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**JTR70** · 06-24-2019, 06:00 AM

Relief cutting substructure.

I needed to be able to lift the back edge of the skin independently from the rest of the hood so the answer was a slice through the substructure to break it free.

Immediately remounted for a test try to see if this was going to give me what I needed. A light pry upward with that scraper and I knew I had my answer.

Slowly tacking it back together to set the new shape.

Test fitted yet again before I fully committed to stitching it back up. Not only was the wanted lift there but the rake and attitude now more closely matched the general incline of the cowl save for about that last inch or so.

Half way there. Addressing the cowl side next.
Thanks for looking!
Justin

**Phil Planck** · 06-24-2019, 12:00 PM

Maybe its the angle, but after gap looks smaller than before gap. Clever solution.

**JTR70** · 06-24-2019, 06:54 PM

Cowl side adjustment:

Again the fitment and alignment down toward both corners was doable but in through the center remained a problem. Improved with the change in the hood but I wanted to reduce filler on both sides if possible.

BTW: cracks left in the skin like the one above have been fairly common so far.

I now have the rake and general contour dialed in across these two panels but a 3mm height discrepancy remains on the cowl side for the first couple of inches or so. Along with a wide gap.

That was my confirmation to remove what lead solder was there and relief cut this entire run for a closer gap and elevation with the hood.

How about that, after solder removal another small crack left unaddressed and just slicked over in solder. Not a big deal but it should have been welded as it will only take a second to zip it closed.

**JTR70** · 06-24-2019, 07:13 PM

Relief cutting cowl.

Hood reinstalled to highly just how much filler it was going to take to create anew gap.

Not just the gap but also the needed build up of the shoulder.

At least a quarter inch of filler to create a 3-4MM gap against the hood.

Entire run was relief cut at the corner in my quest to reduce filler and or solder.

Now I can drive the vertical wall closer and raise the surface of the skin to match to up closer with the hood. Less filler use in the end.
More later...
Thanks for looking!
Justin

**JTR70** · 06-25-2019, 06:41 AM

Buttoning up the cowl forward edge.

Vertical wall tapped forward to create the needed 4mm raw gap against the edge of the hood. Now onto raising and backfilling the cowl.

Paint stick holds my gap while I pry and tap just ahead of this low run.

Starting from the center out with first little sliver welded in. Would prefer this to be one continuous strip but I had to keep control of it as it went by taking small bites at a time then checking it against the remounted hood(with seal).

There was transitional profile I was after. Once its done only a thin swatch of filler will be required to take it the rest of the way in.

Continuing on...

**JTR70** · 06-25-2019, 06:57 AM

Cowl adjustment complete.

This was a long double seam weld so to keep down the heat distortion and boredom I'd dress sections to completion to keep my morale up.

Backfill run fully welded and dressed. This turned out to be a long one.

Zipped up that crack that was left hiding under the solder previously.

Finally had the panel transition I was after.

A few loose ends yet to tie up but the heavy lifting was done.

**JTR70** · 06-25-2019, 07:18 AM

Loose ends...

Don't know if it changed on me or if I just missed it but after all that ceremony the right corner of this hood was now coming in low against the cowl.

No choice but to cut deeper lift the corner then heat and tap the rest of the substructure back up to catch it.

Okay, now its done. Always something..

With this transition issue now finally put to bed I could finish welding the substructure back together. Alteration completely undetectable once its painted.

Addressing the splits left along the edge of this hood.

Last one on this hood...I think.

Thanks for looking!
Justin

**roy mawbey** · 06-25-2019, 04:39 PM

Justin, you almost make it look easy when in fact its far from easy!! They should nickname you the ' Gapman' rather like 'Batman', you seem to perform metal work miracles. Enjoyed looking at that session of yours.

Roy

**JTR70** · 06-25-2019, 07:06 PM

File leveling at the corners.

With the final height and gaps established on this hood I could now file shape all this solder at both corners to carry on the body line.

Lead is a touch low just at the hood here so it will need a skim coat to bring it up. General contour line is coming though.

As the solder thinned troublesome high spots of steel emerged so a bit of heat shrinking was need to tame them; on both sides.

Begin final filing on the right side. Removed A LOT of lead solder in through here on both sides.

Just about ready for a coat of sealer.

**JTR70** · 06-25-2019, 07:24 PM

Back to body work:

Sanding and prepping the surrounding area for a sealer.

Finished off with a soapy scrub for the exposed leaded areas. Just a precaution so I sleep better at night.

Chased it as far as I can so now time to get it behind some sealer to start a new. Hood reinstalled(again) in preparation.

In sealer with initial skim coat applied.

rest and repeat.

Thanks for looking!
Justin

**JTR70** · 06-26-2019, 06:43 AM

First round of blocking hood to cowl complete.

Swatched and chased this area as far as I could. Time to get it behind a coat of sealer.

As it went I noticed the right wiper embossment had been dented inward at some point. Didn't want to create it out of filler so the wiper assembly was removed and this detail was hammered upward again.

Next was uniform coat of sealer.

Nowhere near finished but its down to that last 10-15 percent.

**JTR70** · 06-26-2019, 06:55 AM

Quick fog coat to highlight the low spots.

Gaps are mess as the hood is unhinged and just laying free on there.

Once everything dried the hood was remounted with seal here. The gaps came back.

A couple more of this hard won hood to cowl transition.

rewarding to look at for a while but it was soon back to block sanding.
Thanks for looking!
Justin

**JTR70** · 06-27-2019, 06:12 AM

Final work coat:

Detail heavy enough so I won't post the next three cycles of this I had to do before I had all the contours, reflection rollers and edge details up to level that I could live with.

Again, took me three more passes to get here but it finally arrived. This is more of my old junk paint I blended together and it came out kind of nice. Almost a Fiord green

Out in the sun not so much but nice for a work coat.

Shot it with the hood off so I could really get a nice heavy work coat on the jambs.

One of the biggest PIA's was getting smooth and consistent corners and edges with no other blemishes.

Not finished block sanding as this is another shot to get it just a little bit better but I am finally finished body working the front end group.