Ridge Runner 1,112 Report post Posted October 13, 2019 I am going to go ahead with the 69 hood with a 71 ram air top skin ,this will be a steel hood and later pull a mold so i can make them in fiberglass. I peeled the top skin off the 69 hood ,had a lite rust film in the inside of the underbracing so i took my little sand blast pot to it in a small spot just to see how it would clean up . It cleaned up very well with no pitting so this under brace is good to go . This is a very straight underbrace ,i will finish blasting it then i will epoxy primer before i put the 71 73 top on . I used my small angle grinder and ground through the edges of the 69 top ,the fold over only had 3 spot welds and two of them didnt hold .the peak of the hood had about 8 spot welds that i ground through and the top skin just fell off ,the glue ford had used let go a long time ago . 4 bryonbush, Shep69, 1969_FEStang and 1 other reacted to this Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
RPM 1,190 Report post Posted October 14, 2019 This should be epic, can't wait. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Shep69 149 Report post Posted October 14, 2019 Should look like our 73-78 Aussie falcons. Very Nice . Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ridge Runner 1,112 Report post Posted October 14, 2019 5 hours ago, Shep69 said: Should look like our 73-78 Aussie falcons. Very Nice . Oh ,roof spoiler ,a little work on the front valance ,and we are mad Max ,yeah! 2 1969_FEStang and Shep69 reacted to this Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ridge Runner 1,112 Report post Posted October 14, 2019 I got the 71 73 hood separated. Ground the edges like the 69 hood but this one did not fall apart . I used a flat strip of 16 gauge and sharpened the end ,the glue Dynacorn uses is like a foam rubber and it sliced right through . The 69 under brace sets pretty good in the 71 73 top skin ,except the front ,just like i was afraid of ,the peak of the 71 73 skin has to be split about 18 inches to relieve the extra curve of the 69 under brace . I will have to split the peak of the top skin before i can start to fold the side fold over Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ridge Runner 1,112 Report post Posted October 15, 2019 I cut apart the under brace for the 71 73 and positioned it in the hood top ,i over laid the 69 under brace ,measured everything about 40 times and screwed the two underbraces together . Using my body saw i cut through both pieces at the same time ,i will be butt welding all the pieces together. The sides of the under braces are a perfect match ,and with a little dolly work the front will be also . The rear is going to take some fabricating ,but i think with what i have left of the two underbraces i can do it .i will have to make a new ram air chamber ,the original 71 73 will no longer work ,although i may start with the correct air chamber and modify it and make a new fiberglass one 3 bigmal, RPM and Shep69 reacted to this Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ridge Runner 1,112 Report post Posted October 15, 2019 It going to take me a while to build the under brace ,the sides are a simple weld up ,but the rear part of the air chamber is going to take some work . I got most of the passenger side welded up by stitch welding . A little hammer and dolly work and just the slightest skim of that nasty old bondo will smooth it out 1 Shep69 reacted to this Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ridge Runner 1,112 Report post Posted October 28, 2019 Trying to blend the two under braces is a real job . I think you can see where i am going in these pics ,i still have to fill in the rear pocket for the air chamber and smooth in some spots that will take some sheet metal filling and some hammer and dolly work . I plan to weld from the back side so i have less clean up . Its hard to tell in the pics but it should take very little filler after i am finished grinding and a little hammer and dolly work .this metal doesnt like to make smooth spot welds . Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
barnett468 418 Report post Posted October 28, 2019 Most xlnt, and this is going to be very cool. Unfortunately, people with your skills are a vanishing breed, but there sure are lots of people that can slap on bondo by the pound...or the gallon, lol. 2 Shep69 and Ridge Runner reacted to this Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ridge Runner 1,112 Report post Posted October 28, 2019 The under bracing is a little heavier gauge than the outer body panels so stitch welding helps keep warpage down ,and i am trying to make my welds as close to a rounded edge as possible and that helps keep down warpage . For some reason this under brace doesnt like to make smooth welds though . I hate using bondo other than just a very light spot that you can almost see through ,i will hammer and dolly untill it is smooth as possible before i will use any. I love welding on the 30s model cars , i can usually get away with out any at all because the metal is so thick . I used the old 69 under brace to blend in the ram air chamber ,i was surprised how well the two flowed together Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ridge Runner 1,112 Report post Posted October 28, 2019 31 minutes ago, barnett468 said: Most xlnt, and this is going to be very cool. Unfortunately, people with your skills are a vanishing breed, but there sure are lots of people that can slap on bondo by the pound...or the gallon, lol. I know a few body shops ,they dont try to get any closer than a 5 gallon bucket of bondo will fix ,and that is a quote directly from one of those body shops haha 1 RPM reacted to this Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bigmal 225 Report post Posted October 28, 2019 This is great work. Can't wait to see it right side up. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ridge Runner 1,112 Report post Posted October 28, 2019 Filled in the rest of the air chamber ,a lot of welding to go but it sure is blending in nicely Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
barnett468 418 Report post Posted October 28, 2019 1 hour ago, bigmal said: This is great work. Can't wait to see it right side up. I though it is right side up to people from "Down Under". 2 bigmal and Caseyrhe reacted to this Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Midlife 814 Report post Posted October 28, 2019 Reminds me of a flattened "Donald Duck" 3 JayEstes, RPM and bigmal reacted to this Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Caseyrhe 650 Report post Posted October 28, 2019 1 minute ago, Midlife said: Reminds me of a flattened "Donald Duck" with a hoody, qqqqqqqqqqqqqqqqquack Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
1969_FEStang 4 Report post Posted October 29, 2019 Great work Ridge Runner. Maybe it's Halloween, but i see a Donald Duck mask. 1 2 Caseyrhe, bigmal and JayEstes reacted to this Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ridge Runner 1,112 Report post Posted October 29, 2019 Now you done did it haha! 1 5 1969_FEStang, Caseyrhe, JayEstes and 3 others reacted to this Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ridge Runner 1,112 Report post Posted October 30, 2019 I got the rest of the pieces welded in today and the back side ground ,mostly where i thought a weld mat hit the top panel . I did all the welding from the back side so the front is only penetration blisters that need to be ground down ,already burned up 4 disks on the back but the front side will be a lot easier grinding . I want to fill in all the little holes also so i still have some welding to do . 1 RPM reacted to this Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
TexasEd 188 Report post Posted October 31, 2019 I'd love to see it on a car. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ridge Runner 1,112 Report post Posted October 31, 2019 Almost finished with the underbrace ,got the welds ground and filled in the holes in the rear but i still have a couple to fill in the front and i can start on the top panel Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Caseyrhe 650 Report post Posted October 31, 2019 Are you going to have a reveal party before you flip it over and show us? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ridge Runner 1,112 Report post Posted November 1, 2019 Just charge a small fee! Its called if you want to see fee 2 Caseyrhe and bigmal reacted to this Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ridge Runner 1,112 Report post Posted November 2, 2019 I started making the forms for the top skin . I have a flawless 69 Mach 1 hood that i have been saving ,i used it to form the poplar forms . I made an inside and an out side form ,they will sandwich the top skin between them as i fold the edges of the top skin ...that is the idea any way ,and hopefully it will keep any warping out as i bend over the edges over the wood form . I have a lot of bracing to do to the forms though ,they cant deflect as i fold the sides or everything is screwed 2 1969_FEStang and Shep69 reacted to this Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
barnett468 418 Report post Posted November 2, 2019 Well... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
