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1959 356A S/R coupe project chassis # 108625

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  • Hi John, Thank you! I've learned that one the hardway by rushing to take something apart only to be to completely stumped when it was time to put it back together. Its right up there with taking the time to bag and tag small fastening hardware when you're in the frenzy of just getting whatever it is apart. I was fortunate that this side fared alot better than the other side for copying purposes so I had one shot at it. Thanks again for that post!
    Justin

    5/22/18

    Tying up loose ends in prep for closure of this cavity.
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    Time to finish stitching up this long run.
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ID:	100905
    All welded and dressed.
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ID:	100907
    `Welded the elbow joint back up next. Really tough and tricky getting the blind side of the tube stitched in. Having it on a rotisserie made that possible.
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    All that is left on this corner is the inner closing wall. 100% solid steel down in this junction once again.
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ID:	100908
    By the time that inner wall is repaired there will be 4 layers of 18 gauge in this corner. Then when the floor is added that will make this flange 5 layers thick... then a 20 gauge(should be 1 longitudinal closing panel on top of that. This area ahead of the torsion housing will be very stout once again.
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    Finished out the weld joint in and around the new flanged opening.
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ID:	100910

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    Just a couple more loose ends to go and I'll be fitting the closing panel.
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    Right side just about ready to accept a new floor.

    Thanks for looking!
    Justin
    Justin Rio

    Comment


    • 5/23/18

      More prep for right longitudinal.
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      Grinding down the remains of the OG longitudinal flange so I can peel it off.
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ID:	100923
      Trick is to get it thin so its weak enough to peel like a Sardine can but not too far where you're thinning out the host layer.
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ID:	100924
      Dots of OG spot welds are the last to go with just a quick pass of the grinder. Beats drilling them out.
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ID:	100925
      Boxed the twin bulkheads for additional support and stability.
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ID:	100926
      Not original but completely unseen once its all closed up. I want a more solid base for the jack spur to work off of.
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ID:	100927
      Begin rear closing wall repairs. I had thought of maybe reinstalling the original but I had too see how far the rust had gone under that flange.
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      This section of closing wall is rusted out a bit more than I thought so its going to be a cleaner job to just build it new from a single piece. Working on that next.
      Thanks for looking!
      Justin
      Justin Rio

      Comment


      • 5/25/18
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        Again, once I had more of the flange peeled it was more confirmation that I wasn't saving this old closing wall.
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        Last bit of the wall removed save for the upper attachment flange which I'll get later.
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ID:	100955
        So very relieved to find the rest of it solid way down in this blind corner.
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ID:	100956
        Thought I might be fabricating this piece but a quick check of the parts stash turned up a pair of new closing walls. So glad I checked first.
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ID:	100957
        Now onto fitting the closers.
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ID:	100958
        Fitting the bottom panel first.
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ID:	100959
        After just a quick clip here and there this panel went most of the way in.
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ID:	100960
        Hugs the contour of the bulkheads snugly
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ID:	100961
        with a nice fit against the new flange run. Almost too easy...
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        More fitment coming up.

        Thanks for looking!
        Justin
        Justin Rio

        Comment


        • I like to drill a few holes in the longitudals at the heater tube supports, and weld it all together for rigidity.
          Jack (analog man from the stone age)

          Comment


          • Justin, really nice series of welding and fabrication. I can see what Jack meant by added support, Of course before that car gets rusty again I guess we will all be so old it won't matter anyway.

            Great informative thread this one.

            Roy

            Comment


            • With this being only 20 gauge Jack, I was toying with that exact idea. I think I will.

              Thanks again Roy! The next time this car needs rust repair we'll ALL be nothing more than an old memory.
              Justin
              5/28/18
              Longitudinal panel fitment
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              Carefully flattening out some of that flange then trimming back for the eventual seam weld.
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              Had to rebend this flange a little higher and angled for a tight fit here.
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ID:	100997
              Began set screwing from the center out utilizing the original tack strip holes.
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ID:	100998
              Synched up nicely so far.
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ID:	100999
              Quick mock up with the Original rocker assembly which will be reinstalled.
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ID:	101000
              OG tack strip holes will also come in handy to locate the rocker exactly where it was.
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ID:	101003
              Nice tight fit so far.
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ID:	101001
              Lots of panel prep before this goes on for good but it should work out fine in the end.
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              Continue fitting.
              Thanks for looking!
              Justin
              Justin Rio

              Comment


              • 5/29/18

                Closing panel fully set screwed in final position.

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                Synched down into final adjusted position working from the center outward.
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                Will cut and lay the flanges over just as the factory example on the other side shows me.
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                Rolling it upright next to trace the final cut lines.
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ID:	101031
                Huge psychological boost seeing this all closed up.
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ID:	101032
                Synched up nice and tight
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ID:	101033
                Tracing my cut lines next but will leave the excess in the corner until I have to new flanged closing section built and in. Speaking of flanges, that new reinforcement plate for the bulkheads was flanged at both ends. Have to plug weld the three holes that secure them there next.
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                Final trimming.

                Thanks for looking!

                Justin
                Justin Rio

                Comment


                • 6/2/18

                  Getting dangerously close to sealing up the right longitudinal.
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                  Small details of replicating flap overlay on the forward corner.
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                  Remains just enough of it to copy.
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                  Slowly piecing it together.
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                  Plug weld holes added to attach this panel to the bulkheads as Jack mentioned earlier.
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ID:	101140
                  The main closing run is just about ready to go on for good so it was time to begin fitting its rear cap.
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ID:	101141
                  Began by cleaning the upper mounting flange for it.
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ID:	101142
                  Two layers of remains to grind down to get to the base flange. Not fun

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                  Getting these layers thin enough to peel and tear without getting into the base flange.
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                  Took some grinding but getting it down to brass tacks.
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ID:	101145
                  Base run cleaned of old flanges and wire wheeled of rust.
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ID:	101146
                  Didn't get it all. Remains of both of those old flanges continue on under the striker and seal channel to the other side.
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ID:	101147
                  Debated on whether to chase it or end the repair here. After some looking I found more rust in and around this junction so I decided to clean it out the rest of the way.
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                  Old junction point removed.
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ID:	101149
                  Entire run now clean so I can do a complete repair.
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ID:	101150
                  Now the new section will wrap around in behind the striker as originally found.
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ID:	101151
                  Time to begin fitting the new cap. However the more I played with it the more it just didn't seem quite right. While the embossed upper section detail is intricate its not correct...
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ID:	101152
                  A refresher look to the other side shows it as a simple sweeping panel with no embossed corner details.
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ID:	101153
                  Not sure what car this piece was copied from; maybe a Karmann panel? One thing for sure its not correct for this car.
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ID:	101154
                  I'll be making my own. Begin paper template off the remains of the original.
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ID:	101155
                  Good basic shape. Moving onto metal
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ID:	101156
                  This also gives me the opportunity to make it out of 18 gauge like it should be.
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ID:	101157
                  Cut to basic shape now onto form fitting it.
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ID:	101158
                  Again it should be just a smooth sweeping panel without that stepped cornered relief shape.
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ID:	101159
                  Form fitment to come. As its 18 gauge its not going to be as forgiving as 20 gauge so it'll need some extra persuasion.

                  Thanks for looking!
                  Justin
                  Justin Rio

                  Comment


                  • Very nice work Justin. That rear panel was tough to fit on my T6, but at least had the right shape.

                    Comment


                    • Thanks a lot Phil! Its a complex shape and a tough panel to seat fully. Every time its removed, reworked or not it changes ever so slightly.

                      6/4/18

                      New end cap finally tacked in.
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                      Pushed further into basic contour.
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ID:	101174
                      Slowly adding the inner flange run.

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ID:	101175
                      Flange better defined with each try. The tricky part is its gathering in that corner so a some heat was needed to keep it going.
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ID:	101176
                      Heat added to the corner and a bit of force fitment to get to sit down deeper as it went..
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ID:	101177
                      Inner flange defined and set enough to be able to commit to the outer upper(car is upside down) flange run.
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                      As you can see the car itself is making for the perfect hammer form.


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                      After a few more rounds I finally had the rolled inner flange shape I was trying to copy.
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ID:	101180
                      With each round I'd lock it in with set screws which had to be redrilled a couple of times as the panel shrunk in tighter with each pass.
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                      Basic roughed in shape with just one more detail to add.
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ID:	101182
                      Need to add in this curved delta relief shape for the heater conduit.
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ID:	101183
                      Relief shape added with one more comparison shot of supplied closing panel with what was actually needed for this car.
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                      Relief shape was grafted in. I foolishly thought I was just going to pound that shape in cleanly on the first try. It went side ways real quick so it had to be made separately for a clean shape.
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                      First refit after all the changes and final adjustments.
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ID:	101186
                      Probably wouldn't have bothered with that shape relief otherwise but its a T2 thing and it will always be visible.
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                      My original T1 closing panels showing no relief shape.
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                      Would have had plenty of clearance without it but in the end the details have to be right.
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                      First of the tack welds...On for good.
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                      More shaping and probably more heat as it goes in but its at least installed.
                      Thanks for looking!
                      Justin
                      Justin Rio

                      Comment


                      • WAIT, WAIT. You need to loan that to Restoration Design, or your favorite repro metal supplier before installing.

                        Comment


                        • LOL Phil! I don't think any of those vendors would be interested in my handmade interpretations.

                          6/4/18

                          Almost ready to close the right long up.

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                          Inner flange seam welded as originally
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ID:	101242
                          Some divots and details I still need to clean up on that weld seam yet but leaving it for now and moving onto the next flange run.

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                          Started from the back and worked forward. The forward corner needed more stretching to lay down in there tight like I needed.
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                          After a few rounds of heat and dolly work the corner finally relief stretched down in there so I could finish plug welding.
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                          PIA working in18 gauge! 20 gauge is awfully tempting.
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ID:	101246
                          New closing wall finally mounted and set.
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ID:	101247
                          A very long road but I am now down to sealing the inner surfaces and punching the rest of the needed plug weld holes.
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ID:	101248
                          With most of the severe heat behind this area I can now shoot some sealer down in here.
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ID:	101249
                          Prepping for sealer and a good coat of paint next. Almost ready to close this cavity up.

                          Thanks for looking!
                          Justin
                          Justin Rio

                          Comment


                          • Justin, I have to say that I have never seen (or can't remember) as exaggerated a clearance "delta" as you made. New to me. I have always thought of the differences in that shape in the closing panels I've seen as being created "as necessary" during the building of the body...any A body. Some were almost unnoticeable, some were much more pronounced. I suppose you copied yours from an original that I have not seen..... ....as I do not remember that detail in a new original spare part. Maybe Ric can chime in.....

                            And, I am VERY familiar with going sideways.......regularly.

                            Bruce

                            Comment


                            • Hey Bruce,

                              You had me digging through old photos just make sure I hadn't screwed up.
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                              I may have gone a little strong on the shape but it was definitely a pressed in feature. Here is the original from this side. It was struck with something, probably a hammer during the factory install that has flattened it but the pressed in lines are still clearly visible.
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                              The other profile is a little more pronounced and undisturbed which is what I copied from but it too was hit just as it meets the corner there.
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                              The 1958 coupster donor chassis also had this relief feature.
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ID:	101274
                              This is where I first took note of this difference as I thought it a weird add on as it was still an "A" chassis and my A coupe didn't have it so why?

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                              Then looking back further still and I ran across this old photo of 1957 Speedster 83142 a "latish" beehive T1A and it too had the relief. So I was wrong to assume its a strict T2 feature. So when was this was introduced? Another one of those mid 1957 changes I can only assume. This photo did put my mind at ease as the shape seems just as pronounced as the one I just made. I suppose I could hit my mine down with a hammer for a more authentic look and feel. Thanks for the post Bruce... I'm always learning.

                              Justin
                              Justin Rio

                              Comment


                              • OK, Justin, I see where your interpretation of that shape is coming from. I personally have just not seen that shape being that long. You do also illustrate a shorter shape which is my 'normal.' With no real documentation or data, I can just say "most" A models I have worked on had that clearance.

                                And we know it's not a "California thing."

                                My theory of such differences being done 'on the fly' during body construction comes from those differences that I have witnessed. I have seen more than one original A with no clearance compensation on that panel, FWIW. Now I have seen a greater difference in that shape through this site and your presentation...so I'll say 'thank you' again!

                                Bruce

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