits, the bumper has a rather large hump that I don't like either. In fitting all this stuff really tight, and what I'm fixing to do to the quarter extensions, I'm probably going to weld the rear valance to the car. Not my favorite thing to do, but it would blend much better... I have some more forming to do to get the inner portion of the bumper fabricated, starting from flat sheet should be fun! More metal madness to come... 2 Ridge Runner and fvike reacted to this Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Dalpilot 1 Report post Posted February 18, 2018 Amazing as always Mike. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
RPM 1,190 Report post Posted February 18, 2018 Magnifico! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
