Hot Rod from wooden buck
 

Hi Guys,
I'm a newbie to this fabrication game. I've only been gas welding a couple months and this is my first build. I write code for a living so any help and tips are VERY appreciated.

At the end of the day I'm an idiot with a big hammer.

http://www.allmetalshaping.com/pictu...ictureid=19153

I've started by fabricating the bulkhead as I want to use the hinge pins as a datum for the whole bodywork.
http://www.allmetalshaping.com/pictu...ictureid=19154
The bottom of the door has a curve so I couldn't do that edge in a folder, I simply bent it with a hammer over wood. My shrinker/stretcher head wouldn't fit.
http://www.allmetalshaping.com/pictu...ictureid=19155
http://www.allmetalshaping.com/pictu...ictureid=19156

This is where I originally wanted to put the hinges, but the door would foul at about 20 degrees. OK if you only ever squeeze in sideways but I wanted a bit more so I'm moving them 65mm forward.
http://www.allmetalshaping.com/pictu...ictureid=19157
Hopefully it's twin will be less work
http://www.allmetalshaping.com/pictu...ictureid=19158

The thing I'm worried about is not the odd dent or curve slightly off but the accumulation of errors making one side 5 inches longer than the other.

This is what I want it to roughly look like.
http://www.allmetalshaping.com/pictu...ictureid=19159

http://www.allmetalshaping.com/pictu...ictureid=19160

see more here:
http://www.super7thheaven.co.uk/blog...-hidden-hinge/

hi mark, if it was me i wouldn't use vw golf lower hinges i would use a separate check strap instead of fitting a hinge with it built in. just thinking of how much reinforcement is built into modern door frames, you could end up with fatigue cracking over time.

cool build though, i always had the idea i would build a 37 ford woody (i love them) i did some work on one for a friends uncle back in sheffield a few years before i moved out here.

good luck with the build, it seems you have a good idea on your direction

Mark that is pretty impressive for an 'idiot with a hammer':lol:. Give yourself some credit, you're doing some really nice work. I glanced at your blog (well done btw), I started my art deco roadster project on a Lotus 7 chassis but discovered I did not fit well in it so started over...for the first time.:dunce:


Is the skin going to be aluminum or steel? In looking at your blog, it looks like you'll open the door and still have to climb over the side of the '7' chassis down into the seat. Is that the plan? Nothing wrong with that, I'm just wondering.

Lotus 7 chassis? I'd like to see that, uncovered.

Thanks for the advice - I was thinking exactly the same last night.
As the hinge opened past the first stop I could see the pillar move (only fractionally, but not good).
So today I spent a couple hours adding 4 dimple die plates to the inside of the pillar. I also added the inset hole for the bottom hinge to sit in. There's now some 3mm plate with the nuts welded to them directly behind the hinge.

It seems solid now - but I guess I'll just have to wait and see once there's a big heavy steel door hanging from it.

I dropped the top chassis rail 4 inches and doubled up the outer rail to re-add the strength. That also gives something better to hang the exhaust from. You won't be able to tell the car origins now. ......Apart from it being elbow height.

Now there will be a step down into the car, but no real climbing over.

I tried Ally fabrication. It seem easier than steel - right up to I tried gas welding it. That certainly takes some patience! The first few spots were fine, then hole started to appear, along with pools of ally on the floor - so steel it is. This isn't a racer, I rarely drive, so steel's fine by me.

Cracking 356 Neil:) Always been a favourite - I'm using 356 lights vertically on the back of mine.
Loving that Roadster Perry! I could see me in that.

There's some really talented guys on this forum! - I can see a few weeks of evening reading ahead.

Clearance issue
 

I wanted to see if my doors would open far enough.

Sadly the answer was no - more work needed.

I recessed the hinge and made 4 bracing panels for inside the A pillar ( one already useless). Luckily I didn't get around to welding them in.

http://www.allmetalshaping.com/pictu...ictureid=19162

These are my first double curves ever!

http://www.allmetalshaping.com/pictu...ictureid=19161

As the door opened towards the second stop, the bottom edge lightly scraped the inner arch but the curve made solid contact just in front of the bottom hinge.

If I'd made a bigger hole for the bottom hinge I probably would have been OK, but I'll remake the bottom section of that pillar with more shape (for strength). Hopefully I'll have loads of clearance then.
http://www.allmetalshaping.com/pictu...ictureid=19163

Read more here : http://www.super7thheaven.co.uk/blog...ations-needed/

If anybody knows of any good Youtubes, books or DVD's on making doors
let me know - Thanks :)

thanks for the kind words mark.

could you make the inner frame of your door deeper and move the hinge pillar in around 25mm (1 inch in the old system lol) you'd gain extra opening room?

just a thought....

See what I mean! Talent!

For someone to just look at a photo and solve a problem is not a talent I have and one I'm struggling with. Thank heavens for geniuses like Neil.

I really can't see these parts in 3D moving around, but I think Neil could have saved my day.

:dunce: I'll go out and stand 'n' stare tonight - hopefully I'll be able to save some of the last 3 weekends work.

i have non of that stuff, wish i had a bucket full though :lol:

don't worry about doing things twice or three times, i've remade plenty of things for this porsche, practice makes better!...

Hidden Hinge
 

I was convinced neilb solution would work so I mocked it all up.
Everything that was hitting now cleared, unfortunately the door swings in an arch. With a deeper door that arch is bigger and now the door moved forward as well as in, meaning it clipped the bonnet edge.

So I just took a disc cutter to it.
http://www.allmetalshaping.com/pictu...ictureid=19167

I then had to clean up this mess, so I extended the bottom hinge recess.

http://www.allmetalshaping.com/pictu...ictureid=19168

Whilst I was at it I radiused the sill to match the door.

http://www.allmetalshaping.com/pictu...ictureid=19169

The door now opens to just under 80 degrees

http://www.allmetalshaping.com/pictu...ictureid=19170

I also added some 3mm plate to prevent flex, but that plate just distributed the flex to the whole pillar.
I tack welded in some dimple die plates and now the flex seems to have gone (for now). They barely weigh much so I'll add a couple more each side making the pillar rock solid.
http://www.allmetalshaping.com/pictu...ictureid=19172

With one (fake) door swinging I now have to make it's twin.

read more:
http://www.super7thheaven.co.uk/blog...nge-clearance/