Coupe into Speedster Conversion

[Scott B]

Justin, some amazing work and patience. What was your trick to crimping over so nicely and smoothly the edge of the fender to the outer wheel well?

[JTR70]

Thanks alot for very the very kind words Manny and I really appreciate you taking the time to read through all of this. With everything you've been through on your project I know you can definitely relate, so thanks again for saying so!

Thank you too Scott, You're in the same boat so Likewise! In prepping for the "flange fold" I'll etch where the shoulder of the lip will be against the skin then die grind in a light line to help create a better defined fulcrum. I can only equate it to putting a crease in a piece of paper maybe. Then I just hold the dolly against the shoulder flange and slap the edge of the skin over a little at a time. I do glancing blows that slip off the edge as it feels like it may fold the skin around tighter. Don't know if thats true but it feels better in my mind. I'm sure there are better techniques for accomplishing this but this is what I've done here. Up around that sweeping corner I'll use a little torch heat so I don't have to get too rough with it. Hope this helps.
Thanks again for all the nice words of encouragement guys, it is always greatly appreciated!!
Justin

5/2/17

A bit of change and upheaval these last several days (week) so not alot happening on this project until this afternoon; have to get back on track.

Tunning in the final position so I can remove the remaining excess metal.

trimmed with one more ultra-fine to go to get the butted-end joints. Picking and filing that old accident damage as I went.

Raised a really bad low spot/trigger point on the cowl side. Its better but I'll finish it out once the welding is done. I know it will continue to be a bastard, especially after the welding. No choice have to go with it.

Final trimming along the edges next then the first series of tack welds after that... Hopefully.

Thanks for stopping by!
Justin

[JTR70]

5/10/17

Final piece of the puzzle tacked on.

trimmed, located in best average position and finally tacked on.

I was mostly concerned with a smooth transition and continuation of that trough and the peak of the fender profile.

Alot of variable along the inner joint so I decided it best to leave it loose for now.

Ready to begin heating and heeling over this final outer section.

Reheated several times to minimize the distortion along this compound curve.

Door test fitted immediately after the flange was clear as I was very anxious to now how bad I missed it. Swings a little wide at the center but thats why they leaded them.

One change after the flanging was along this inner edge. This section began oil canning as I now had too much length in there and is crowding the panel.

Easiest fix will be to cut these forward tacks free allowing the patch to slide and "grow" foward using up that excess metal causing the "oil canning"

Alot of cleaning up yet to do but it was close enough right out of the gate. I can at least work with it and doesn't require a redo.

Again, I have a ton of loose ends and contours to clean up but I offically have no more panels or parts to add on this project. I just have to finish up whats there. Never thought I'd get here.
Tying up loose ends next.
Thanks for looking!
Justin

[bbspdstr]

"Never thought I'd get here."

Yeah, but look where you started and WHAT you have started!

Congrats! It only took 228 pages. If this was a Soap Opera, that wouldn't be a whole year of daily shows.

When and where is the book signing?

Bruce

[John Pierce]

Say it ain't so! Where am I going to get my daily Porsche repair fix?

Seriously, CONGRATULATIONS!! What a fantastic build and documentation. I can't wait to see what's next.

John

[bbspdstr]

Hey John,

What is Justin going to do next?

I'm shipping my sunroof A that I never get to work on out to Justin to wrap-up for me. The remaining bodywork is only worth about 30 pages........the Stone gray paintwork is likely a few pages more.

-Bruce

[Phil Planck]

Congrats Justin. I great project documentation and great work on your part. Hopefully you'll keep us posted on the loose ends, as like others, need my daily "fix".

Phil

[merbesfield]

Hell, you built an entire Speedster from nothing faster than I did my floor pans, which still are not finished.

[Jack Staggs]

[quote="JTR70" post=38649]5/10/17 I just have to finish up whats there. Never thought I'd get here.
Tying up loose ends next.
Thanks for looking!
Justin[/quote


OK, so only 1538 days so far, that's around 36,912 hours, or 2,214,720 minutes, or 132,883,200 seconds. You may be able to do ten more, if you get started right away.

[JTR70]

Thanks alot Bruce! This is most likely as close as I'll ever get to a book.

Appreciate that John! As this one winds down you're going to have to provide the daily "fix".

Thanks very much Phil! I'll of course keep this thread up to speed as I knock things off my ever so shortening "to do" list.

Mark, to quote a phrase from Bruce that really stuck in my head: "its amazing how long it takes to complete something you're not working on"
My coupe project comes to mind.

When you put in those terms Jack, it makes it even more depressing.



BTW: Bruce's S/R coupe is here. Actually this car belongs to really nice fella who has been patiently waiting for me to finish out this coupster project so I could help him with the weld repair on his '59 S/R coupe. He's kept in contact with me for the last several years so last summer I told him to bring it down when he could. Again, waiting very patiently since. He's a stickler for originality and detail so it will be another detailed build post, which I'll start here shorlty. Anyway this is the next welding adventure. Rusty but nothing like what I've delt with on this project.

Thanks again for all the kind words and encouragement guys!!
Justin

[Drew.s]

Justin, what a journey.
Your speedster build has been a huge encouragement to many and me in particular.
Looking forward to watching your next project.
Can you PM me your address, would like to send you a little something to say thank you for an amazing couple of years I will miss the daily fix.
Regards
Drew

[JTR70]

Thank you for the nice words Drew, I really appreciate it! Sure I'll send you an email. I also appreciate the thought and I thank you for that too but please don't feel obligated. I look forward to your build progress installments as well.
Thanks again Drew!
Justin

5/11/17

Improving the last patch.

Little Hammer and Dolly work to tighten and shape this leading edge flange. I also started spanking it upward to get it to level out with the door.

Some light filing after most of the hammering finished. There are a few minor low spots just ahead of the edge but nothing like what I had on my first go-round.

Improved but I thought the gap and relative elevation might get even better if I removed one of the shims (thick one) from the top.

That turned the trick. The gap got better and I even had to peck this new leding edge down just a touch in places which was nice as my biggest concern from the start was that it was going to end low no matter what I did.

The only drawback was a narrowing of the gap around this corner. This being a solid thick plate will only require some filing to get it back, easy fix.

I can live with that transition.

The majority of this lower run was also low compared with the door so I went ahead and pulled the last shim (thick) out from the bottom. Remounted the door and things got immediately better here too. If I can remove a shim instead beating a panel upward to match, its a win. Note how the center of the door above the rocker dips at the center; a little hammering along the door bottoms flange will be needed to correct that.

Leading edge opening of the fender is just about set. Now I can comfortably move onto tacking down the rest of this patch section.

Thanks for looking!
Justin

[Drew.s]

Hi Justin
My new email address is:
drew.saunders356@gmail.com
Regards
Drew

[roy mawbey]

Justin,

Like everyone else your speedster conversion has kept me interested through the whole job. I have learnt so much from that I almost feel like another project, but.......

The new project from Bruce looks a great one. The basis lookes really good to me. Something like the ten year old 356A cars used to look like in the 60's. Rust but looks confined to usual places not on every panel like your other exploit.

Really well done on the speedster. I guess when finished it will fool almost everyone who has not been following the progress.Super job.

Roy

[JTR70]

got it Drew, and thanks once again.

LOL, Roy, that coupe doesn't belong to Bruce. I was just playing off of his earlier post. He most certainly wouldn't need my help to finish his 356; especially in the rust repair department. I can't thank you enough for all the great words of encouragement on day one and throughout this build. It is always greatly appreciated!
Justin