#701
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I took some time to align the right door today and noticed that what I thought was "binding" in the hinges due to misalignment was actually the lower rear corner of the door hitting the radiused area where the quarter and rocker meet. If I remember correctly, I had a very irritating experience trying to weld in this area due to some previous leaded repair. So much so that I shut it down and walked away.
Anyway, I trimmed the radius so the door would clear and the fit was good with no binding or interference. I'll have to make a tiny patch to fill in what I just carved out of the rocker. I'm not really looking forward to welding that in. This door had a lot more damage than the left door. It was side swiped with the majority of the damage toward the front and a crease running almost full length down the side. Also numerous dings and some very minor surface rust. Even with all that, I still feel this door is worth saving. Parts for these cars are very scarce and even if I could find another door, it would most likely be horribly rusted. I got the major damage out with some basic hammer and dolly work. I'll get the small stuff after I've done the rest of the modifications.
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Jack Set a Goal So Big That You Can't Achieve It Until You Grow Into The Person That Can. Last edited by Jack 1957; 08-19-2017 at 10:09 PM. |
#702
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Nothing exciting happening here lately. I'm still waiting for parts for my plasma cutter, so in the meantime I got some other work done on the doors. I covered all the accessory holes and hinge recesses in the front of the door frames. After I did the right side, I though maybe I should have left the opening that was originally for the door catch open, thinking I might put the latch assembly there so I left it open on the left door. But after taking a second look, I think it's probably too low for the latch so I'll just cover that one too.
Next, I started on the door skins. The left door was in pretty good shape. There were a few minor dents and door dings that I bumped out and I patched the door lock hole. The right side was a whole different story, it needed a lot of dent repair work. All hand tools. Hammer and dolly. The heavy damage near the front will need more attention. A brief heat and beat session I'll leave for tomorrow since that's a few hours work. I welded a patch in where the door lock holes were and that's about it for today.
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Jack Set a Goal So Big That You Can't Achieve It Until You Grow Into The Person That Can. |
#703
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OK, time to clean up this mess I made when I was working the major damage out of the right door. I was prying outward at the front of the door around the perimeter of the major damage to relieve some of the pressure on the caved in area. It worked well but left the skin in pretty bad shape. This could have been mudded up but I don't want any mud where I'll be adding the extension on the door. This seam will be a stress area that could cause cracking from opening and closing the doors after a while. If this area needs to be filled after the extension is welded on, I'll use lead. It will flex rather than crack if the metal moves any.
It took a couple hours but I got it straightened out. It needed to be hammered out from inside with a dolly on the outside. The problem was, there was no room to swing a hammer inside. I have a modified mini palm hammer that I use for this. It's one of the things a collision tech would have since there are a lot of times that you're repairing panels in tight quarters. It took some time with some basic hand tools but I got it straightened out. This is all I needed to work the damage out of this panel. Some basic hand tools and a shrinking disc. I mention this because I want the newer guys to keep in mind that YOU are the sophisticated machinery required to do this kind of work. It's nice to have equipment but you need to know what to do with it first. If you have the money and floor space for machinery, by all means, get it, but remember that machinery is only designed to get the work done easier and quicker. You still need to know what you want it to do.
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Jack Set a Goal So Big That You Can't Achieve It Until You Grow Into The Person That Can. |
#704
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Wow, that is seriously impressive. That door skin was really wrinkled up.
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Joe |
#705
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Quote:
Good job of it Jack. |
#706
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WOW!
What is the modification you did to the palm nailer?
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Larry |
#707
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I should have been more clear with my description. The bits have to be hand made. The tip that you see on the business end is a piece of drill rod cut to length with a radius on the end. I have made others with disc shapes and flats, etc. depending on what's needed. A pressure regulator would help control the speed and hit but I've gotten used to using it without one so I don't have problems with over working the metal. Rather than push the nailer into the panel which will produce hard and rapid fire hits, you lightly tap and it will do one hit and bounce off. Hold it loosely and allow the recoil to push your hand back and you'll see what I mean. Also, this is a mini. The standard size is far too violent and too big to get into tight areas.
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Jack Set a Goal So Big That You Can't Achieve It Until You Grow Into The Person That Can. |
#708
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Very nice work, Jack. Good to see old BluePoint stuff.
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Kent http://www.tinmantech.com "All it takes is a little practical experience to blow the he!! out of a perfectly good theory." --- Lloyd Rosenquist, charter member AWS, 1919. |
#709
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I started the skin extensions for the front of the doors. I drew out a long curve that starts at the A pillar area which will be where the new windshield starts its curve and continued down to the rocker panel. I got that onto a template, stuck it to the door with some magnets, then opened the door and marked the shape of the original skin on the back side and transferred that to some sheet metal.
After cutting them out, I did a light wheeling then bent it into shape by hand manipulation. After I got it to fit tight I tipped the flange on the leading edge. After a little trimming, the left side was ready. I clamped a couple pieces of straight scrap metal to the door to help keep the extension flush with the existing panel and tacked it in place. Everything looks good so I went ahead and welded it up. I'll do the right side next, then make the extensions for the door frame.
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Jack Set a Goal So Big That You Can't Achieve It Until You Grow Into The Person That Can. Last edited by Jack 1957; 09-07-2017 at 08:37 PM. |
#710
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Jack, you just keep working the magic. You should be proud of your workmanship.
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Richard K |
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