Thanks very much.Very awesome. I would have done the same thing. After all the work to the frame, and adding all the extra stuff, modifying the sheetmetal seemed like the better way to go.
The metal work looks great. The cardboard templates, I have a boatload of old Yuengling beer boxes, and others large sheets that I use for templates before I cut an metal. I also own a shrinker stretcher, and I use the crap out of that thing.
And finally the masking tape for the seam sealer, I almost always do that. On my doors, all the new seams, etc. It makes for a cleaner finish.
Thanks for the updates, I wish I lived closer to Canada to see it in person.
I too have been doing my seam sealer this way for several years after watching a professional bodyman friend of mine do it that way on an old Turbocoupe Thunderbird project I was involved with. IMO, definitely the cleanest, nicest way to do seams. As far as cardboard templates are concerned, that too is another old trick I've been using for years and years. Often, I'll spend more time with straight edges, tape measures, pencils and Sharpies laying out cardboard templates long before the pattern ever makes it to steel. Sometimes at that point, I'm not sure if I'm a draftsman or a fabricator! 😛
Thanks Jack!Donovan,
As always, your work is absolutely impeccable...I'm in awe. Some people have it, and some don't. You sir, have it....
Coming from an experienced individual such as yourself, I take pride in that my efforts are commended by you. I must be doing SOMETHING right then, right?
Lol
I'm not sure what exactly "it" is, but I just wish I could remember where I left "it" more often...
Hey Donovan enjoying the new updates. I had a question for you. What gauge sheet metal are you using in your fabrication work?
Glad you're enjoying the updates. I enjoy bringing them to you just as much! To answer your question, it really depends on what I'm working on at the time. As a general rule of thumb, I try and match the gauge of sheetmetal to what the factory used in the same location. That being said however, I did use a slightly heavier gauge of sheetmetal for the replacement trunk floor piece I made, around 18 gauge if I recall correctly. Normally I wouldn't have done this, but at the time my local metal supplier could not get the desired 20 gauge I would normally have used in the 4+ ft length I needed to create the floor. I also figured that having a little bit heavier duty piece of steel for something structural as the trunk floor couldn't hurt either.
Thanks for following along!
🙂
Show-off. How am I supposed to build a car to compete with yours when you are hording all the tools? That's it. I'm moving into your garage.
Well, Matt, I guess you're just gonna have to step up your game and put me to shame!
Lol
Thanks tho. I'm really not attempting to show off, more like sharing the hundreds of man hours it takes to recreate something the factory made in seconds.... Well ok, maybe there's just the tiniest bit of show-off in there too... but it's more pride than show-off really. Now if it didn't turn out well, I probably wouldn't feel as strong a need to share it with the world either...!!
I'll start making room in the garage for ya next to "all the tools"!
😀