The Resurrection of Foam Car - 63 T6B

[badsix]

nice work on the gutter section.
Jay D.

[John Pierce]

Nice job, Phil. Doing it correctly does take time. Interesting about that overlap.

[roy mawbey]

Phil,

Now that is a story, Bruce has the experience just to look and see the problem, you have the experience to rectify Phil. More and more it makes me realise just how pitfalls you can meet doing this work.

So interesting to watch from a computer monitor, really good photo's Phil.

Roy

[merbesfield]

[Phil Planck]

Thanks for the words of encouragement all. Sometimes hard to get motivated, but currently I am, so hope to get this passenger nose finished up this week. Spent about 2 1/2 hours slicing and peeling and tack welding and planishing the tacks. Also plug welded the weatherstrip flange down. Getting both sections lined up flush is time consuming, along with putting on and removing various protective helmets and ear protection. Went through 3 Dremel "thin cut" wheels just to do the several inches you see here:



Here are my flat planisher and my convex planisher:

[tperazzo]

Great job Phil and thanks for those slapper pics. I'd love to make a set of those.
Happy Holidays,
Tom

[Phil Planck]

Thanks Tom. I don't use the convex one very often, but handy when needed. I made the flat one from an old truck spring.
Another hour+. 14" tacked, 23" to go:




Phil

[JTR70]

Looking Good Phil! I remember thinking my life would be so much simpler if I could just get my hands on some NOS factory metal but as your last few entries have shown none of this stuff fits exactly like its supposed to...not even the factory parts. I think Bruce has stated that fact more than a few times through the years. Anyway, keep up the great work!
Justin

[Phil Planck]

Look Ma, no clamps!



Phil

[Scott B]

Can you help educate me. Why do you grind the welds as you go along is this so you can planish as you go. Why do you plenish the welds - is to undo some possible shrinking?

[badsix]

I do it nearly the same. in short a tack or weld shrinks penishing stretches the metal back out to were it should be.
Jay D.

[John Pierce]

Phil, I bet you're glad you decided to replace the original!!

[bbspdstr]

Jay wrote; "I do it nearly the same. in short a tack or weld shrinks penishing stretches the metal back out to were it should be."

Thus, the name "hammer-welding." It (the weld) is usually hammered over a dolly when hot, so the metal is forged and more leveled before any grinding of high spots after it cools. Remember that grinding induces heat and can cause more shrinking so topping is done gradually. Remember that a hammer face and a dolly wick the heat out of the weld, as well.

Also, when warm, the weld and the affected surrounding area can be "bumped" or encouraged in or out as it shrinks during cooling. Dollies are chosen to match the contour to be hammer-welded.

I learned while watching "the old boys" (all long gone) who had learned before what they termed "straightener in a can" came along...and they would hammer-weld about an inch at a time and know when to hit where and how hard and they never got into trouble, the metal never got out of control. They had patience mixed with a certain speed and rhythm and they would body-file as they went along to make sure their calloused hand's "feel" was accurate.

All gas welding...TIG and MIG were around but not much used for Bodywork by Bodymen until the later '60s, early '70s. I'll 'cheat' now and use a MG tack that will get reheated when I "connect the dots" of a butt seam and thus be forged. A MIG seam cannot be planished without risk of edge fracture due to the quick heat being applied in such a small area.

Best wishes for the holidays,
Bruce

[DG58INNM]

That came out nicely Phil. Good job. Even if the gutter was a little mis-shapen, I still think you were miles ahead starting with a factory piece.
DG

[badsix]

have any of you had any experience with Easy Grind wire, its suppose to be softer than the normal er70s. I've been going to try some but never have. its said to be more malleable than the er70. i'm with Bruce a butt weld with 023 er70 wire then ground down then planished is not a very good or strong weld.
Jay D.