62 bt6

[JTR70]

Like all the rest of your closing panel work...Looks bitchen!

[neilb]

i have been getting the rear seat floor section ready to be welded in, along with the panel below that, the panel above the trans.




i put some ties in to replicate the impressions that are in the rear chassis rails. these are 57mm exhaust tube. blanked on one end with 1.6mm sheet. and another 1.6mm sheet sat below the inner level, so to appear to have a depression

plug welded to the outer skin and welded to the inner skin. i have another 2 to weld in, 1 on each side



just checking the hieght





once the edge is tapped down it will be within tolerance


thanks for watching

[neilb]

I keep looking at your pictures, and I can't help but wonder if you're going for a top side exterior "spine" and split rear window, ala Bugatti Atlantic. That could look pretty bitchin on the right car.

i can see what you mean jack lol, my profile gauge on the roof gives it a look similar to the bugatti.

i won't be doing that though, well not on my car. maybe the next one if i get chance to do another

[Jack Staggs]

I keep looking at your pictures, and I can't help but wonder if you're going for a top side exterior "spine" and split rear window, ala Bugatti Atlantic. That could look pretty bitchin on the right car.

[JTR70]

Love how clean and racy the foot well area looks with the speaker bosses deleted and the new lightened tunnel walls. Beautiful!
Justin

[neilb]

it has a floor welded in now

going in...













feels nice to have this welded in now


thanks for watching the show lol

[JTR70]

Shaping up nice Neil!

[neilb]

i just thought i would share with you guy's a picture i took while turning the car around to weld up the other longitudinal. it struck me as almost having a shape of a car lol






thanks for watching

[roy mawbey]

Neil,

Some super work there. Oh how I remember the door repair on the outer skin on one door 40 years ago using gas welding. I did it after forming the replacement panel but have never forgotten the trauma

These days you guys would have laughed your socks off at my efforts. How times have changed. How the repair process has changed with so many changes in welding equipment. No books, or internet, that really helps those attempting something actually so difficult for the first time. I had no idea even 20 years ago that so many 356 cars survived as they were rare to see on our roads then. Nearly all rusted away!

But was has not changed is the true skill that some people have especially those doing this work on ABCGT. Its the tips and hints and photo's as these repairs take place. It also the clamps, all those great clamps you can now buy to help you support when welding.

Great thread!

Roy

[neilb]

well it's been busy! i made a new outer 'a' pillar section where the hinge brackets go, after checking and checking it turned out it was 6mm out, so it was re-made and replaced. hinge brackets re-made and tacked on, door back on and aligned. longitudinal checked






painted inside and welded on checked with the outer sill...






no idea how this happened.....











thanks for following along and for all the kind words


neil

[bbspdstr]

Please note the long subtle curved numbered blades hanging on the wall behind the English wheel (and the happy wheelers). Those are crucial for getting the compound curves of something like a door skin absolutely (close) in replication.

IF you have (most) of an original door that is undamaged or repaired in it's past, you can take the most representative curves horizontally in steps and mark the locations for checking while wheeling, otherwise it is very easy to go too far or too little with the wheel or get the improper curve on the opposing (unseen in the video) lower roller.

The curve vertically comes from the curve change horizontally but the most difficult part is the change from a positive crown to a reversed crown......and then you have the edges to break on a subtle curve once the oversized outer skin is formed. It is NOT as easy as it looks in the video, but thanks for sharing that!!!! (Those!)

It's all a blend of patience mixed with true art...with "old school" equipment to make it possible. It is NOT something that is totally trainable and certainly learned overnight. It's rather "you have it or you don't." It comes through practice while being overseen and the best overseers are fading fast, thus the term "lost art."

Thank you for this thread!

Bruce

[JOP]

Wow, nice to see you in action with Pete and the end result is just excellent!
Whish I had Pete around the corner
Thank you for sharing.
Per

[neilb]

so the time had come to make another door skin, so i called peter again for his help and we shaped one up on saturday.

https://youtu.be/Dj0pwEuX5pU

https://youtu.be/FsbR_HOe50c

you'll have to excuse me though, if i knew we were going to be doing short video's i would have sorted out my hair lol

[merbesfield]

Outstanding work

[neilb]

little update, on to the passenger side door so i can finish bracing the door openings to get the longitudinal's on and the floor in.



setting the hinges, i've measured the distance between the two

looks great to see it back on


it's not gap'd up at this point, just the window frame to put in then gap it to the roof opening.

thanks for following along