1959 356A S/R coupe project chassis # 108625

[JTR70]

The skin also buckled right at the 12 o'clock position above the wheel opening. The wired edge also had kinked right a across from that top screw hole in the new nose skin. This poor old car took a hit and it was the right side that bore the brunt.

The fenders shoulder was mounted along my heavy welding table as it was used as my hammer form to begin truing up this edge. Slight improvement with each round of hammering.
Not perfect but much improved from where it started. A ways off from final installation so lots of opportunity for fine tuning as it continues.
Now I can move forward with this fitment.

Thanks for looking!

Justin

[roy mawbey]

Justin the things you have to find to even resolve are not easy, Step by step and it gets clearer its just finding those steps to put it right !!

Roy

[JTR70]

Thats it Roy, just one small bite of this elephant at a time. Its all I can do.

[JTR70]

Now that I have a basic hood gap its back to building outward from there. Dialing the best preliminary adjustment between the fender and the nose joint. This joint has major influence on the fenders basic overall contour and shape.
More relieving than just the hood gap spacing was the near uniformity between these two panels along this gap. This mean I don't have to mess with the flange height on the closing walls any further. Corner of this hood has to come up though.
By the time this is butt weld joint these two panels should flow together pretty well. I deserve a break every now and then.
Added the rear repair strip and the rocker skin; the last two pieces of this puzzle as part of the overall confirmation process.
Here was my answer on that earlier question I had as to how well the wired lips were going to contour and line up... Not very well at all but all Par for the course.

[Jbrooks]

I just ordered a 2Kw laser welder, I have been watching them for a few months. Watch, don’t listen the chinglish will give you a brain cramp. I saw a hot rod guy up in Canada cleaning some machine tools after a building fire. He convinced me I needed one. Appears perfect for my restoration projects. I will post an article and how it works. Start saving your money, they are spendy.
here is a play list link, most have no filler wire, fusion welds. The video #5 with the different beam scan patterns is extremely interesting.

https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLy1IH9lmpPejynAZuNbI8Hv0aIW5nCWiu&s i=YO_6bg-fsyEORhue

[JTR70]

Thanks again for the link the John. I've watched them and it looks amazing. I am really looking forward to your first hand accounts and impressions on its performance once you take delivery. Justin

[JTR70]

Overall body profile down the side.
Dialing in a preliminary attachment point between the nose and the fender. This will most definitely change as fitment continues but I just need a jumping off point for now.
I need the fender to run pretty much flat and to carry on the line off of the door. It should start to grow and flare ever so slightly as it transitions to the nose. Its very nuanced flare however. Fortunately I have an original undamaged reference. I've seen many a car with this area too flared and strong. Even the entire fender profile itself could be pulled out and flared too far.
Right now the fender shape is still a little rough so I am just shooting for close contour as a starting point. I can either make the flare/ muscle profile shape grow or reduce by moving that nose joint back and fourth. Because the fender is bent its initial profile shape was starting out too flared but I kept manipulating it closer to the contour I'm looking for. A ways yet from committing to a final cut and weld line for sure.
The exaggerated sections in this body profile above is what I am watching out for. The rear fender opening is pulled way out of alignment. The front is also too strong at the back of the opening on up to the top of the arch. The general side reflection is all over the place as it also tucks and rolls at the door gaps. I've learned the hard way that you can't get focused just on one panel at a time as your building it. You have to keep one eye on the entire picture as it goes otherwise the final result is mixed at best.
Heading back to work on this rear repair section next.
Thanks for looking!

Justin

[roy mawbey]

Justin this rear repair section has me interested for sure. It looks like a small area of a 're-wire 'will be required to get the perfect blend? I have never attempted that !!! So much to think about !

Roy

[JTR70]

Hi Roy, There will be some cut and recontouring required for sure, but as you said there is a lot going on all at once so I haven't quite crossed that bridge just yet. Thanks again. Justin

[JTR70]

Rearward repair strip fitment continues:
This really gets to be a complicated shape through here. The new panel has to maintain that 3mm+ gap all the way around the edge of the door and while at the same time the skins surface has to fall into line with both the fender it will be welded to and the edge of the door. I have my gap here but the skin stands way too proud in and around this turn. Once I push the surface down where I need it the lipped edge wants to roll outward high lighted in marker. First thought was to just trim the edge back into line but the pinch seam really complicates an adjustment.
Second and much simpler option was a relief right down the center of the strongest point.
Just had to remove that sliver to allow the metal to lay down and keep the edge position I need. Not much, buts its these tiny adjustments that are every so slowly yielding the fit I'm after.
Have my gap and skin surface close enough to begin securing these two together as the fitment continues.
I left the original section on as I hadn't made up my mind if I'd save it or not. Just keeping my options open for now.

[JTR70]

Forward weld joint trimming:
Final cut along the original butt weld joint. As you can see the last of the badly wrinkled skin is on the other side of the joint. A lot of old sin will be eliminated with this final trim.
Mocked up and staged the front end group (again) and marked out where the edge of the fender is now sitting.
I trimmed off a half inch ahead of this line for an attachment point and to cover any future adjustments as this continues.
Remounted again and this time set screwed for the closest mock up yet. Inching closer and closer with each try. Blue marker line on the fender shows how much extra trevor marshall gives you with these noses.
Again I have a lot of control through this joint as to how much flare or how flat this fenders profile will be depending on where exactly I end up joining these two pieces. Another factor on overall contour shape is old accident damage. You can see that big roller right above fender well where it buckled. Going to have to iron that out a little closer before I can commit to a final joining line with these two panels. More on this next.

Thanks for looking!

Justin

[JTR70]

Begin ironing out some residual accident damage:
My next step is to dial in my final cut lines for both the front and back of this fender. Since the shape and contour of the fenders profile can be manipulated by how much I crowd or stretch it at these eventual weld joints now was the time to begin ironing out some of the accident damage to help dial in the final cut lines.
The traces of a major buckle in through here. That spot directly above the wheel arch is very stretched and soft.
Dismounted and placed on table to begin heat shrinking the area to get it to stabilize and hold its shape once again. Its actually just a small part of a larger problem area but its just one step at a time.
Forward section of its wired lip also had a small buckle so a little heat added to get it back into shape as well.
This area still needs quite a bit more planishing but the goal for now was just to get this soft spot to hold a close shape. It inches me closer to a final cut line for the weld joints.

Thanks for looking!
Justin

[roy mawbey]

Justin very interesting on how you are proceeding with this work. You have proved you have to constantly be thinking 3 steps ahead to get it right. I wondered how you would treat that buckle qnd I bet it was not easy. Of course every one of these jobs increases your experience. I have over the years so often glanced at Trevor Marshalls new panels and wondered how I wou;d get on fitting ,them and its interesting to me watching how you are managing with them. It looking so promising to me Justin you qre doing so well with this and your explanation as you go forward.

Roy

[JTR70]

Hello Roy, I try to stay several steps ahead of it but I still get jammed up at times. Always a curve ball or something unforeseen as its going together. I've had experience with two of Trevors noses and they are about as good as you could realistically expect. Thanks once again Roy.

Justin

[JTR70]

Inside contour correction:
Simple relief cut down the center of the lowest point allows the growth needed to allow this section to now reach and lay down.

I like it when the answer is easy. Its a very complex shaped area and it would have thrown me for a serious curve years ago but once you get going in this the only two question you ever have to ask yourself is: does the area need to grow or reduce? Grow was my answer here and the slice down the trough allows for this to happen.
Set screwed on and now carrying on the fender line even better.
Just about ready to cut that trough overlap to final length.
As relieved as I am about the body contour coming along through here I am even more thankful that the edge of the hood runs just about level with the edge of the fender. Not out of the woods yet as I still have to add the trunk seal in but its a promising start. Some gap work still to do at the joint but the lines are tightening with each try.
Thanks for looking!

Justin

[roy mawbey]

Fantastic results here Justin ! Your comment on does it need to grow or reduce is such an important statement. That process of a measured thoughtful cut I must say is one of the most important tips I have learn't from you since you found its the easiest way to do it. I do think the choice of welding gear is so important too. In the 70's when I did a fair bit all I had was oxy/acetalyne equipement never knew then about Mig or Tig for example. I am sure if I were to try doing it again I would invest in the best system.

Great thread indeed.

Roy

[JTR70]

Hey Roy! Just one of those things you learn by doing...no other way around it. As I've said before you did very well for yourself back in the 70's when MIG or TIG technology was very new and quite expensive. I'm interested in knowing what John Brooks thinks of his new Laser welder and its abilities speaking of newer technology. Thanks once again!! Justin

[merbesfield]

Looking good Justin. Reading over your thread reminds me how incredibly lucky I was to have such a solid car to build. I didn’t know it 100% at the time of purchase, but boy I sure do now over 13 years later. Still chugging along.

[JTR70]

Thanks Mark! I could not agree more. After what I've been through these last several years anyone who purchases a roached out project has no idea what really awaits them once they really start digging deep. Very easy to get overwhelmed even with more preserved examples like your coupe. Keep Chugging. Justin

[JTR70]

Hood gap:
Gap established along the nose but will need some back filling.
Opposite for the fender side as the last few inches of it will need to be cut and widened to match. This was my best fit. The rest of the run is fine but this last bit just insists on tapering down too tight.
Aside from the gap, I'm most relieved that the hoods edge is running nearly even with the edges of the fender and nose. The curve ball will be the addition of the seal but its starting out close.
Over all side profile is running close enough to begin locking in the back of the front fender.
Etching in my final cut line here.

[JTR70]

Rear edge repair: Close but will still have to deal with some final gap shaping around this turn. A tricky transitional area for sure.
At this point I left the original upper corner as it carried on a needed shape profile that the repair lacked. Wasn't sure whether I'd add it into the new section or work with the original. Just keeping my options open for now.
Final cut and ready to begin taking this together.
Carefully adding tack welds as each section was either pried up or pushed down as needed.
Basically tacked and now ready to be dismounted and clamped to my table so I can really throw some heat at this weld joint. Decided to keep the original upper corner for its shape and will repair its edge.

Thanks for looking.

Justin