Author Topic: the '55 Ragtop.....are we done yet? (Read 101586 times)

josh · « **Reply #120 on:** September 16, 2010, 04:56:11 PM »

soon, just came up with a '56 quarter rather than use the '60 - it just wasn't right. been doing some minor rust repair on it and will be on the car very soon

stefan · « **Reply #121 on:** September 16, 2010, 06:45:40 PM »

hey josh do you still need those metal heater tubes , i still have a set kicking around

josh · « **Reply #122 on:** September 16, 2010, 07:04:47 PM »

Quote from: stefan on September 16, 2010, 06:45:40 PM

hey josh do you still need those metal heater tubes , i still have a set kicking around

why yes I do!!!!!! can I mail you some cash and you ship one over to me by chance? can't weld the quarter on before.......

josh · « **Reply #123 on:** September 25, 2010, 01:06:56 AM »

GAME ON!!!!!

Shit accumulating down inside this corner over the years developed some swiss cheese action......had the lower corner pc. that I kept off the donor heater channels, welded that in then cut out the second fender nut area and fabed up a new chunk. Some strange contours going on to bash a flat piece into that shape but it turned out good

Just need that flex pipe from Stefan (you tha man) and I can melt this thing on

stefan · « **Reply #124 on:** September 25, 2010, 10:01:18 AM »

hey josh i,ll get a hold of you next week and send them over i just have company over from germany right now,and i,m just a little buzy talk to ya later.

josh · « **Reply #125 on:** September 25, 2010, 06:44:06 PM »

Quote from: stefan on September 25, 2010, 10:01:18 AM

hey josh i,ll get a hold of you next week and send them over i just have company over from germany right now,and i,m just a little buzy talk to ya later.

Sounds good

josh · « **Reply #126 on:** January 02, 2011, 03:00:54 PM »

Shop time have been pretty sparse but have got a couple sessions in on the car over the holidays

Got a pair of nicer doors off John Main a while back and just got 'em cleaned up and hung. Both upper and lower hinges on drivers were worn past 3rd oversize so I reamed to 10.5mm and made up and pressed in some bronze bushings to bring back to 8mm. These things are solid but had a couple creases from years of storage, been experimenting with a shrinking disk to work them back into shape.....lots of noise and near finger losing work but getting there....
Spent a pile of time setting up gaps and been plug welding 100's of drilled out spot welds $:-\$ also hung the front bumper and tweaked a bit

Not the most exciting update but hey it's progress...........here's some pics

These doors happen to be from a Jan. '55 (going off the window reg stamp) just like my car. and under the blue brushed on house paint lives the original L275 Light Beige.....must have been my cars twin. Gonna have a spray bomb color matched and spray out some samples to see if I like it.

Good sample.....

Thinkin' L275, chocolate br. rag, tan striped int. on erco star cuts

Some inspiration....

stefan · « **Reply #127 on:** January 02, 2011, 09:20:17 PM »

looks good i likey!

josh · « **Reply #128 on:** January 02, 2011, 09:54:49 PM »

thanks man

It's quiet time in my house after 8pm despite my best attempts at sound proofing the garage (double drywall and rez-bar on the ceiling

) So after grinding welds down I messed around with some BLING!!!!

Bruce · « **Reply #129 on:** January 02, 2011, 11:36:03 PM »

Those hood gaps are impressive!

You're not done yet. Load up the door with about 10-15 lbs. Then it won't line up. You have to make sure you can line it up when it's fully assembled, not just a bare shell.

josh · « **Reply #130 on:** January 03, 2011, 09:26:45 AM »

Way ahead of you, I've got dumb bell plates in both doors to simulate guts and up front to simulate a gas tank

Had that discussion with both Lanny and Stefan years ago

surgerypending · « **Reply #131 on:** January 03, 2011, 12:52:47 PM »

Looking good Josh!

Jeremy · « **Reply #132 on:** January 03, 2011, 05:35:40 PM »

Looking great.

Russ · « **Reply #133 on:** January 04, 2011, 10:11:36 AM »

love the colour choices you are thinking of
tan with the chocolate will look killer man

red snapper · « **Reply #134 on:** January 04, 2011, 12:10:52 PM »

Progress! Lookin good.

Mike Scott · « **Reply #135 on:** January 05, 2011, 08:29:49 AM »

Looking great Josh!!! Awesome progress, I'm still in the sound proofing garage phase!

josh · « **Reply #136 on:** January 05, 2011, 08:45:38 AM »

Thanks all, I'm determined to kill this project!!
Making it take shape has been motivating

Mike don't skimp on the insulation!! I'd go with some donnacona board too if I were you, wish I had!!

josh · « **Reply #137 on:** January 20, 2011, 11:00:49 PM »

Trevor came through on an original 4 finger apron for me..... thanks dude

[/quote]

gonna need a little Mclovin'

wasting no time.......bead blasted

quickie hammer/dolly work and it's looking way better already! filling over-rider holes

fixing tears

couple pin holes filled

mucho better fit!

still have some shrinking to do as it was pretty mangled around left bumper bracket slot but it's a start

i'll try and get some action shots of the shrinking disk, it's a pretty neat tool

DarrenE · « **Reply #138 on:** January 21, 2011, 12:29:45 AM »

Nice work! Great thread!

Trevor P · « **Reply #139 on:** January 21, 2011, 11:56:52 AM »

Glad you could make use of it Josh.
I really like the color combo you are planning.

silas · « **Reply #140 on:** January 21, 2011, 10:36:57 PM »

nice work josh!!

Quote from: josh

Some inspiration....

i'm diggin it!!

josh · « **Reply #141 on:** January 22, 2011, 06:22:07 PM »

every time I see the colour I like it more and more

so here's the shrinking disk..........

idea behind it goes a like this, you bump the metal as smooth as you can with a hammer or slapper and dolly first so the metal is stretched but hopefully all in the right direction. then you fire up this death defying disk that the grinder guard wont fit on :-s and run it over the metal in an X pattern. it hits the high spots only, heating them up then quench metal with a wet rag. each pass takes about 20-30 seconds. you don't have to get it too hot, just enough to make it steam when quenched. between passes you bump the lows up again with hammer/dolly and go again. this process takes no metal off it just makes shit piles of noise, is really sketchy and I would highly recommend no beers be consumed
started with it bumped up about 1/4"

This is after 2X passes

gettin there with some more

I chose to get the metal backwhere it should be before filling the over-rider hole on this side so it has the room to move. still gotta work on area around bumper slot some more

It's a really cool tool that isn't all that hard to get use to, if you shrink it too far you can just stretch it back.
I'm digging the art of metal shaping, it's cool to see what happens with each step

I got the disk from a guy by the name of John Kelly on the scamba. think it was around $40 inl. a dvd on how to use it.

HotSauce · « **Reply #142 on:** January 22, 2011, 07:35:53 PM »

Hands down my fav thread on any forum. Watching your car transform makes me want to rip my 58 apart.

mizovalgrl · « **Reply #143 on:** January 22, 2011, 08:33:22 PM »

Quote from: HotSauce on January 22, 2011, 07:35:53 PM

Hands down my fav thread on any forum. Watching your car transform makes me want to rip my 58 apart.

josh · « **Reply #144 on:** January 25, 2011, 08:09:22 PM »

Quote from: mizovalgrl on January 22, 2011, 08:33:22 PM

Quote from: HotSauce on January 22, 2011, 07:35:53 PM
Hands down my fav thread on any forum. Watching your car transform makes me want to rip my 58 apart.

WOW thanks!! hoping this gun ho stint lasts for a while, havin fun

Ordered some mechanical spot calipers for e-brakes and they just arrived.....got em for about half price on evilbay

also some more on the apron. over-rider holes filled and ground down.....just about ready to go on fo good!!!!!

HotSauce · « **Reply #145 on:** January 25, 2011, 09:03:46 PM »

Once again nice work. What are you using to bust down your welds with, angle die grider? It's looking flat with no filler.

josh · « **Reply #146 on:** January 25, 2011, 09:40:40 PM »

Welds are being smoothed with first an angle air grinder with an 1/8"x2" mini zip wheel then a second mini grinder set up with a 3M rotolok sanding disk. Very time consuming to make look nice

Bruce · « **Reply #147 on:** January 26, 2011, 12:25:40 AM »

Quote from: josh on January 25, 2011, 08:09:22 PM

...also some more on the apron. over-rider holes filled and ground down.....just about ready to go on fo good!!!!!

Can we see some close-ups of your handiwork on those over rider holes?

josh · « **Reply #148 on:** January 26, 2011, 08:10:15 PM »

hard to get a good shot (try and get a pic of shiny metal) but here ya go Bruce .....

might give them a bit more of a tickle but I hate over grinding welds.....this sheet metal is thin enough as it is :'( i'd rather have them strong than try and get it perfect and be paper thin. high build should take care of what small imperfections are left

Bruce · « **Reply #149 on:** January 26, 2011, 10:31:19 PM »

Use a file. You've got full control and you'll never go too thin by hand.