1959 356A S/R coupe project chassis # 108625

[JTR70]

The original profile shape in through here was much shallower than Trevor's interpretation. That new section was too deep and stretched and not to mention hardened. Couldn't spend too much time on it so harvesting this section was looking like the better option.
I had cut the center section out of this donor nose for my buddy Dean a while back so harvesting this needed section was no sacrifice at this point. After some study I committed to a final cut line.
It ended up being short in two spots but I had the belly of it and adding on a couple of small backfill sections was much faster and simpler than trying to reshape what was there or making another section from scratch. Its complicated transitional shape through here.
Backfill section added and am now getting a close continuation profile off of the fender. This is what all the fuss was about.
One more piece to add but its a promising fit. One more view of that much softer spill way shape carrying on the fenders profile.

Thanks for looking!

Justin

[JTR70]

Final pieces of the puzzle.
After a bit more preparation and fine trimming this original section was ready for its first tack weld. Had to add in another relief cut below it to allow that area to gather for a softer shape to match the profile of the original section.
Its a complex shape and area so it had to be tacked in very cautiously as it went.
Steadily fitting in there and making sure the transition into the fender stayed close.
Most of this donor section now tacked into the needed position.
Gone about as far as I can for the moment. Back to the right side fender itself.

Thanks for looking.

Justin

[roy mawbey]

Justin well done indeed on this latest bit of work. As usual so good you had a doner to cut that piece from it looks really good and as you say its a really complex form .

Roy

[JTR70]

Thanks Roy. The Repro shape was too accentuated and deep. The original is a little shallower and in so doing matches to the fenders shape at the joint. Yes, its pretty involved area and this was the simplest and quickest way to get past this issue. Justin

[JTR70]

Right fender prep Continued.
Back to fitting and repairing the right fender. I've gone about as far as I can with tacking in that replacement section I want to leave the tail of it loose for now for potential adjustment purposes to make sure it transitions into the eventual fenders edge cleanly.
With the fender in its best adjusted position I can refit this cowl section. Its fresh out of the acid bath to remove a thick layer of rust on its underside.
After some slight readjustment this original section and the new repair strip were tacked together with the fender.
Section was moved back slightly to create the needed gap at the edge of the hood. The fender and the cowl on either side close down at the hoods edge. This will all be corrected towards the end.
Fender dismounted once again and clamped to my table a section at a time to lay in a thorough bead of weld.

Thanks for looking!

Justin

[roy mawbey]

Justin, its a really good process of working and it all makes sense to me but I have a question. I can remember cutting about 6 inches off the bottom of my drivers door skin and fabricating a complete new section to weld in. It was perfect till I welded it ( and I was really careful ) but with my gas welding I got distortion. My question is you have taken that fender off and clamped it to your table to run a complete weld bead to finish it. I presume its Mig you are using but how do you know its all staying in place and not doing what that door skin did to me?

Do you have datums to know its not distorted? Is there a trick to know you are safe to continue the weld? Do you move positions rather than do long weld runs? Was my old but perfect operational oxy/ acetylene welding really far harder than Mig to get good results. My experience some years of mig welding was not enough to really find that out!

After your attempts on all this work which is so good I really need to know how you overcome distortion when repair panels are off the car.

Roy

[JTR70]

Hi Roy, I used to really fear the inevitable heat distortion but now I've just accepted that no matter what you do the panels will change; grow and shrink in places along the weld joint. As long as I have clear access to work the back side of the panel I'm pretty confident I'll be able to get most if not all of it out. This is the reason I'm doing most of the weld runs (whare possible) with the fender off the car and using the table as heat sink to reduce the distortion.
Justin

[JTR70]

Finished up the weld seams that can be fully stitched off the car. Now onto heat shrinking whare needed and beginning to planish the weld seam. Remounted for its first test fit here.
Ready to begin trimming off the excess so I can flange a new leading edge next.
Fender was fully screwed down and mounted in its best adjust position one more time...
Now I could take my scriber to the edge of the splash pans mating flange and etch my final bend line.
Going to take a little more than a simple relief cut to get the new corner and the old fender to flow out smoothly. Will cross this bridge soon enough.

Thanks for looking!

Justin

[JTR70]

New flange:
Bend line etched from the leading edge of the splash pan. Checking it against the original edge for shape and placement.
New bend will be about 5mm inboard of the original but it will work out fine as this foward gap was almost zero with the doors edge before this fender was dismounted.
Finally ready to trim off the excess. Leaving about a 5mm lead from the bend line.
Then it was onto putting in an initial 90 degree flange. Starting with the flatter area first. Would become much more involved as I made my way upward into the turn.
Remounted for the first time with its new flange. Very rough preliminary bend up into the compound curve portion. I'll use the leading edge of the splash now as a hammer form to both shoulder and shape against to take this area further into a 90 degree+ bend. The new bend seats so far, tight up against the edge of the splash pan. All the while allowing the fender to remount and seat whare I had it before. This was such a critical bend to get right as it dictates the fenders mounting attitude and the eventual door gap. If I had gone off course, it all would have all been thrown off. So far so good though.

Thanks for looking.

Justin

[roy mawbey]

Justin that is some great work there, I was wondering how you would attempt that flange. It proves to me though you have to be very experienced to attempt this level of working. Thank you for your explanation as to why you used the table for the welding ! I forgot of course my welding job on the 356 door did not allow me hardly any room to inside the door frame to correct the error ! Of course you have all the room to correct errors if the parts are free to work around with hammer and dolly.

Anyway well done its so interesting to see you do this step by step.

Roy

[JTR70]

Thank you Roy. Yes, anytime I can use my table as heat sink I'll take advantage of it. Agree, door skins for sure are tough repair as far as access goes but your repairs have held up all of these years later so you must have done it very well. Justin

[JTR70]

Promising start with back edge contour shape and fitment but I'll know more once this edge is actually heeled all the way over and pinched tight to the splash pan flange. By contrast the wired lipped edge on the other side is going to need a bit of reshaping for a seamless flow. It also may require a little alteration on the fender side. I'll be crossing that bridge here shortly.
But now, back to shaping this upper run of the flange.
A little torch heat to make life easier on everyone. Entire run now into a good basic 90 degree angle.
Fender dismounted once again so I could tighten up the flange shape a little further.
With the back edge of the fender all but set I could now move forward and dial in the final trim line for the nose. This up next.

Thanks for looking.

Justin

[JTR70]

Final trim:
Much less stressful to commit to an initial cut line on this side. It has been consistently a half inch wider over here so as fitment progresses I only need it to come in tighter so no chance I'll come up short after this first cut.
Trim line etched and first trim in progress.
Getting very close to final installation. Decided now was the time to begin lifting out some of that old accident damage through the side of this fender. At first I thought it was
Also began planishing out the weld joint
Not finished working that surface but the big stuff