Scratch build Art Deco Roadster

[custommetal]

In addition, I'm a MUCH better shaper now than I was 10 years ago so things I thought were pretty dang good then are not so good today and that is very discouraging.

It is because of all the posters here, and the time it takes to even post some of these projects, everyone's skills have improved. I am sure everyone has felt this way. I look at some of my previous work and it is embarrassing if someone knows what they are looking at.

Thanx for all your posts in the past.

George

[cliffrod]

The thing is that the enduring quality of your work (especially the past mistakes..) should be more obvious as you progressively know more. That's growth as a craftsman, artist and professional in general. When things all start to turn out worse now than they did years ago- that is when you should be upset.

The more I do, the more I spend making models and patterns. The increase in quality of product has been significant. Even for one-off projects, it is worth it to me to work out the puzzle beforehand. I have also come to value having the record of the work on hand and hanging on my back wall, long after it leaves my shop & studio. People respond differently to a 3D version of your portfolio than they do to any image or video.

Starting over is not a mistake. It is just one more decision to make in pursuit of the best result.

[Mike Motage]

Kerry, your art deco car has to be the most complex conglomerate of shape anybody has ever attempted hand build. Yes, a buck helps with symmetry and accuracy. But building a buck takes time as well. So long as you can recover without redoing a panel there's probably not much time lost. That's an immense goal, trying to create an entire body from scratch. Few people on the planet will ever attempt what you have done so far. Furthermore, getting bogged down trying to achieve perfection can become overwhelming. Address the obvious issues and keep the little flaws secret. If someone starts to critique your work, ask them what entire car they've built?

You and many of the folks here on the forum have been an encouraging to all of us. Seeing what you have done was inspiration for me.

[hot rivet]

Kerry, mismatch and lack of symmetry are signs of a true coachbuilder didn't one of the maserati's have one end higher than the other on the windscreen? and mispunched louvres on the ferrari engine cover? Don't be discouraged!

[bobadame]

I'm thinking this project is a record of your journey of becoming a metalshaper. Best not to think about the length of this journey. You're moving faster and better now. Finish it and move on to the next thing. By the way, it looks stunning!

[hlfuzzball]

Take a look at Randy Grubb's Latest:

http://www.randygrubb.com/the-falconer-dodici/

Multi-page feature in the new Hot Rod magazine out now.

[Kerry Pinkerton]

Randy is a master craftsman for sure. The rivets are not my cup of tea. Imo, they detract from what still is a magnificent build.

[RockHillWill]

There sure are a lot of rivets in his work, but I am most appreciative of the fact that if you are riveting panels together, you sure have to be a highly talented metal shaper as you do not have the ability to go back after welding to rework, planish or wheel the panels. You have to be absolutely correct the FIRST time. Obviously, that is NOT the case with my speedster however, LOL!

[Kerry Pinkerton]

Some progress in bits and drabs between other things.

I need to finish the piece that goes at the top of the fender just behind the door. It's a deceptively complex little panel which fooled me into thinking it was simple. (read that, I made some scrap)

After two failures, I decided I needed some guidance so I made a 'Burt buck" 1/2 wide strips of aluminum taped down into fair curves and covered with foil tape and then a flexible shape pattern pulled from it.









I realize I'm not using a very good ewheel and I didn't make a paper pattern, (its a joke folks) but flexible shape patterns SPEAK to me. I don't know everything and hope I never implied that I do but one thing I do know is that there are lots and lots and lots of different ways to shape metal. Further, there are lots and lots and lots of ways that folks internalize what has to be done and how to go about it.


What the FSP does for me is tell me what to do where to get the shape correct in the panel. When the FSP fits the panel like a coat of paint, the shape is correct and the panel WILL go into proper arrangement. Until it does, it probably won't go into proper arrangement.



In this case, the FSP was not very accurate but still, it was a starting point and the FSP fit the panel tightly. Given the inaccuracy of the Burt Buck, it is about as far as this FSP can take me.



From this point on, it was tweak and blend until there was a 'fair curve' all over the panel from the back of the door into the fender.



Trimmed to fit and tacked in place.



Lots of bumping and pick and file work is going to be needed on these rear fenders. I'd probably be better off starting over but I'm going to try to save these. Believe it or not, they are better than they look in these photos.



Now it's time for the other side. This time, I have a good surface to pull a FSP from so I made another FSP using my favorite inner component, Glad Press-N-Seal. Press-N-Seal works great on slick surfaces and is very fast to make because the inner layer is one piece and it just lifts right off.



It is also thinner than double tape FSPs and work better (imo) when turned inside out for the 'other' side as this one will be.



Hopefully, this one will go a bit faster.

[Kerry Pinkerton]

As suspected, the other side went much faster. I'll probably finish it up tomorrow and post some photos.

I tend to think several steps ahead and one of the things I'm going to need to do shortly, about the third thing on the list, is the license plate holder.

Most the photos of period art deco cars don't have a tag or a place to put one. Here is a rear view. You'll have to imagine the decklid.



There is not enough clearance to have it below the body. About the only other option would be to build a power retractor that rotated the tag from up under the trunk floor to outside the body and higher than the bottom. I think I can do the hinge for that pretty easy and wire it so it comes out when the key is on but otherwise retracts.

Thoughts? Photos of other cars tags?

About the only thing that occurs to me is to recess a box in the center, just above the exhaust. The exhaust is a bit dark but if you look close below the body, you can see it.