1957 Sandblasted Coupe

[ukinusa]

Ok need to step in defend Toes and Hogue - neither of those folks...this time

What I am learning is to slow down - I was overly keen to get a nose half and when the opportunity came along I grabbed it - in hindsight (which is always 20/20) I should have been more forceful on an inspection and return option - I was warned that it out of spec. first so I only have myself to blame. Had it been sold as a accurate replacement panel then I would be more "bent out of shape".

[ukinusa]

Ok had to get to the bottom of this panel quality issue.... so cut off the rim which was way too big anyway and don't need it, as mine is just fine ....



Then spent a while try to find the best position for it to 'laydown' over existing nose; the lip for side light and the headlight bucket lip stop it from sitting flat...



side light hole is right width but a tad too long - I think that will be fine...

Self tap screws make it almost easy, had to predrill a few ...


New issue is now the front bottom edge ...

way over ! but should be easy to trim


The other end (towards wheel arch looks off too) but I think its because of the lips I mention holding the panel up too high,

also the lip they give you make the roll inside the bottom of wheel arch, holds the panel out too far.



OK now the Million $ question I need answered. Does the panel now it's (sort of) mounted look better than the previous pictures????
I think it's not as bad as those pictures may have made it look, or am I wearing rosy tinted glasses !









If this panel is workable, my thought is to trim it as best I can, then cut off the old panel and tack weld this in place. The old panel becomes the template for the new panel - if that makes sense !

I can cut of all the flanges (light bucket mount ring etc) so that it will lay much flatter than the current situation.

[Phil Planck]

If you posted this on metalmeet.com or allmetalshaping.com I suspect the advice would be to make a flexible shape pattern from the drivers side and lay that on your new piece to see where it varies and possibly how to reshape it to match the flexible shape pattern.

Phil

[John Pierce]

Great idea Phil. The flexible shape pattern will readily show the differences

[roy mawbey]

I have looked carefully at the pics when you ask the million $ question. The curvatures still look different to me. Those blending rads have to be perfect both sides otherwise the differences will stand out to the eye.

I do feel very sorry for you as I can see why you took the chance of a half panel. But get that front wrong and it will niggle you for ever.

Not sure just how bad your existing r/side front is. Like Justin mentioned is there no chance to patch repair? The pic you show of the wheel arch with its wired rolled edge is in not that bad condition and the item you purchased which looks so wrong makes me wonder if repair of the existing might as he says give a better result?

I think Trevors hammerworks sell their front nose sections in a number of pieces, might they not sell you one of their individual items? From photo's on their adverts the forms look much closer than the item you bought.

Very difficult decisions to make, but this area is one that has to be correct really.

Roy

[ukinusa]

Ok to give your folks a clearer picture, here are some close ups of the damages areas ...

Head light surround...


(opps old Wurth Calendars in the background - hey it's a garage !
(3 points to name the 3 cars in the background)

2x looking down ...




Showing the first major crease with "black smith" welding crease (another crease to the right - see pic below).

and with rule to compare to other side.





"middle area" with the good and bad side to compare...






Humm, as I write this and think about all the helpful comments you have all made, about the questionable curvature of the new panel, I am thinking I should probably 'chop it' and use it for parts. What say you folks ?

(By the way - what an awesome site -Thank you all, working alone in middle of 'nowhere' it's fantastic to be able to reach out for guidance. )

[roy mawbey]

Steve,

Would you believe as I approached the sentence you just wrote saying should I chop the new item and possibly use parts its exactly what I was thinking. My opinion is the actual form is already there, sure the repair damage has lost some correct curvature but you have the left side as a datum. With car and thought the dimensions should be be possible to replicate.

Sure, its not easy but I could see the new headlight bucket ( if the aperture for the headlight is correct after checking ) could well be cut and fitted. Likewise the crease area attended to bring the radius form out.

If it were me having to attempt that work that is the way I would
try first. When its close some leading and I think you will get a much better result than trying to fit that new nose section.

The guys on here doing this exact type work can now chime in because you should follow their advice.

I really wish you the all the best for this work, we all will be watching and helping if we can.

Roy

[Jonesy_356]

Steve,

I think you are in a great position. You have a fairly workable newly formed nose half, and you have an excellent datum on the left hand side of the car. If it was me, with my lower-end welding skills, I would be inclined to patch the RHS with scratch made stuff to the best of my ability OR using the nice new metal of the recently purchased replacement panel where it was clear from comparison with the datum that it was more expedient to cut in apart and use those pieces as inserts. It looks fairly obvious (at least to me) from the photos that this is likely to be true around the headlight surround, and I suspect that the bought panel is highly accurate here.

The other option of course, depending on your skills and tools (E-Wheel? Power hammer?) is to 'tweak' the new panel to get it closer to the datum, then fill the rest of the way (lead/bog).

That's just how an amateur like me would approach this in your instance if I had to make a decision on the information presented. Take it for what it's worth. I have my own unique nose problems on my machine that I will be asking for sage advice on, hopefully in the coming year. It will be the last thing I tackle, as I think it will be the most complex.

Good luck mate - again I think you are in a fantastic position. You're lucky enough to have an A 356 on your hands with the skills and tools to fix it! How cool!

Thanks for sharing,

Jonesy

[ukinusa]

Jonesy - you have more faith in me than I deserve, but thanks I do have a few tools but not a whole lot of experience...But learning !!!..

So the nose is going to get chopped into pieces, but not just now.

Before we went on that detour, and again many thanks to all for pointing out the POS that I purchased - lesson learned.

Back top the right longitudinal, I managed to get it roughly in place - tight at the rear, as that is the most solid area and worked forwards. It's too long so needs shortening. Not a big deal BUT ... looking at YouTube video about shrinking and stretching it is very apparent how after making a 90' flange, by shrinking or stretching on the flange one can induce a curve. I assume that is how they made this panel.

I need to flatten out the flange, cut some excess off and then make another flange "further back" to fit, however that existing tight radius looks very 'taught'.

I don't want to blx up the curve, so I am thinking the only way to straighten that tight radius the flange, is to cut a series of relief slots - straighten as best I can, then rebend the flange and weld up the cuts.

HELP !!!
Am I missing a process that is easier ? ...Cut the flange off and reweld it back on perhaps ?

[Don C]

Steve,
What about taking a section out of the curved body, looks like 3/8-1/2",to shorten it and welding it back together leaving the flanged end alone. A lot of this goes on with the aftermarket rocker panels either lengthening or shortening them to fit, just a thought.

[ukinusa]

Don you're a Genius ! As they say, all it takes is another pair eyes !!!! I was over thinking the problem.

Just went out to the garage to look at it. Looks like if I cut the flange off - say leaving 1/2", then cut the required excess off the remaining main part of the panel, and then tack weld the flange back on to measure ! I can finish weld the cut from "inside" the panel too, giving a better finish on the outside.
Thanks !

[John Pierce]

Steve,

Do you have Ron's book? If not, then please buy it!! It's really helpful. Look at the section on longitudinals and jack spurs. People will cut the outer longitudinal where the jack spur and underlying heater tube bulkhead lie. The rewelding is much less visible. Phil's Foam Car blog details this. Good luck.

Cheers,

John

[ukinusa]

argh - what an idiot I am, of course - jack spur is ideal...


Yes I have the book and will desist from cutting or welding ANYTHING till I read up again and check Phils references. Good job we don't have dunces hats anymore or I would be standing in the corner !

[John Pierce]

Been there myself!!

[Don C]

We could start a club!