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Old 10-24-2017, 03:30 PM
Dave K. Dave K. is offline
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Default Mounting aluminum body to the frame?

I am continuing to work on the chassis of my scratch build. In thinking ahead, I have been scouring my collection of books and the internet for effective ways to mount the body to the frame. I am specifically interested in how aluminum bodies are mounted to the frame (or clamshell hoods) so that the frame or mounting correctly supports the body. Specifically, how do I mount the aluminum body to a steel frame? I have several ideas in mind, but I wanted to see if you could provide your knowledge, thoughts, lessons learned? Do you have pictures that show the methods used? I am visual


Thank you very much,
Dave
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Old 10-25-2017, 12:54 AM
crystallographic crystallographic is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Dave K. View Post
I am continuing to work on the chassis of my scratch build. In thinking ahead, I have been scouring my collection of books and the internet for effective ways to mount the body to the frame. I am specifically interested in how aluminum bodies are mounted to the frame (or clamshell hoods) so that the frame or mounting correctly supports the body. Specifically, how do I mount the aluminum body to a steel frame? I have several ideas in mind, but I wanted to see if you could provide your knowledge, thoughts, lessons learned? Do you have pictures that show the methods used? I am visual


Thank you very much,
Dave
Hi Dave,
This is a common question from those who build without having built, first.

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Here is a hood frame, no skin
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Skin is now on hood frame, by "hemming" the edge of the skin over the frame. Same with doors and rear lids.
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Panels can attach directly to the chassis frame (3 photos, Ferrari 166)
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and on this 718 Porsche.

This is the simple part.

It becomes more complex is when panels join to panels that join to the chassis frame....
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and the other side, in the "trunk"...
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The 718 front suspension is comprised of two horizontals with a vertical flange-welded box supporting them. That box's flange-weld seams also mount "Zee bars" which allow the wheelhouses to locate solidly onto them.
--and the panels can get tightly formed over and around the suspension support tubing....

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You can see the "space" frame of the Porsche 718, and yet the front and rear and top body sections happily sit "in space" without one major sheetmetal component. ....
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The driver's compartment side panels are solidly constructed sheet aluminum "boxes" that carry the doors on their hinges, weld to the front clip, support the tilt-away rear body section, and carry the rear compartment bulkhead/firewall.

---It gets downright complicated when panels join to panels to make these "monocoque" structures.

Ready for an autobody terminology quiz, yet?

(HELP .... am visual send big photos!!)
hope this helps ...
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Old 10-25-2017, 05:03 AM
Dave K. Dave K. is offline
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Kent,
Thank you very much! I am always willing to ask for help! Clearly I am starting my journey from square one, and would rather ask for help than create a safety issue.

As always thank you!

Dave
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Old 10-25-2017, 05:30 AM
RockHillWill RockHillWill is offline
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Good luck with your project Dave. Post pictures when you can and keep asking questions that Kent and others can answer, as we all learn from that.
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Old 10-25-2017, 07:25 AM
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Kerry Pinkerton Kerry Pinkerton is offline
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Dave, I asked the exact same questions, and many more related to the structure and skin. What I pulled out of the various answers was to paint the steel structure (I used POR-15 and topcoat if anything other than black is required) and use non-stainless fasteners (stainless causes galvanic corrosion faster than plain steel).

I've read many restoration stories where the shop was dealing with corrosion on aluminum body cars. I finally quit worrying about it because I realized that most corrosion doesn't become an issue for several decades. I figure I'll be long gone before the roadster develops a problem.

That said, I'm doing what I can now with the POR-15 and where bolt on brackets are used, I'm making them out of aluminum so they can be replaced without effecting the body itself. I don't know how long that will push off the galvanic corrosion but I'm thinking it won't hurt.

Just what I'm doing.
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Old 10-25-2017, 07:59 AM
toreadorxlt toreadorxlt is offline
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not the same but on my homemade airstream I relied on thick paint and a physical barrier (Peel and seal roofing) to seperate the two.
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Old 10-25-2017, 08:32 AM
blue62 blue62 is offline
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Kent
You have a treasure chest of pictures always enjoy your posts and reply's.
As for the "Monocoque structures yes they are pain in the butt. my 69 E-type Jaguar is all Monocoque structure. and restoring it is challenging.
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Old 10-25-2017, 09:09 AM
jmcglynn jmcglynn is offline
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Kent -- thanks for the thoughtful and informative reply! Very cool.
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Old 10-25-2017, 03:04 PM
vroom vroom is offline
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I have read that monel rivets were the thing to use. I bet Kent knows being an ol' aero kind of guy.
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Old 10-25-2017, 03:31 PM
jmcglynn jmcglynn is offline
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There are some interesting pictures here: http://komoda.me/gallery/gatto-house-moal

for example:

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