Two 1962 Ford M151's

[M37]

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[M37]

Here is the lumpy fender before using my new die.

I had straightened as much as I could by hand dolly and hammer work,which was a damn sight better than where I initially started from, but not up to my satisfaction.

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,

[M37]

The fender before had some hard kinks that aren’t really visible in the photos, that edge was not smooth or progressive in its radius. It was like a lumpy potato.


I clamped the new form to the back side and began using the die and air rivet tool to put it back into shape. I really control the trigger pressure so it doesn’t hit too hard. I am trying to avoid thinning and distorting the metal by controlling the “hammer strikes” of the pneumatic rivet gun.

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[M37]

The final product is a smooth and progressive radius. When felt with the hand and eyes closed, there isn’t any perception of lumps or dents, just a smooth transitioning radius.

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[M37]

Please ignore the last photo, it was mistakenly attached. A power valve for a Rochester carburetor.

[Horst]

excellent metal work!

[m3a1]

Telling the wife you're

But out to the Man Cave and getting hammered doesn't have the same meaning for you than it does for some of us, does it...

But seriously, that really looks nice.

Cheers,
TJ

[M37]

Thank you Horst and TJ!

Luckily my wife knows this is my therapy from long, sometimes stressful, days in Patrol. I’ll try to keep everyone updated here on my progress.

[Refit1701]

Nice! I'm curious to see what you do about the front fender edges. Mine are tore up also.

[M37]

After finishing the passengers side yesterday, I moved over to the floor on the driver’s side.

The area under the gas tank was very thin, and looked like Swiss cheese. I was able to shove a nail through several pitted areas. I looked at doing a bunch of smaller patches, but said screw it and beat out and formed a bigger patch panel out of 18 gauge cold rolled metal.

I used the original floor as a form to beat the new panel into shape. I cut a 2x4 to the curvature on a band saw, to use as a top forming die for the radiuses.

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The patch is made, I’ll post more pictures when it is welded in.

[M37]

Here are some more pictures of the panel, and some of it as I have it fitted up. I plan to weld it in when I get a little more time, back to my paying job tomorrow.

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[rickf]

Instead of cutting notches in the metal to make your radius you should get yourself a set of shrinker/stretchers. Not all that expensive and that way you do not have all those welds with the crystalized metal along the edges of each weld that will rust and possibly crack.

Here is the one I have been using for years. There are better ones but this works.

https://www.harborfreight.com/search?q= ... 0stretcher

[M37]

Rick,

“Better is the enemy of good enough”. I made it with the tools I have on hand. I am making progress, my goal is to finish this thing so I can drive it.

I was a 12 year sheet metal worker in Local 16 in Oregon. I disagree about these welds becoming brittle near the edge, and possibly cracking. There isn’t enough articulation or vibration to crack these welds apart. It will pass fracture and mechanical testing guaranteed.

For 5 years in my apprenticeship I welded A36 mild steel, and 1018 cold rolled with 70 series wire, then destructively tested them for tensile strength as well as folding fatigue. This was part of my welding certification I achieved, AWS D1.1 SMAW 3G welding certification, 1” to unlimited.

Joe

[rickf]

Well, In this case experience trumps innovation. I mentioned it mainly because I have seen it so many times I thought it good to mention. While I was never a union welder I did have to be certified on several fabrication jobs. All of those were heavy steel jobs. All of my sheet metal work has been auto body for the most part and I was taught by a very good body man. I was actually taught before MIG came out. Gas welding and stick were the mainstays back then along with lead filler. Yes, I am that old.

[M37]

That is some good work history! I would loved to have been taught by an old timer in gas welding and lead work!

Gas welding is still the friendliest welding process for automotive sheetmetal!