Introduction - The Scratch-Built Hot Rod https://web.archive.org/web/20110925144857/http://www.hotrodders.com:80/scratch-built/Intr...

Introduction

From The Scratch-Built Hot Rod

Jump to: navigation, search Whether you have sticker shock from the high cost of hot rods, or you are just a hardcore do-it-yourself fanatic who would like the challenge of building your own custom- fabricated hot rod body and handcrafted frame, this book is meant for you.

It is written by a hobbyist, for the hobbyist. I am not a professional, and I have no particular expertise as a metalworker. I would also be the first to admit there may be far better ways of going about the construction of an automobile body. This book simply describes what I've built and how I've built it. I make no claims for knowing the right Photo 1-This roadster was way or the wrong way. This is, simply, one way. Photo 2-The car was built my first hand-fabricated for $4,700 and required steel body. Photo attribution My intention is to fan the creative fire in other minds, and hopefully provide a bit of 1,700 hours to build. Photo inspiration for you to achieve your longtime dream: to build the custom car that is in attribution your head. In that respect, this is not a recipe book for how you can build my car. Rather, it is a collection of small ideas for how you might approach building your car. Before fulfilling that dream, there is one major hurdle we all must cross: shedding the mistaken belief that body fabrication, often called "scratch building" or "coachbuilding", is beyond the abilities of your typical hot rodder.

It is ironic that in a hobby that prides itself on individuality and creative genius, hot rodding has seen precious few scratch builders over the years; folks who go out and build their own custom bodies from nothing. In fact, the opposite seems to be the norm. Scratch builders are virtually non-existent except for icons like Ed Roth and George Photo 3-A spartan interior Barris or very high-end builders like Chip Foose and Ray Brizio. Photo 4-Don't go overboard and flat enamel paint on your first attempt. Keep simplified the build. Photo When I first started talking about my plans to build an all-steel car body from scratch, it as simple as possible. attribution nearly 100% of the rodders I talked to responded with a) it can't be done b) it's not worth Photo attribution being done or c) a simple roll of their eyes to indicate total disbelief. And for good reason: a little problem I call "The Metal Mystique". The Metal Mystique is the unfounded belief that only the highly-skilled with the assistance of very expensive machinery can shape and form sheet metal into anything even closely resembling a hot rod body.

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My hope is that this book will begin to dispel that myth. As I've told many others, if a guy like me can do it, virtually any rodder can do it. And while I would never claim that metalshaping is not a challenge, I would argue strongly that it is well within the grasp of nearly anyone reading this page.

I began creating steel bodies in 2004 without any prior experience, or any of the high- end tools normally associated with sheet metal fabrication. Using wood stumps, PVC pipe, a beater bag, and an assortment of mallets and hammers, I set out to prove that a common ordinary hot rodder, with no particular skills or training, could create Photo 5-After completing affordable, safe and eye-catching hot rods by hand-forming them from sheet metal and Photo 6-The roof, fenders, the roadster, I tackled the tubing. operating windows, full more complicated sedan interior and base/clear paint delivery body. Photo My first completed car was modeled after a '30s-era Ford roadster and was finished and more than doubled attribution on the road for $4,700. It required a total of 1,700 hours to build. (See photos 1-4. Click construction time. Photo on any picture to see a larger version). Topless, fenderless, and with a spartan interior attribution and paint, the car served as a proving grounds for my theory that coachbuilding was within reach of virtually any hot rodder who had access to fairly common tools and a willingness to devote the necessary time and effort. The roadster is fully licensed and insured, and is driven whenever our nasty Northern Wisconsin climate permits. Buoyed by the results of this initial effort to create a simple, traditional, old school-type rod, I next raised my sights to something more challenging: a steel body with a full top, fenders, working windows, creature comforts (stereo, cruise, GPS, heat, defrost, AC), a somewhat plush interior, and a show-worthy paint job (well, at least worthy of the friendly local shows in my neck of the woods). It is the step-by-step experience of building that car, my "sedan delivery", that is the subject of this book. (See photos 5-8)

Even if you have no intention of fabricating your own custom body, and simply want to build a rod in traditional fashion, this book can hopefully still be of use to you. The Photo 7-There is no chapters on frame construction, chassis development, and paint and upholstery are all Photo 8-Aside from the sophisticated or expensive essential elements of building any modern-day hot rod. And within each chapter of this ability to weld, you can machinery needed to create book are dozens and dozens of ideas, from building your own tail light lenses to fabricate a body with a body like this. Photo mounting electric windows, that can be applied to virtually any hot rod project. virtually no prior attribution metalworking experience. Most of all, I hope to encourage others to pick up a mallet and start banging away on Photo attribution some metal. There is no better teacher than experience, and there is no better way to learn metalshaping than to simply start shaping metal.

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Chapters

Introduction 1. Design, Donor and Tools of the Trade 2. Frame Fabrication 3. Chassis: Front Suspension 4. Chassis: Motor and Transmission Mounting 5. Chassis: Rear Suspension 6. Body: An Introduction to Scratch Building 7. Body: A Gallery of Scratch-Built Cars 8. Body: Fabricating the Skeleton 9. Body: Applying the Skin 10. Body: Pickup Bed 11. Body: Fenders and Running Boards 12. Mechanicals 13. Interior Fittings 14. Body Preparation and Painting 15. Upholstery: Seats 16. Upholstery: Interior Panels 17. Upholstery: Consoles, Carpets and Trims 18. Engine 19. Finishing Touches and the Completed Car About the Author

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Chapter 1: Design, Donor and Tools of the Trade

Inspiration

Nearly every hot rod starts with a source of inspiration and motivation. It may have been a car you saw in your youth. It may be a car you spot while cruising the interstate. Or, it may be the car pictured on that weathered page from Street Rodder Magazine you have tacked above your work bench. It's not necessarily a car you want to "clone" or replicate or re-create in exact detail. Rather, it's the car that gets your creative juices flowing and drives you forward to design something entirely new and unique. Something you can call your own.

The source of motivation for the sedan delivery project came from a fairly unlikely place: a cartoon. It was the yellow sedan drawing used as a logo for the Goodguys car club. While the completed car shown in this book shares very little with that Goodguys image, that was never the purpose. The cartoon served instead as a way of getting motivated each day for the work that lay ahead. It created the "itch" that just had to be scratched. It set in motion the entire process of planning, designing, building and finishing the hot rod shown in the following chapters.

No matter where your particular inspiration and motivation might come from, the big question is: how do you convert what you see in your mind's eye, into a full-size, roadworthy automobile? Putting it on paper

A good way to move forward with your inspiration or motivation is to begin collecting as many pictures or illustrations as you can of the car or concept you have in mind. Photos 1-2 through 1-4 show just a few of the sedans and sedan deliveries that caught my eye.

Photo 1-2 Pictures of sedans and sedan deliveries Photo 1-3 Get photos from Photo 1-4 A "dead-on" side as many viewpoints as shot is essential for creating

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are gathered for the design possible. Photo attribution a sketch of your design. process. Photo attribution Photo attribution

Normally a project design will begin with a series of sketches. But don't panic. This does not mean you need to be some sort of artistic genius with a gift for drawing cars in order to accomplish this part of the task. As you can see from the accompanying photos, the drawings used for this project were crude, at best. There is no need for a highly-stylized piece of art. What you are after is a rather simple side profile of the car - a silhouette of the car as it sits directly in front of you.

If you are comfortable around computers, there are a number of good graphics programs than can be of great help while doing your sketches. Photoshop was used extensively during the design of this project but there are other good programs as well, including the free "Paint" program that comes with many computers. Again, neither a computer nor software is necessary to create your sketches. A tablet of graph paper and a few sharp pencils will do the trick almost as well, but software does make the job easier and quicker. So, if you are handy on the computer and you can get access to Photoshop or an equivalent program, by all means use those tools.

Sketching the body

For the sedan delivery project, the design work began with scanning a side-view shot of a sedan, such as the one shown in Photo 1-4, into the computer. Then, using the lasso tool in Photoshop, the wheels and tires were separated from the car, hiding them on separate layers of the drawing. The eraser tool was used to eliminate any extraneous lines and background from the photo or illustration. This leaves a layer containing only the basic body.

Next, the ruler tool in Photoshop was used to measure the length of the body. This measurement can then be used to create a scale between the drawing and the full-size car we want to build. For example, if the photo or illustration on your screen is 1 foot long and the full-size body is going to be 6 feet long, the scale will be 1:6. This scale can then be used to start seeing how your finished car will actually look in real life. What you need is at least one fixed element of your drawing that is created and always maintained at that 1:6 scale (or whatever scale you determine for your car).

The "fixed element" used for this design was the tire size. To create tires in Photoshop you can just use ordinary circles, which the program can easily create to any size you want. If you want to use 32" tires on the rear of your finished car, for example, you know that your Photoshop "tires" must be 5.33" in diameter on screen (32" divided by 6, because of the 1:6 scale). If you want to use smaller tires on the front of your car, then do the same calculation to permanently fix the size of your front tires.

Once you have created these circles to the correct scale and put each of them on a different layer in Photoshop, you can move them into the approximate position they should be in relation to the body. This will give you a very good first impression of how your finished car is going to appear.

Your design may look out of proportion or downright awful at first, but Photoshop can remedy many problems. By using the scale, rotate, skew and distort tools, you can adjust the height and length of the car, as well as alter the size and shape of other critical components, such as the windows and the roof height. You can even alter the angles of the car, making it more wedge-shaped or more rectangular by using the skew and distort tools.

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Using Photoshop, the body is continually massaged until you find the exact right combination of elements that give your design the character and look you want, while remaining in correct proportion to the wheels, the one fixed-size element of the car. Remember that by knowing the tires are correctly scaled to "real life" tires, and always keeping those tires that exact same size, the rest of the car (length, height, rake etc.) can be manipulated until it all looks like it's in correct proportion (Photo 1-5). The next step is to dummy up a correctly-sized engine and transmission for your drawing. In this case, a simple trip out to the shop produced the basic measurements for the height, length and width that were needed. Using Photoshop, you can then make a crude drawing of the Photo 1-6 Use a dummy Photo 1-5 Continue to engine shape and the transmission shape, both scaled to correct size. The engine and drawing of the engine shape and adjust the wheel transmission drawings can then be placed on separate layers in Photoshop, so that you drawn to scale and make position and body shape can move them and place them at will while you adjust such things as the cowl height, further adjustments to the until you are satisfied with grill shell position and windshield angle (Photo 1-6). body. Photo attribution the overall look. Photo attribution When you are happy with the Photoshop sketch on screen, it is time to transfer your dream car from the computer to a usable drawing outside of the computer. Here is how that can be done. First, print out the simple side-view sketch that you developed earlier (Photo 1-7). Then measure this sketch to make sure it coincides with the measurements shown by the Photoshop ruler tool. This is necessary because occasionally printer software will not print to the exact size shown on the Photoshop screen. If yours does not print correctly, you'll have to make some slight adjustments to your on-screen sketch using the scale tool until it prints out correctly. Photo 1-7 Use the final body sketch to make sure it Photo 1-8 This is the body prints out to the correct correctly scaled on graph scale. Photo attribution paper. Photo attribution

Assuming the sketch prints out correctly, you next need to "graph" it. In other words, you want your sketched car to show up as if it were drawn on a piece of graph paper (I use the graph paper style with 1/4" squares). To do this, put a piece of graph paper in your scanner and scan it into Photoshop. Then, put that image onto a separate layer of your drawing, placed "under" the layer containing your car's image. What you should see on your screen is the drawing of the car superimposed over the graph paper. You then use the scale tool to resize the graph paper image until it fits on the graph paper to the scale you want to use.

For this project, we will scale up the drawing so that each 1/4" x 1/4" square on the graph paper represents a 2"x 2" square in real life. So, assuming that you want your car body to be 6 feet (or 72") long, the full-size drawing of the car would cover a total of 36 squares - each square being 2" x 2".

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Thus, on your Photoshop drawing, you want to enlarge or shrink the graph paper image until the body covers exactly 36 squares of the graph paper lengthwise. (Note: be sure you manipulate the size of the graph paper image and not your car body image.) As long as you keep the aspect ratio 1:1 while you do this manipulation, the height of the graph paper will turn out exactly proportional to the width.

When you are done, print it out and you should have a drawing looking something like the one shown in Photo 1-8. As you can see, this a fairly simple drawing and you can achieve something quite comparable with just graph paper and a pencil if you are not a big fan of computers.

Sketching the frame

We will return to this scaled drawing of the body and use it at the beginning of our chapter on body fabrication. At this juncture, we can put the body design work aside and turn our attention to the frame and chassis.

Once again in Photoshop, you can now use the body silhouette, engine drawing and wheel placement to determine your frame length, your wheelbase and your rear frame kick-up or "Z". Don't worry if your hand sketches or Photoshop frame are an inch or so too long or too short; this can easily be accommodated later. You can just factor a couple of extra inches of wiggle room into the design at this juncture, knowing that you'll be adjusting things slightly as the actual build progresses. What you should end up with is a Photo 1-9 With the body very simple drawing of the frame like the one shown in Photo 1-9. Next, you need to now correct to scale, the determine the frame width and the location of your suspension mounts. The front frame dimensions can be suspension mounts are particularly critical in this particular design because of the Ford established, including the Twin I-Beams being used. These axles require special attention in order to get the front Photo 1-10 The width of the length, wheelbase and end geometry correct. The mounts are also a critical factor in determining the width we frame is determined by frame kick-up, or Z, in the must make the frame. laying out the Twin I-Beam rear. Photo attribution front suspension. Photo attribution No matter what suspension you are using, it is a good idea to determine at this point exactly how and where it will mount to the frame, and include those mounts on your sketch. For those of you who might consider the twin I-beam suspension, the drawings and sketches used for this build have been included (Photos 1-10 to 1-13). It should be noted that twin I-beams can be mounted either under the frame, as was done with the roadster project, or they can be mounted over the frame, as we'll be doing with the sedan Photo 1-11 Use the stock delivery. This creates an "underslung" chassis and puts the car closer to the ground. But distance between the two be aware, the underslung chassis also creates challenges for achieving full suspension axle mounting points (as travel. It should also be noted that the mounting point (or pivot point) for each of the two Photo 1-12 The axle measured on the donor I-beam axles is critical, both in terms of height and distance from each other. As you can mounting (pivot) points are vehicle) to determine where see in the sketches, in order for the axle king pins to line up parallel to each other, and critical for establishing the mounting brackets must for the wheels to be correctly spaced, the I-beams must overlap one another at exactly

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be located to set the wheels the right position and angle. The most reliable way to do this is to set the distance correct front end suspension at the proper track width. between the mounting points (pivot points) at the exact distance they would be in a stock geometry. Photo attribution Photo attribution application (as measured on the donor vehicle). The distance between those two pivot points establishes where the brackets must be set to hold the pivots. And, to keep a nice, clean look, we want those brackets to mount directly to the side or top of the frame rail, and not extend to the outside or the inside of the frame by any noticeable distance.

We'll be looking at the chassis fabrication in much greater detail later, but Photo 1-14 might help explain how the axle pivot points and mounting brackets (see arrows) determine the width of the frame, which for this set of axles turns out to be 32" from Photo 1-13 Construction outside-to-outside of the frame rails. Since we will be using a simple ladder-type frame notes for determining the for this project, the frame width will remain the same 32 inches from the front to the rear Photo 1-14 This is how the location of the axle mounts of the frame. axle mounting looks during and the width of the frame fabrication. Photo rails, which in this case is If the above is confusing at the moment, don't be too alarmed. Hopefully it will become attribution 32" outside-to-outside. more clear in the next chapter, where you will see the full-size frame and mounting Photo attribution brackets being fabricated, and you can see more clearly how the I-beam geometry dictates the frame width.

Selecting a donor

Even though we are creating our own hand-fabricated frame and body, there are still a ton of parts and pieces that are necessary to complete any scratch-built hot rod. Most of those parts and pieces will come from a donor. If you want to keep your costs to a minimum and be certain the parts work together and are suited to the design, donor selection is critical. I own three scratch-built rods, and all three have used late 1970's Ford F-series pickup trucks as their donors. The reason is simple: bang for the buck...or if you'll excuse the pun, bang for the truck.

From one $300 donor you can salvage:

A decent V8 engine ranging from 302 to 460 cubic inches. A hearty transmission, either C-6 automatic or standard 3-speed. A very stout rear end, either a Ford 9" or a Dana 44. An independent front suspension with the "look" of a traditional hot rod straight axle. Disc brakes for the front and decent-sized drums for the rear. Steering column. Usable leaf springs. An assortment of additional minor parts and pieces.

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Every rodder will have their own ideas about what make, year and model they might want for a donor. For my particular purposes, nothing can come close to the 1978-1981 F-100 or F-150 in terms of cost and usefulness. Personally, I'm not choosy when it comes to Ford, Chevy or Mopar under the hood. They are all quite adequate engines for a hot rod intended purely for cruising and having fun. If you are a hardcore racer or have major horsepower demands, it becomes a different story. But for my needs and wants, I'm looking for the donor with the most usable parts possible with the lowest price tag. So, the F-series fits me perfectly.

For the sedan delivery project, a local 1979 F-100 was found in non-running condition for $150 (Photo 1-15). The non-running engine was not a factor since a complete overhaul would be done anyhow. It was also a 3-speed, which would make for an even more interesting project.

After getting the truck home, it was stripped down to the chassis as shown in Photos 1-16 and 1-17, and all the usable parts and pieces were salvaged, marked and boxed up . The rusted frame and body panels were tossed aside and donated to a local scrap collector who kindly visits once or twice or year to clean up the yard.

Photo 1-15 A $150 F-100 Photo 1-16 The rusted body Photo 1-17 Tag and save contributed all the major is stripped off and sent to every part you can. The parts for this project. Photo the scrap yard. Photo F-100 provided an engine, attribution attribution transmission, rear end, front suspension, disc brakes and many other important parts for the project. Photo attribution

Tools of the trade

Any job requires appropriate tools. Most hot rodders will already have assembled many of the basics, but for those who may not yet have a fully- equipped garage, this list is being provided to help prioritize your future tool purchases. These are the tools which, for the most part, are essential for the two main elements of the scratch-built car: frame construction and body fabrication. There are also a couple of suggestions at the end of the list regarding paint and upholstery tools. Some builders may choose to farm out those particular tasks, but the tools have been included here for those who want to take on paint and upholstery work as well.

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As noted earlier, I am a firm believer that 1920's and 1930's-era bodies can be fabricated without the need for expensive or exotic equipment. The Italian tradition of coachbuilding, through the early 1950's, fabricated car bodies using the most basic of tools including wooden stumps, sand bags and an assortment of hammers and mallets. In the 1950's book Sports Car Album, John Freeman and Alexandre Georges include stunning pictures of body panels for Italian cars being hammered with mallets over old tree stumps. And there are a number of websites, including one of the best, Metalmeet.com, where these basic and inexpensive metalforming techniques are explained and discussed in great detail.

The black roadster pictured in the introduction section was built from scratch without an English wheel, planishing hammer, metal brake, power hammer, shrinker/stretcher, bench press, bead roller, metal sheer, or mechanical metal rollers of any kind. For the sedan delivery shown in the later chapters of this book, an entry-level Harbor Freight English wheel (approximately $300) and planishing hammer (approximately $130) were purchased and used on the project. However, the car could have easily been completed without these two tools. The tools make the work go a little faster, but the actual results achieved with these tools can also be accomplished with basic hand tools and some hard work.

Obviously, if you are going into business to create these bodies you would need to keep your labor costs to a minimum, which justifies an investment in high-end machinery. But for the hobbyist, very satisfactory results can be achieved without any special high-dollar equipment. Yes, it demands a lot of time. But time is the one element most rodders have available to invest. And when it comes to creating scratch-built bodies, time can pay off in spades.

That's not to say you don't need tools. You do. But these are tools most hot rodders either already own or ought to own if they are serious and have long-term love for building cars. These are also tools some folks can access through buddies, a local car club, friendly shops or a local trade school. And even if these tools need to be bought, they can almost all be purchased for about the same cost as one high-end English wheel.

Here are the principal tools used during construction of the sedan delivery.

1. 14" Metal chop saw - essential. I use a DeWalt, but many good ones are available for around $150 or less (Photo 1-18).

2. 4 1/2" Angle grinder - essential. I have blown up expensive grinders and I have blown up cheap grinders. My conclusion is that buying four inexpensive Chicago Electric units from Harbor Freight and then attaching a cutting disk to one, a grinding disk to one, a wire wheel to one, and a Photo 1-18 14" chop sanding disk to the other really cuts down my time for changing heads and ends up costing me Photo 1-19 4 1/2" saw. about the same or less than one high-end name-brand unit. The grinders I buy are usually angle grinder. available from $15 to $20 (Photo 1-19).

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3. Welder - essential. Alternatively, live next door to someone who has a welder and knows how to use it. I prefer a MIG welder for all-around use and I happen to own the Miller 175 wire feed (Photo 1-20). However, Hobart and Lincoln also make very good MIGs. A decent welder with required accessories is going to be one of your two most expensive pieces of equipment, running between $700 and $1,000 for a machine that is up to the task. I also have a stick welder (Photo 1-21) which comes in handy for some specialty items, but I do not consider it essential at all, just handy.

Photo 1-20 MIG Photo 1-21 Stick welder. welder. 4. Drill press - essential. The heavier-duty, the better. I have a Craftsman circa 1978 which I've abused since it was new without a single problem (Photo 1-22). If you don't already own a good drill press, this is something you might be able to find secondhand and save some bucks. The bigger industrial machines hold up pretty well over time and can be a good investment providing they still run true, and there is no damage to the bearings or other working parts. If buying new, don't waste your money on the really cheap units from big box stores. Most of these are good for wood at best and will not provide satisfactory performance for the thick metals you will be drilling. I believe Craftsman is a good bet for the home shop, and with a 1 hp motor, these units, Photo 1-23 or other comparable brands, can be found for $600-$800. Compressor rating tag.

Photo 1-22 Drill press.

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5. Compressor - essential. Not only to paint, but to run air tools like die grinders, sanders and media blasters. If possible, opt for a two-stage unit with a minimum of 6-10 hp and an 80 gallon upright tank. Check the cfm output and psi ratings to compare quality from unit to unit. Horsepower and tank size don't tell you that much; it's the cfm and psi ratings that tell you if the machine will do the job. Here's the tag from my compressor (Photo 1-23) and a shot of the compressor itself (Photo 1-24). Your compressor is the other major expense on this list rivaling the cost of a welder. Figure on spending $800 - $1,000 for a unit that will keep up with any air tool in your shop. Photo 1-25 Bench vice.

6. Bench vice - essential. Get a good one and a big one. You'll use it almost every day. Cost will Photo 1-24 Air be $75 and up depending on the quality and size (Photo 1-25). compressor. 7. Clamps - essential. Zillions of them. Of all sizes and all shapes. You can be almost certain that no matter how many of them you buy, you'll use them all (Photo 1-26).

8. Assortment of metalworking mallets, hammers and dollies - essential. You can pick up adequate body and fender sets (Photo 1-27) for under $50 from Harbor Freight or Eastwood, and they will have most of what you need. Photo 1-26 Clamps of Photo 1-27 Hammer all designs, shapes and and dolly set. sizes. 9. For shaping sheet metal, I mostly use a plastic-headed teardrop mallet like this one from Eastwood (Photo 1-28). In addition, if the metal is really stubborn, you'll need to have a couple of small sledge-type hammers in your arsenal (Photo 1-29).

Photo 1-28 Plastic- Photo 1-29 Sledge-type head teardrop mallet. hammers.

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10. Blasting cabinet and/or portable blaster - almost essential. I recycle and make use of a lot of used parts, and that means a lot of rust. Media blasting is usually the fastest and best way to clean things up. I have an inexpensive Harbor Freight cabinet (Photo 1-30) and a portable blaster for doing larger parts like rear ends and axles (Photo 1-31). As an alternative to purchasing, check out your local area for an outfit that does media blasting. Their price may be cheaper than buying the equipment if you only intend to build one car. If buying new, a freestanding cabinet will run $225 and up, while a portable blaster will be between $100-$150 for something adequate for the home shop. You could, in a pinch, do all your parts with a portable blaster. But be warned, it is Photo 1-31 Portable very messy and it is difficult to recycle whatever blasting media you are using. media blaster.

Photo 1-30 Freestanding media blasting cabinet. 11. Bench grinder - almost essential. The alternative is using your 4 1/2" angle-head grinder. But, you'll find a bench grinder much easier and safer for many grinding chores (Photo 1-32). An adequate grinder will run from $50 to $75 and another $30 for the stand if you need it.

12. Assortment of air tools - almost essential. I use a right-angle and a straight die grinder, jitterbug sander, orbital sander, rotary sander, sheet metal sheers, reciprocating hacksaw and a Photo 1-32 Bench Photo 1-33 Assorted right-angle air drill (photo 1-33). I would highly recommend all of these, but you could get by grinder with stand. air tools. without them in a pinch. 13. Long shaft grinder - almost essential. I use a Chicago Electric from Harbor Freight (Photo 1-34) and it has held up well. These run $30 to $50.

14. HVLP paint gun - Highly recommended if you intend to do your own paint and primer work. You could possibly borrow a gun if you are short for funds, but it is best to learn and practice with your own gun. Harbor Freight sells lower-end guns that are adequate for primer, and Photo 1-34 Long shaft Photo 1-35 HVLP some rodders have even had good luck shooting color with them as well. My own choice for a grinder. paint gun kit. decent and economical setup is the Devilbiss Finish Line 3 kit (around $230) which includes the gun, air regulator and four different fluid tips so that you can shoot everything, from epoxy to clear coat, with just one gun (Photo 1-35).

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15. Full paint suit with remote air supply - nearly a must. Yes, a lot of folks paint with only a minimal face mask, but if you value your health, you owe it to yourself to look seriously at remote air masks and hoods. There are a couple of decent units for home and hobby use. I happen to have the Hobbyair shown in Photo 1-36. They will set you back about $400, but they can save you a Photo 1-36 Remote air lifetime of hospital and doctor bills. supply and painting hood. Photo 1-37 Upholstery- 16. Sewing machine - highly recommended if you intend to do your own interior and grade sewing machine upholstery. What you need is a machine with a walking foot and a high-lift foot (so that the foot with walking foot. can be raised high enough to get multiple layers of fabric and foam under the foot). One way to keep your cost down here is to look for a used upholstery-grade machine. Unfortunately, if you don't know much about the machines or you don't know someone who can look over the machine for you, this could end up to be an expensive alternative if there is excessive wear on the machine. Another option is to borrow or share a new machine with others who might be friends or in a local car club. I recently loaned out my machine to a local rodder who was doing new upholstery for her '48 Chevy. It worked out well for her, and I figure the machine might as well be getting some use while it's sitting between my own projects. I bought the Tacsew T111-155 for my upholstery work, but there are any number of good units on the market. I've seen the Tacsew on eBay recently for around $600 for the base unit. You should strongly consider investing another $300 to get the table, stand, and most importantly, the servo motor rather than the clutch motor. The servo motor allows precise control of stitching speed, particularly when you first engage the motor. This feature offers great benefit to newbies or folks with limited sewing experience (Photo 1-37).

One final note regarding sewing machines. Yes, it is possible to sew upholstery fabric with a typical household machine (Brother, Singer, etc.). If you were only sewing fabric, this would be a very viable option. However, nearly all automotive interior work requires that you sew through backing foam, sometimes up to 1/2" thick, and sometimes those thicknesses are layered one over the other. The problem isn't the needle going through the material, it's getting all that material under the foot, and then the machine having the capability of moving that big wad of material under the needle without having it slip or bind up.

While an upholstery-grade machine is nearly a must if you want to tackle this portion of your build, there is a money-saving option. If you only intend to do one car, there is a pretty lively market on eBay and other places for used machines, especially machines with very few hours on them. So, you can often get a fair return on your investment if you sell it after you are finished with your project.

In addition to the tools mentioned above, this book assumes the reader owns or has access to the more common tools associated with any automotive work such as sockets, wrenches, screwdrivers, hammers, crowbars, drills, saws and the like. Unfortunately, no list of tools can ever be totally exhaustive since as soon as the list is completed, someone would come up with one more tool that would be handy to add to the list.

What I really want to make clear by itemizing the above list of tools in such detail is the absence of any of the exotic or expensive machines we

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often associate with the craft of coachbuilding. Instead, our tool bag is primarily filled with common ordinary items that can be found in nearly every rodder's shop or garage. Granted, any high-grade metalworking tool you can afford will, in fact, make your work easier and go a bit quicker. But there is no need to postpone construction of a scratch-built body because you can't afford a nice English wheel or a fancy bead roller. Those big ticket items are simply not necessary to get that dream of yours completed and on the road.

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Introduction 1. Design, Donor and Tools of the Trade 2. Frame Fabrication 3. Chassis: Front Suspension 4. Chassis: Motor and Transmission Mounting 5. Chassis: Rear Suspension 6. Body: An Introduction to Scratch Building 7. Body: A Gallery of Scratch-Built Cars 8. Body: Fabricating the Skeleton 9. Body: Applying the Skin 10. Body: Pickup Bed 11. Body: Fenders and Running Boards 12. Mechanicals 13. Interior Fittings 14. Body Preparation and Painting

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15. Upholstery: Seats 16. Upholstery: Interior Panels 17. Upholstery: Consoles, Carpets and Trims 18. Engine 19. Finishing Touches and the Completed Car About the Author

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Chapter 2: Frame Fabrication

Cutting the frame sections

With your frame sketch in hand, you can head out to the shop to begin turning your dream into reality. What this chapter will be showing is the fabrication of a "ladder frame", which takes its name from its straight rails on each side, and a series of steps or crossmembers to keep those side rails stable and square. This frame style is a staple of hot rods going back to the early use of Model T frames for souped-up bombs from the 40's and 50's.

Using the scaled measurements on your plan, you first cut the side rails and the two elements of the rear kick-up, commonly referred to as a "Z". I am using 2" x 3" 1/8" wall Photo 2-1 2x3 tubing cut for rectangular steel tubing for the frame shown here. Tubing size will depend somewhat on Photo 2-2 Laying out rail frame rails. Photo your choice of engine, the horsepower you intend to create, and the amount of "X" sections. Photo attribution attribution member or "K" member support you intend to include in the frame design. There are instances of builders using smaller 1 1/2" x 3" tubing for lower horsepower engines and 2"x4" or even larger tubing for higher horsepower applications.

A 14" chop saw is used to cut the tubing pieces, which keeps the ends fairly square and true. The basic tubing pieces for the frame rails are shown in Photos 2-1 and 2-2.

Creating a front frame horn

Although it isn't absolutely necessary, a more traditional look for the frame rails can be achieved by creating what is known as frame horns at the front. This frame shape is found in many stock frames from the 20's and 30's and makes the home-built chassis stand out from typical square-cut tubing corners.

To create the front frame horn, first draw a pattern on heavy paper stock (Photo 2-3). You'll have to experiment a bit to see what looks proportionally correct for the tubing size you use. Then, cut out the pattern and transfer the outline to both sides of your

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tubing (Photo 2-4). Photo 2-3 Draw horn Photo 2-4 Transfer the pattern on heavy paper Then, cut the tubing. A 4 1/2" grinder with a thin-blade cutting wheel works well for this pattern to the frame section. stock. Photo attribution task, but other cutting tools, like a metal-bladed saber saw, can also be used. Your frame Photo attribution horn should look like Photo 2-5 after you slice it up. Use clamps and some hammer work to bend the top piece of metal over the curved side sections, and then tack weld it in place. You will also need to cut a small section of sheet metal to piece in at the front tip of the horn, to round it off and fill in the gap shown in Photo 2-6. Photos 2-7 and 2-8 show the frame horn after welding, grinding smooth and applying a quick coat of primer to protect the metal from rusting as fabrication proceeds. Speaking of grinding the welds, you will note throughout the chassis fabrication the welds are ground as we go. That is not mandatory. Some builders, who are excellent welders, do not grind and smooth their welds at all, leaving them as testament to their craft and workmanship. Or, they simply prefer the look of a welded seam versus a Photo 2-5 Cut the tube to Photo 2-6 Bend the pieces smooth seam. This is totally up to the builder's personal tastes. shape. Photo attribution together and tack weld. Photo attribution However, if you leave your welds raw, it is highly recommend you wire brush them immediately and then apply a quick primer to prevent oxidation. And if you do intend to smooth all your weld joints, it is best to do your grinding immediately. There is nothing more dreaded than staring at a week's worth of weld grinding. By doing your grinding and smoothing after each small section of welding, you break that loathsome job into lots of little pieces, making the task much less daunting.

Photo 2-7 The finished Photo 2-8 Another view of frame horn. Photo the completed frame horn. attribution Photo attribution

Assembling the side rails

You are now ready to weld together the side rails. Be aware, however, that frame rails are subjected to a good deal of stress, both from horsepower loading and from road conditions. You don't want your frame cracking or actually breaking apart due to these stresses. To make your frame more stable, you should go beyond simply butt welding the frame pieces together. This can be done through the use of hidden gussets to reinforce the critical joints of your frame.

The hidden gussets for any given frame configuration will be different. These are the gussets used for the "Z" in the frame rails of this project. They

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are cut from 3/16" flat stock (Photo 2-9).

To avoid having these gussets slapped on the outside of the frame and looking ugly, you can hide them on the inside of frame tubing. Photo 2-10 shows a gusset being welding to the inside of the frame rail tubing using a stick welder. This is one time when a stick welder trumps a MIG. The MIG nozzle simply won't fit in the confines of the tube well enough to get a good weld.

With one end of the gusset welded in place to the main section of side rail, you next drill a series of 1/2" holes in the "kick-up" section of the frame rail as shown in Photo 2-11. Try to spread the holes fairly evenly over what will eventually be the surface of the gusset.

Photo 2-9 Flat stock cut for Photo 2-10 Weld the gusset Photo 2-11 Drill holes in hidden gussets. Photo to the inside of the tubing the adjacent section of the attribution wall. Photo attribution frame. Photo attribution

Continue by welding a gusset inside the other side of the frame rail and drilling holes on the opposite side of the kick-up section. The two frame sections can then be slipped together manually as shown in Photo 2-12. To better show how the rail sections are slipped together, this facsimile photo was created in Photoshop. But it will demonstrate how the hidden gusset can now be "plug welded" to the kick-up frame section by welding around the joint created between the edge of each hole and the gusset directly underneath it. The rest of the hole is then filled with weld and the area ground smooth and flat. Together with a good butt weld where the two sections meet, this should provide a strong and long-lasting joint.

Before doing those plug welds, however, make sure the rail sections are square and true. This can be done by slipping together the three sections that have been prepared for gussets: the main side rail, the kick-up section and the flat rear section at the top of the "Z". Then take measurements to ensure the total frame length matches your sketch length, the top frame section is absolutely parallel with the main side section, and that the angle of the kick-up matches your sketch.

With one side rail completed, the second rail is slipped together in the same manner, and then clamped to the completed first rail as shown in Photo 2-13. This ensures that when the second rail is tack welded, it will exactly match the first rail. And if your first rail was square and true, your second will be also.

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Photo 2-12 Slip the sections Photo 2-13 With one frame together for welding each rail welded, clamp the hole. Photo attribution second rail to it, so that they will match when the second is welded. Photo attribution

Those of you with a sharp eye may be wondering about the "assembly table" which is shown in these photos supporting the frame components during assembly and welding. Most professional shops use a rigid jig or table, often constructed of steel I-beams or H-beams to ensure that the frame does not warp during welding. If you can find the appropriate materials to construct such a jig, and they are within your budget, by all means build a flat jig/welding table.

What is being used here is a 1 1/2" thick oak table top mounted on a 2x4 frame. Needless to say, it does little to prevent potential warping of the frame during welding. However, this warping has been found in the past to be a negligible, 1/8" to 3/16", corner-to-corner variation. This variance can be easily overcome by making some slight adjustments during assembly of the suspension system. Clearly, a rigid jig is the preferred alternative. But many hobbyists have built perfectly acceptable frames without one. Attaching the crossmembers

Begin by clamping your side rails together as shown in Photo 2-14, so that you scribe matching lines which will be used to position your crossmembers where you want them. With the rails clamped, you may also want to scribe or permanently mark a reference point on each rail, top and bottom, with a punch. For this project, marks were scribed 4' from the end of the frame. This mark is used later as a reference point for installing the transmission mount, the front suspension components and other mounts and brackets.

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Almost all ladder-type frames will consist of a crossmember at the very rear of your frame, another crossmember at or near the top of the frame "Z", and one near the front of the frame, but not encroaching on the curved area of the frame horn. There will also be a crossmember which normally doubles as a transmission mount. The transmission crossmember and a crossmember at the top of the "Z" will be cut and installed a little later in the process. For now, only the frontmost and rearmost crossmembers are welded to the chassis. Cut the crossmembers to the correct length based on your frame sketch. For this project, the members are 28" long. This will set the outside width of the frame at 32" as required by our I-beam front suspension. The three members are shown in Photo Photo 2-14 Clamp the rails Photo 2-15 Cut the 2-15. Note that the front crossmember has two large holes drilled in the bottom. This together and mark position crossmembers to length. will be explained in detail in the next chapter, but they are for securing the mounting of crossmembers. Photo Photo attribution apparatus for the quarter elliptical front spring. It is much easier to drill these holes now attribution with the drill press than wait until later when they would have to be drilled with a hand drill. Also, the third crossmember shown in this photo will be used only as a "dummy" at this juncture to help keep the frame square. It will be installed later at the top of the "Z". The side rails are positioned on the assembly table and the crossmembers set in place (Photo 2-16). As the components are positioned and set square to one another, they are clamped solidly to the table and to each other. Note that the rear crossmember shown in this photo (farthest from the camera) is a dummy being used only for the purpose of squaring the frame. Since the transmission crossmember is not being installed at this time, the temporary crossmember is needed to help keep the lower side rails in their correct position. The dummy crossmember will not be welded in place.

You will need to recheck the squareness of all the components a number of times and Photo 2-16 Position, square make slight adjustments until they are all correct. Photo 2-17 The rear and clamp the crossmembers being crossmembers for welding. Next, go to the rear of the frame (Photo 2-17) and clamp the rear crossmember in place, positioned for welding. Photo attribution again checking to ensure everything has remained square. Then move between the front Photo attribution and back of the frame, tack welding those two crossmembers in place while you continue to check that things have remained square. You can then proceed to final welding of the front and rear crossmembers.

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As you begin to weld your frame pieces together, you will quickly discover that you have unsightly open-ended tubes at every corner (that is, unless you miter each corner at a 45-degree angle). These openings need to be sealed off by welding on an end cap or plug cut from 1/8" or 1/16" thick flat stock. Keep in mind that these end plugs are not just to give your frame a finished look. The plugs provide lateral strength to the rectangular tubing to prevent "racking" or twisting of the tube. Think of a cardboard box, which is easy to collapse if the top and bottom flaps are left unfolded. But fold the flaps together and run a piece of tape down the joint and you have a much more rigid structure. Your end plugs serve the same purpose as those box flaps. To keep these plugs Photo 2-18 An end plug Photo 2-19 Grinding the in place while you tack them in, a temporary "handle" can be made using duct tape being installed. Note the welds on the installed front (Photo 2-18). You can also tack weld a short length of wire to the end cap for the same "handle" used while crossmember. Photo purpose and then grind it off later. Just be aware, without some way of holding onto the tacking. Photo attribution attribution plug during assembly, it is very easy to jar it out of position and end up with a cockeyed plug, not to mention a lot of frustration. Photo 2-19 shows the front crossmember welded in place and being ground smooth while Photo 2-20 shows one of the end plugs being ground smooth after welding. The completed perimeter frame is shown in Photos 2-21 and 2-22.

Photo 2-20 Grinding an end Photo 2-21 Completed plug smooth. Photo perimeter frame - front attribution view. Photo attribution

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Photo 2-22 Completed perimeter frame - rear view. Photo attribution

Contribute your comments or questions here.

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Introduction

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1. Design, Donor and Tools of the Trade 2. Frame Fabrication 3. Chassis: Front Suspension 4. Chassis: Motor and Transmission Mounting 5. Chassis: Rear Suspension 6. Body: An Introduction to Scratch Building 7. Body: A Gallery of Scratch-Built Cars 8. Body: Fabricating the Skeleton 9. Body: Applying the Skin 10. Body: Pickup Bed 11. Body: Fenders and Running Boards 12. Mechanicals 13. Interior Fittings 14. Body Preparation and Painting 15. Upholstery: Seats 16. Upholstery: Interior Panels 17. Upholstery: Consoles, Carpets and Trims 18. Engine 19. Finishing Touches and the Completed Car About the Author

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Chapter 3: Chassis - Front Suspension

Twin I-Beams - an Independent Alternative for Your Hot Rod

An introduction to the Ford Twin I-Beam

There are many types of hot rod suspensions, and they each require their own particular fabrication methods and techniques. This chapter will show the fabrication of a Ford Twin I-Beam independent front suspension on the ladder frame we have just completed.

The Ford Twin I-Beam is in the "swing axle" category of independent front suspensions. You can picture it as simply splitting a traditional straight axle in two and then hinging it at each of the cut ends. Ford engineers quickly saw that this design would create camber issues if such short axles were simply hinged at the center of the car. To alleviate the problem, Ford lengthened each axle so that each could be hinged near the opposite wheel. The longer the axle, the less the impact on camber. However, this design change requires that the axles overlap, with one axle in front of the other (Photo 3-1).

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Photo 3-1 The Ford Twin I-Beam - illustration courtesy of Ford Motor Company.

"The idea behind the engineering was simple: replace the traditional one-piece solid-beam axle with two separate suspension beams designed to move independently. This new twin I-beam suspension would allow both tires to be isolated from one another and theoretically allow them to stay in better contact with the road. The design sought to maximize durability and simplicity over a conventional A-arm suspension by using long beams that would pivot from the opposite sides of the truck. The long beams meant the tires would see less camber change as the suspension cycled through its range of travel. To locate the beams front-to-rear, radius arms were mounted in parallel with the truck's frame, and coil springs were used to carry the load." Source

The Twin I-Beam suspension is unique to Ford among mass-produced automobiles. It was introduced in their F-Series pickup trucks beginning in 1965 and remains standard on F-250's and F-350's to the present. It was also included during limited years on the Ranger, Bronco II, E-Series Van and even early Explorers. It was used on the highly popular F-150 from 1965 until 1997.

It should be noted, however, that not all Twin I-Beams are the same. From 1965 until 1979, F-100 and F-150 I-beams were equal length and were forged. The axles for the scratch-built rod shown in Photo 3-2 are from a 1978 donor, and, as you can see, at first glance they look just like a traditional straight axle you might find under any typical hot rod. It is only on closer inspection that you can identify them as independent twin beams.

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In 1980 and 1981, the axles were still forged, but Ford redesigned the geometry, the axles were shortened a bit, and one was made shorter than the other. 1981 twin beams were used in my roadster build (Photos 3-3 and 3-4) and as you can see, the beams have about a 12" difference in length. These '80 and '81 beams are usable, but I don't feel they are nearly as attractive as the pre-1980 beams.

Photo 3-2 1978 twin I-beams with air bags on Photo 3-3 1981 twin beams Photo 3-4 Another view of this rod. Photo attribution are shorter and are not equal 1981 beams adapted to a length. Photo attribution hot rod chassis. Photo attribution

After 1981, Ford began using a stamped steel process for making their twin beams. This took a great deal away from the traditional look of earlier beams, and, unless the suspension is going under a full-fendered rod where they will not be readily seen, I would not recommend their use, based purely on aesthetic reasons. These newer beams can be made to work, they just won't be as good-looking or give the traditional appearance provided by the earlier axles.

Another very important difference between twin beams is brakes. From 1965 to 1972, Ford mounted drum brakes on all of their axles. In 1973, they initiated disc brakes for all their twin beams, greatly improving their desirability for hot rod use. Fortunately, should you already have a set of older beams with drum brakes, all of the disc brake parts from 1973 to 1979 beams can easily be swapped onto the early axles. A guide for doing this conversion can be seen here.

The most desirable twin beams remain those taken from the 1973-1979 F-100 or F-150. Obviously they must come from 2WD trucks. In my area of the country, where there is lots of snow plowing and lots of stump pulling, 2WD trucks are considered less desirable than their 4WD counterparts; they're usually less expensive but a bit more difficult to find. Special considerations when using Twin I-Beams

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Because of their configuration, twin I-beams have some unique features that the fabricator must take into account during design and construction. If you think of the axle and wheel as the letter "L" turned 90 degrees counterclockwise, with the short leg of the L representing the wheel and the long leg of the L representing the axle with a pivot hole in the end (Photo 3-6), you can see how the I-beam configuration affects camber. Photo 3-7 shows the effect of going over an exaggerated bump or having the axle installed at an incorrect angle. As the wheel rises, the pivot point remains fixed. As a result, the wheel is no longer vertical to the road, as represented by the vertical line to the right of Photo 3-6 Turn the L on its the wheel. If driven this way over a protracted period of time, the inner edge of the tire Photo 3-7 When the axle side and the long leg would wear significantly faster than the outer edge. If installed this way, it can produce a rotates, camber issues may becomes the axle. Photo dangerous handling situation. result. Photo attribution attribution The builder must also consider the axle geometry in relation to the frame, the mounting bracket pivot point, and the spring rate and spring location. Photo 3-8 illustrates a right side I-beam at rest and in the correct position to achieve proper camber and safe handling. But note what happens in Photo 3-9 if the pivot point of the axle is mounted at the wrong height in relation to the frame. While this illustration is quite exaggerated, any error in the height of the pivot point will result in incorrect camber, poor tire wear and potential handling problems. Photo 3-8 Properly Photo 3-9 Poorly located configured twin beam at axle pivot can result in tire rest. Photo attribution wear and poor handling. Photo attribution Also note what happens in Photo 3-10 if the axle is not held at the proper height near the wheel end. This height is determined by the spring rate and the spring mounting location. This illustration can also help visualize how camber can be adjusted, within limits, once the suspension is completed. By increasing or decreasing the spring rate, the frame is raised or lowered. This, in turn, raises and lowers the axle pivot mounting bracket and thus the axle pivot point. And as the axle pivot point moves up or down, it will change the camber of the wheel/tire. In real life, you can see how the geometry of the Twin I-Beam setup looks in these shots of my '32 pickup during fabrication. This is Photo 3-10 Incorrect spring another of my cars that was scratch-built. In Photo 3-11 you can see the spring (air bag) Photo 3-11 Example of position or spring rate can location and how the axle pivot mount is under the frame rail on each side. Twin I-Beam mounting in also create camber issues. this rod. Photo attribution Photo attribution

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In Photo 3-12, you can see the pivot mounting bracket (arrow) on the underside of the frame. Photos 3-13 shows the same suspension later in the construction process. The Twin I-Beam geometry thus requires that the pivot location for each axle be correct in relation to the frame height, the track width of the front end and the scrub line for your particular car. On most I-Beams from 1973-1979, the bottom of the axle should run approximately parallel with the ground in order to achieve zero camber while the car is stationary. This also means that the bottom of the axle should run parallel with the front crossmember of the frame. The top of the axle, on the other hand, is tapered, being taller Photo 3-12 Location of at the king pin than it is at the pivot point. So always use the bottom side of the axle as Photo 3-13 Another view of pivot mounting bracket your reference point when determining the position and height of your mounting the Twin I-Beam mounts. (arrow). Photo attribution brackets. Photo attribution

Fabricating the axle mounting brackets

To properly size our mounting brackets and determine the correct location of the pivot hole center, we can either draw the axle and frame to scale on graph paper, or we can mock up the axle in correct position in relation to the frame, and get our pivot center location from there. For this project, the sketch shown in 3-14 was used to determine the height of the axle mounting brackets and the location of the pivot hole to be drilled in the bracket in relation to the frame. Note that this design is for an underslung frame, so Photo 3-14 Sketch front care must be taken to ensure there will be room for adequate axle travel without hitting suspension and frame to any frame components, while maintaining a proper scrub line so nothing on the car will scale to determine location contact the pavement in the event of a tire blowout. of the axle pivot holes. Photo 3-15 Mark the frame Photo attribution for the axle mounting boxes. Photo attribution Using dimensions taken from the donor truck and your sketches, mark each side of the frame to locate the axle mounting brackets (Photo 3-15). The brackets are made using two "boxes" cut from 1/8" 2x3 rectangular tubing (Photo 3-16). Using your prior calculations and drawings, mark and drill holes in the box for the axle mounting bolts (Photo 3-17).

Photo 3-16 Cut axle Photo 3-17 Drill the boxes mounting boxes from 2x3 for axle mounting bolts. tubing. Photo attribution Photo attribution

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Next, weld a "plug" to seal the top of the box (Photo 3-18). Using a cutting disk or jigsaw, cut a hole in the side of the box large enough to install the axle end and to allow axle travel once the mount is finished (Photo 3-19).

Photo 3-18 Plug the top of Photo 3-19 Cut access holes the box. Photo attribution for the axles. Photo attribution Our mounting box is 3" wide and it will sit perpendicular to our 2" frame, so that there will be 1" of the box that overhangs the outside of the frame rail. This overhang is supported and tied into the frame using support pieces cut from 1/8" flat stock (Photo 3-20). Position and weld the box and support pieces to the frame as shown in Photo 3-21.

Photo 3-20 Mounting box Photo 3-21 Mounting boxes support pieces. Photo and support pieces welded attribution to frame. Photo attribution You can then test-fit your axles into the boxes as shown in Photos 3-22 through 3-24.

Photo 3-22 You can now Photo 3-23 Photo test-fit your beams. Photo attribution attribution

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Photo 3-24 Photo attribution

Front springs and spring perch

The spring system for this project is a fairly unique design that incorporates quarter elliptical leaf springs. However, instead of connecting the axle and leaf with spring eyes and shackles, the leaves will ride on rollers or glides, to allow the leaf spring to expand and contract during road travel. The rollers, in turn, will be set in an adjustable bracket, which will allow the car to be raised and lowered to create the correct frame height and axle camber. An easier and more direct way to accomplish this end would be to use a readily available coil over shock arrangement. But buying stuff off the shelf is often not the hot rod style. So, this project will modify the semi-elliptical rear leaf springs from the donor truck, and convert them into quarter elliptical springs for use on the sedan delivery chassis.

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To stay with a more traditional look, the front springs will be mounted in the traditional "cross spring" position, that is, running parallel with the front crossmember between the two front wheels. Unfortunately, the rear leaf springs from the donor truck can not be used in their stock configuration as a cross spring.

Rear leaf springs for most cars and trucks have a non-uniform arch, meaning the front of the spring is arched differently than the rear of the spring. This is done by design, to assist with rear end axle torque and loading on the spring. Front "cross springs", on the other hand, are uniformly arched, that is, the arch to the left of the spring's center is exactly the same as the arch to the right of the spring's center.

In order to use the leaf springs from the donor truck, they need to be converted to quarter elliptical springs, by cutting each spring stack in half. All the left side halves, which now have the same arch, will be used to make two quarter elliptical spring stacks for the new front suspension. All of the right side halves, which now have the same arch, will be used to make two quarter elliptical spring stacks for the new rear suspension. Photo 3-25 shows one of the resulting quarter elliptical spring stacks after going through the cutting process.

To mount the quarter elliptical spring sets, a perch must be fabricated at the center of the front crossmember. The perch consists of a stout bracket with a "spring box" mounted at the top to hold the ends of each spring stack. The center bracket is made from a 10" length of 1/8" wall, 1 1/2" diameter steel tubing and two 1/4" steel gussets (Photo 3-26).

Photo 3-25 Leaf springs cut Photo 3-26 Pieces for center Photo 3-27 Center spring in half to make quarter spring mount. Photo mount tack welded to ellipticals. Photo attribution attribution frame. Photo attribution The bracket pieces are positioned and tack welded in place as shown in Photos 3-27 and 3-28. At this juncture, a hole is also drilled through the top of the front crossmember on each side of the spring perch bracket (Photo 3-29). These two holes will be directly above the two large holes we drilled in the underside of the front crossmember during frame construction (See Chapter 1). The holes will be used to bolt auxiliary end supports to the spring box. The large holes on the underside of the crossmember will allow us to get a socket up through the frame to tighten the bolts holding the auxiliary support bars in place. Photo 3-28 Another view of Photo 3-29 Bolt holes are

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the center spring mount. drilled for the mount's side Photo attribution braces. Photo attribution Quarter-inch flat stock is used to build the "spring box", and holes are drilled to mount the box to the center bracket and to bolt the spring stacks inside the box. Photo 3-30 is a view of the top of the box and Photo 3-31 shows the underside of the box. Photo 3-32 shows the box temporarily mounted on the center post. Note the 1 1/4" bolt in the center of the box. The nut for this bolt was welded to a circular piece of 1/4" steel plate after a properly-sized hole had been drilled through the plate. The steel plate was then welded to the top of the center post, nut side down, so that it was hidden inside the post.

Photo 3-30 Spring box - top Photo 3-31 Spring box - view. Photo attribution bottom view. Photo attribution This center bolt is not enough to withstand the extreme torque that will be passed through the spring stacks to the mount. So, auxiliary supports are placed at each end of the box. These supports are made using 1" steel pipe with a nut welded to the end as shown in Photo 3-33. The supports will be bolted to the front crossmember using the holes we drilled on each side of the center post. To mount the spring stack, holes must be drilled in each leaf to match the mounting holes already drilled in the box (Photo 3-34). Be aware that spring steel is very difficult to drill. So, take your time and use lots of lubricant. Photo 3-35 shows a bottom side view of the spring stacks bolted in the mounting box and the auxiliary support bars welded in place. Photo 3-36 shows the Photo 3-32 Spring box Photo 3-33 Spring box side spring perch and springs being test mounted on the frame. bolted to center mount. support braces. Photo Photo attribution attribution

Photo 3-34 Leaves drilled Photo 3-35 Leaves bolted Photo 3-36 Quarter for mounting in spring box. into spring box and side elliptical springs bolted in Photo attribution braces welded on. Photo place. Photo attribution attribution

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Four-bar fabrication

You can purchase pre-made four-bar kits, but it is unlikely you will find anything that fits the unique Twin I-Beams. To make your own four-bar system, you first need a means of attaching the bars to the axles. The quarter elliptical springs also need to maintain contact, in some way, with the front axles in order to control up-down movement. A single bracket can satisfy both of those needs.

Fortunately, I-beam axles provide a great attachment point for your hand-fabricated four- bar system: the radius rod attachment hole. This hole runs vertically through the axle, not far from the king pin, and can be used as the starting point for creating the axle Photo 3-37 Pieces for four- brackets. Photo 3-38 Making an bar axle bracket. Photo adjusting slot. Photo attribution We will begin by constructing the portion of the axle bracket that will provide an attribution adjustable mounting point for the leaf rollers or glides. This portion of the bracket is comprised of 1/4" flat stock pieces as shown in Photo 3-37. The bracket needs to be removable, so it is made in two sections, a front and a back, which will slip over the hole in the axle and then be bolted in place with a single grade-8 bolt. To allow my leaf spring rollers to be adjusted for frame height, slots must be created in the uprights of the bracket. To make these slots, first drill a 1/2" hole at each end of what will eventually be your slot. These slot holes are spaced 3 1/2" apart (Photo 3-38). Then, using a 4 1/2" cutting disk, remove the material from between the two holes. You will end up with a slot (Photo 3-39) that allows the spring roller to be adjusted upward and downward. The pieces for the front and back of the bracket are welded and then slipped onto the axle, where they are temporarily held in place with a bolt (Photo 3-40). If you look closely, you will note that the bracket is actually in two parts, with the large mounting bolt going through two plates on the top and two plates on the bottom. This Photo 3-39 The finished Photo 3-40 four-bar axle allows the front half of the bracket to be removed, and then the back half. If the bracket slot. Photo attribution bracket installed. Photo was welded together in one piece, you couldn't remove it from the axle without entirely attribution removing the axle from the car and slipping the bracket over the pivot end of the beam. With the main section of the axle bracket in place, mounting tabs for the four-bar rod ends can be cut, positioned and welded in place. Photo 3-41 shows the lower left four- bar tabs being set up for welding. Photo 3-42 is an overhead shot of the lower right tabs welded to the bracket. A bracket is also needed on each frame rail to attach the other end of the four-bars. This bracket is made from pieces of 1/4" flat stock (Photo 3-43), which are drilled and then welded together to form the bracket (Photo 3-44). Position the bracket on the frame using your four-bars as a guide and clamp the mount in place for

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welding (Photo 3-45). Photo 3-46 shows the four-bar system temporarily installed to Photo 3-41 Weld tabs to the check for fitment. Photo 3-42 Top view of the bracket to attach the four- tabs. Photo attribution bar rod ends. Photo attribution

Photo 3-43 Pieces for four- Photo 3-44 Bracket pieces Photo 3-45 Bracket bar frame bracket. Photo welded. Photo attribution clamped to frame for attribution welding. Photo attribution

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Photo 3-46 The finished front four-bar system. Photo attribution Leaf rollers

One of the more unique features of this suspension is that it is shackle-less. Instead of attaching the leaf springs to the axle with spring eyes and shackles, the eyes are removed from each spring stack, and the longest leaf of the stack rests on a roller, allowing the leaf to glide in and out as the spring stack is compressed or decompressed during normal road travel. Without allowing for this movement, the spring would bind immediately. The first set of leaf rollers were made from the components shown in Photo 3-47. A grade-8 bolt, a brass bearing sleeve and an outer plastic tube (PEX tubing) were incorporated to reduce squeaking and friction. The components were then assembled in the adjustable axle bracket as shown in Photo 3-48. Photo 3-47 The leaf springs Photo 3-48 The assembled will glide on rollers. Photo rollers shown in adjustable attribution mounting brackets. Photo attribution However, this design proved to be less than ideal. Over time, after the engine, transmission and body were installed and the suspension sat for long periods during completion of the car, the "bounce" of the suspension became more and more stiff. This was due to the plastic outer tubes "flattening" slightly due to the weight of the car, and causing more binding than they were designed to eliminate. To remedy the problem, manufactured roller bearings were used to replace the homemade glides. The components of the new rollers are shown in Photo 3-49, and the assembled roller for one leaf spring is shown in Photo 3-50. Photos 3-51 and 3-52 show the rollers installed on the axle. These bearings are 7/16" wide and each is rated at 900 lbs. They ride on a 1/2" Photo 3-49 The original Photo 3-50 The bearing grade-8 bolt, and they are kept in position on the bolt with small sections of steel sleeve rollers were later upgraded assembly. Photo attribution to prevent lateral movement. to these 900 lb. 7/8" roller bearings. Photo attribution If you look closely under the rollers, you will see a nut supporting the center of the roller bolt. This was used temporarily, as a safety device to keep the rollers in place should the roller bolt loosen and slip downward under the weight of the spring. This little safety measure made so much sense that it was incorporated into the final fabrication of the mounts. Once the final ride height was determined, and the position of the adjustable rollers was set, steel blocks were fabricated to fit under each roller bolt. This ensures that if a roller bolt ever became loose while on the road, the rollers themselves can not drop down, thereby causing the frame to drop on that side of the car.

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Photo 3-51 The bearing Photo 3-52 Another view of assembly installed. Photo the bearing assembly attribution installed. Photo attribution

Testing the suspension

Thus far, the front suspension components have been fabricated using only theory and best guesses as to how they will perform. So at this juncture, it is time for the first big test of all that theory. By clamping a couple of 2x3 steel tubes across the bottom of the frame and setting the rear of the frame on jack stands, the engine and transmission can be set down in the chassis to give a rough idea of how much the springs will compress under the weight, and whether the axles will end up in the correct position. Photos 3-53 through 3-56 show the assembled front suspension sitting on its own front legs for the first time. And given that there is a certain amount of adjustment available to raise and lower the frame and adjust camber, it appears we are in the ballpark for creating the Photo 3-53 The engine and Photo 3-54 The completed correct geometry for the suspension to operate properly. transmission were set on the front suspension (less chassis to test front shocks). Photo attribution suspension geometry. Photo attribution

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Photo 3-55 Photo attribution

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Photo 3-56 Photo attribution

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Chapters

Introduction 1. Design, Donor and Tools of the Trade 2. Frame Fabrication 3. Chassis: Front Suspension 4. Chassis: Motor and Transmission Mounting 5. Chassis: Rear Suspension 6. Body: An Introduction to Scratch Building 7. Body: A Gallery of Scratch-Built Cars 8. Body: Fabricating the Skeleton 9. Body: Applying the Skin 10. Body: Pickup Bed 11. Body: Fenders and Running Boards 12. Mechanicals 13. Interior Fittings 14. Body Preparation and Painting 15. Upholstery: Seats 16. Upholstery: Interior Panels 17. Upholstery: Consoles, Carpets and Trims 18. Engine 19. Finishing Touches and the Completed Car About the Author

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Chapter 4: Chassis - Motor and Transmission Mounting

Mounting the engine

With the front suspension in place and the rear of the frame on solid jack stands, the engine and transmission can be mocked up in position between the frame rails, and motor mounts can be designed and fabricated. For this particular project, the engine and transmission will be positioned so that the lowest point on the oil pan is even with the bottom of the frame. It is important to make sure the position of your engine will not extend below the scrub line once the car is at final ride height.

To understand the concept of scrub line, visualize your car without any tires, just rims, sitting on a sheet of glass. Anything on your car that would extend down below the sheet of glass is below your scrub line. In the event of a blowout or other tire loss, that element of the car would come in contact with the pavement and result in partial or total loss of control, as well as other potentially catastrophic results. The actual scrub line can be measured by stretching a line from the lowest point on the front left rim to the lowest point on the rear right rim. Then, do the same for the other two corners of the car. There should be nothing on the car extending below the plane created by those two lines.

To temporarily set the motor and transmission into position, use supports or blocks to hold the engine at the correct height. For this project, two sections of 2x4 rectangular tubing were clamped to the bottom of the frame rails on each side of the chassis as supports for the engine. One support was placed approximately under the lowest point on the oil pan and the other was placed under the main section of the transmission (but not under the transmission mounting holes.) The engine and transmission were slowly lowered onto the supports until their full weight was on the frame and supports. The engine may be a bit unstable, so keep it chained to your hoist so that it can't possibly roll over or slip and fall.

Next, the tie rods are attached to the front spindles in order to determine crank pulley clearance (Photo 4-1). By turning each wheel from stop to stop, you can determine if the crank pulley will clear the tie rod in all wheel positions. If the tie rod contacts the pulley, the engine will need to be slid rearward in the frame. If the pulley-to-tie rod distance is greater than anticipated, the engine can be slid forward in the frame. To locate the engine side-to-side, a steel rule, such as the one shown in Photo 4-2, is set across the frame rails, squared up and then clamped in place. Use one at the front of the engine and one at the tip of the transmission tailshaft. The steel rules are set so that an inch marker is at the exact center between the two frame rails. Photo 4-2 Steel rulers are used at front and rear to Photo 4-1 Fasten tie rods to center engine and

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check crank pulley transmission in the frame. clearance. Photo attribution Photo attribution Then, place a floor jack or transmission jack under the tailshaft section of the transmission. Place a level on the carburetor or the intake manifold as shown in Photo 4-3, and then jack the tailshaft up or down until the engine is level. On this stock Ford carburetor, the vent tube can be used to determine level, or the carburetor can be removed and the machined mounting surface of the manifold used for finding level. Note that when the intake manifold or carburetor are level, the crankshaft and transmission tailshaft will be pointing a couple of degrees down and to the rear. So, do not be alarmed if you put your gauge on the tailshaft and it is not level. It's not supposed to be; it will normally point 2-3 degrees down.

With the engine sitting level, the motor and transmission can now be wiggled left and right until the crank pulley and Photo 4-3 Level the engine the tailshaft are centered on your steel ruler. This will likely require a lot of jiggling, and is a job done best with two using the carburetor or people: one to hold the front of the engine in place while the trailshaft is moved into location and then vice versa as intake manifold as your the crank pulley is moved into position. During the process, make sure the engine is still level, and that the front-to- guide. Photo attribution rear positioning has not changed.

It should be pointed out that in some applications, the engine may be offset to one side of the frame or the other, rather than centered exactly between the frame rails. In such a case, make sure that the front of the engine is offset the exact same distance as the rear. Just remember that the centerline of the crank and the centerline of the tailshaft must always run parallel with the frame rails. With the engine and transmission centered between the rails, level, and set back the desired distance from the front of the car, you are ready to make the motor mounts and transmission mounts. The Ford 302 stock engine mount includes a hard rubber cushion unit which has a flat steel face molded right into the rubber. This cushion bolts directly to the engine. Then, a stamped steel mount bolts to the cushion and spans the distance to the frame. For most applications, you'll be using the cushioned portion of the mount, but the stamped steel portion will need to be replaced with a new "bridge" section to span the distance from the cushion to the frame.

To make our bridge, we first cut a piece of 1/4" flat stock to match the size of the steel face of the cushion mount as shown in Photo 4-4. Then, drill a hole near the center of the 1/4" plate to match the attachment bolt, which is welded Photo 4-4 A 1/4" steel plate onto the cushion mount. You can then bolt the 1/4" plate to the steel face of the cushion mount. This provides a is first mounted to the surface for you to weld on the bridge section. cushion block, and a bridge section fit between the plate The bridge is made using 2x3 rectangular tubing. To determine the length and angles of the end cuts, use cardboard and the frame. Photo or heavy paper stock to create a pattern. With the engine stationary, you can cut and trim the pattern until it fits snug attribution against both the inside of the frame and the face of the steel plate, which is bolted to the mounting cushion. Then, use this pattern to cut the 2x3 tubing and tack weld the tubing into place.

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Before final welding, move to the opposite side of the engine and construct that mount using the same steps. But don't assume you can use the same pattern for your bridge piece. In some cases the left and right sides of the engine block do not have identical mounting positions, so a separate pattern may have to be made. Tack weld the second bridge in place and then re-check all of your measurements to make sure nothing has shifted, and that the center of the crank and tailshaft are still centered between the frame rails and that the engine is sitting level. Then complete your final welds. Photos 4-5 and 4-6 show the completed motor mounts. Photo 4-5 The finished Photo 4-6 Another view of motor mount. Photo the finished motor mount. attribution Photo attribution

Transmission mount and crossmember

Next we move on to the transmission mounting bracket. In choosing the size and location of the tubing for your rear mount, you need to pay special attention to the space requirements under your car. Most cars need space for mufflers, tail pipes, emergency brake cables and other mechanicals. This is doubly important if your car is going to sit really low to the ground. Most exhaust pipes alone will be 2 1/2" to 3" in diameter, and they have to fit under or over your crossmember and still allow adequate ground clearance. So, every inch counts.

To conserve space, 1/8" wall 1x2 rectangular tubing, laid flat, was used to construct the crossmember/transmission mount. The mount was also attached to the top of the frame rather than to the inside wall of the frame, again to raise the crossmember out of the way as much as possible.

No matter where you locate your crossmember, it is quite likely that your transmission mount will require a "dip" in the center so that it can fit under the transmission for support, and provide an attachment point for the transmission mounting bolts.

The transmission mount and "dip" for this chassis is made from the following five pieces of tubing: a "mounting block", two "upper members" and two "angle pieces".

Begin by measuring the width of the mounting pad or mounting base on your transmission, and then add two inches to your measurement. Cut a piece of tubing to that length but make each cut at a 22.5-degree angle, as illustrated in Photo 4-7. The distance between "A" and "B", which is the top of the block, should be the width you calculated above. Next, you need to drill holes in this block to match the mounting holes on your transmission's base. You can do this with a pattern, or by marking the center of this block and the center of your transmission's base and then holding or clamping the block in place while you mark the hole locations. Install whatever rubber cushioning or Photo 4-7 To construct the vibration dampening you might be using and bolt this block to the transmission, making Photo 4-8 Cut to size, and

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crossmember "dip" under sure it is square to the frame rails. It should now look something like the illustration in then bolt the block to the the transmission, begin with Photo 4-8 and the image in Photo 4-9. (Note: Photos 4-9 and 4-11 have been altered in transmission mounting pad. the "mounting block". Photoshop to better illustrate how this mount is made.) Photo attribution Photo attribution

Photo 4-9 This is how the mounting block should look. Photo attribution Now, measure from the tip of the mounting block to the outside edge of the frame, and add a couple of extra inches to your measurement. Cut a piece of tubing to this length but again make the end cut at a 22.5-degree angle. We will call this piece the "upper member". Place the upper member on the frame as illustrated in Photo 4-10 and as shown in Photo 4-11.

Photo 4-10 Next, cut a length of tubing for the Photo 4-11 This is how the "upper member" and upper member will look on position it perpendicular to the frame. Photo attribution the frame rail and in line with the mounting block. Photo attribution Using an angle gauge like the one shown in Photo 4-12, slide the upper member inward or outward until the pieces line up, tip-to-tip, as illustrated in Photo 4-13 with the gauge set at 45 degrees. Then clamp the upper member to the frame rail. At this juncture you need to use a steel rule, square and/or chalk line to ensure the upper member is exactly perpendicular to the frame rail, and that it is in exact alignment with the mounting block you bolted to the bottom of the transmission. You may need to loosen the clamp a bit to jiggle things into position. Go back and forth between your angle gauge and your square

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until everything is lined up properly and you have firmly tightened your clamp again. Photo 4-13 The angle gauge Photo 4-12 This is a good- Then measure the tip-to-tip distance between points "A" and "B" as illustrated in Photo is used to locate the upper sized angle gauge for use in 4-13. This distance should be the same for the two top tips as it is for the two bottom member at a 45-degree confined locations. Photo tips. angle from the mounting attribution block. Photo attribution Cut your "angle piece" to this length, making the 22.5-degree angle cuts parallel at each end of the tubing as illustrated by the red "angle piece" in Photo 4-14. When cut, the piece should fit correctly between your mounting block and your upper member. If not, loosen the clamp on the upper member and slide it slightly inward or outward until the pieces fit.

Once fit, mark the upper member where it extends over the outside of the frame, and then cut off this excess. To give a more finished look, this cut should be made at an Photo 4-14 Measure the angle, and the open end of the angled tubing should be filled with a plug. I used a 45- Photo 4-15 Tack weld the distance between "A" and degree angle for this mount, as shown in Photo 4-14. angle piece into position. "B" to cut the angle piece. Photo attribution Photo attribution Reassemble your pieces, squaring everything up with the frame and your mounting block, and tack weld the parts together. Then move on to the other side of frame and repeat the steps shown above. You should end up with something resembling the illustration in Photo 4-15.

The completed transmission mount and crossmember are shown in Photos 4-16 and 4-17. Many builders will also fabricate whatever "X" member or "K" member supports they are going to use at this stage of the build. For this project, we waited until a little later, when we knew exactly how all the real estate under the car was going to be utilized. Although it was actually done later, a photo of the completed "X" member is included here so that you can see how it was constructed (Photo 4-18).

Photo 4-18 "X" member Photo 4-16 The competed Photo 4-17 Another view of sections are added to help transmission the completed transmission stabilize the frame under mount/crossmember. Photo mount. Photo attribution load. Photo attribution attribution

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Chapters

Introduction 1. Design, Donor and Tools of the Trade 2. Frame Fabrication 3. Chassis: Front Suspension 4. Chassis: Motor and Transmission Mounting 5. Chassis: Rear Suspension 6. Body: An Introduction to Scratch Building 7. Body: A Gallery of Scratch-Built Cars 8. Body: Fabricating the Skeleton 9. Body: Applying the Skin 10. Body: Pickup Bed 11. Body: Fenders and Running Boards 12. Mechanicals 13. Interior Fittings 14. Body Preparation and Painting 15. Upholstery: Seats 16. Upholstery: Interior Panels 17. Upholstery: Consoles, Carpets and Trims 18. Engine 19. Finishing Touches and the Completed Car

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About the Author

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Chapter 5: Chassis - Rear Suspension

Preparing the basic rear suspension components

Building the rear suspension begins by placing the rear of the frame on jack stands or blocks at your anticipated final ride height. Then, with the wheels bolted on, roll the rear end unit into position as closely as you can to its final ride position under the frame. Make sure the axle is maintained at a right angle to the frame rails. Block the wheels so that they can't creep forward or backward. Next, lift the pinion and place it on a floor jack. Then, jack the pinion up or down until the pinion angle is between 2-3 degrees up (higher toward the front of the car). This angle may vary with different applications, but it should always match the downward angle of your transmission shaft. You can measure the angle across the face of the yoke as shown by the arrows in Photo 5-1.

Photo 5-1 Roll rear end into position and temporarily set the pinion angle. Photo attribution

Fabricating the rear four-bar system

Our rear end radius rod system will be the same four-bar style as we used on the front suspension, including pre-threaded sleeves and heim-type rod ends. The sleeves should be threaded with left and right threads on either end, and the rod ends should be left- and right-threaded as well. This makes it a snap to adjust the rear end and front end with a simple twist of the sleeves.

To attach the bars, we need to fabricate mounting brackets for the rear axle, and mounting brackets for the frame rails. We will begin with the axle mounting brackets.

The design of this particular rear axle bracket is somewhat unique, and may not be the prettiest, because it was designed to limit any welding directly on the rear axle housing. These housings are quite easy to warp if you do not have the proper equipment to hold them solidly during the welding process and do not use the proper welding techniques. These brackets are therefore designed to attach primarily to the leaf spring mount and shock mount, which have already been solidly welded to the housing. This may look a little odd, but it greatly reduces the amount of heat going into the axle housing itself, and allows the hobby welder to do the job, rather than taking the rear housing to a pro to do the mounts.

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The axle mounting bracket is made from 1/8" wall, 2x3 tubing. Measure and cut the tubing to length based on the estimated distance between your upper bar and your lower bar. Bars can be set up in a number of different configurations, so your bracket length may be different than what is shown here, but the same general procedure can be applied. Next, drill a hole near the top of the bracket for mounting the upper radius rod. Then cut out a section on the front (forward facing) side of the tube, large enough for the radius rod to be installed and to achieve sufficient travel during road conditions (Photo 5-2). You will also note in this photo that the top and bottom of the bracket have been cut at an angle. As you will see in photographs to follow, the bracket for this particular Photo 5-2 Cut and drill Photo 5-3 The bracket is car is mounted on the axle at an angle that matches the angle of the frame kick-up tubing for axle mounting welded to the axle's existing section. This is to allow the upper and lower radius bars to be the same length. So, the bracket. Photo attribution shock mount. Photo angle used to cut the top and bottom of the mounting bracket will match the angle attribution between the lower frame rail and the frame kick-up section. The bracket is then positioned by using a mocked-up set of radius bars, and is tack welded as shown in Photo 5-3. While most of the welding is done on the existing shock bracket rather than the axle housing, there is a weld joint directly between the axle housing and new bracket as indicated by the arrow in the photo. Photo 5-4 is an overhead view of the bracket being tack welded in place. Note that the leaf springs have been temporarily clamped in place to help ensure that the location of the axle is correct and that the four-bar location will not interfere with the springs.

The bottom radius rod connects to the axle using the original stock shock mount, which Photo 5-4 Overhead shot of has been drilled out for a 5/8" bolt (Photo 5-5). bracket being welded to axle. Photo attribution With the radius rods connected to the axle, you next move to the frame to fabricate mounts for the other end of the radius rods. And for that, you need to determine the angle of your four-bars. Don't simply assume that "parallel with the ground" is going to suit your particular chassis. Each chassis is different and each application is different, particularly if racing is going to be involved. To determine the angle for your bars, this source will provide an excellent description of the process, as well as links to an online Photo 5-5 The existing calculator that can determine this angle for you. For this particular project, an angle of 5 shock bracket is used for degrees will be used for the bars. the lower bar mount. Photo attribution

Using a magnetic angle gauge attached to the bottom radius rod, move the bar up and down until the gauge reads 5 degrees. Then, mark the frame at the exact center of the rod end and drill a 5/8" hole through both walls of the frame. Your rod end should be extended approximately 1/3 its thread length out of the sleeve (at both ends) when determining this mark. (Note: when mocking up bar lengths, remember that the total amount of rod end adjustment is NOT the total length of the threads on each rod end. You need approximately 1/3 of the length firmly threaded into the sleeve

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to provide proper support. So, the actual adjustment length will be 2/3rds of the total thread length.)

Although it is not absolutely necessary, our design calls for the radius rods to run parallel with the frame, rather than angling outward or inward. To do this, clamp the bar in position parallel to the frame using a wood spacer between the bar and the frame. Then, measure the distance between the frame and the inside surface of the rod end, and deduct the width of any washers that you might be using. Cut a spacer from 1/8" wall 1" steel tubing which has been reamed out to accommodate a 5/8" bolt. This spacer is then clamped to the frame with the mounting bolt and tack welded in place as shown in Photo 5-6. Photo 5-7 shows a close-up of the spacer ready for welding. Photo 5-6 A spacer is Photo 5-7 A close-up view required at the frame mount of the spacer ready to be to keep the bar parallel with tack welded. Photo the chassis. Photo attribution attribution Once you have the spacer attached and the lower bar bolted in place, move to the top bar, lining it up to run parallel with the lower bar. Drill the mount hole and make a spacer as you did for the lower bar. Photo 5-8 shows the upper and lower spacers welded to the frame. Photos 5-9 and 5-10 show the completed driver's side rear four-bars. With these in place, move to the passenger side of the frame and construct those mounts in the same way. Photo 5-11 shows both sides of the four-bar system completed.

Photo 5-8 The upper and Photo 5-9 The completed lower spacers welded to the driver's side four-bar frame. Photo attribution mounts. Photo attribution

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Photo 5-10 Another view of the driver's side four-bar mounts. Photo attribution

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Photo 5-11 The four-bar system completed on both sides of the frame. Photo attribution

The rear springs

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With the rear end now held in place by the radius rods, you can move on to the fabrication of your spring system. For this car, we are using quarter elliptical springs similar to those used on the front suspension. The springs are cut from the "back halves" of stock F-100 semi-elliptical springs in the same way the front springs were made from the front halves of the semi-elliptical stock springs.

The mounting plate for the spring stacks consists of a 12" long perch and four "legs" to attach the perch to a frame crossmember and drop it down 2" from the crossmember (Photo 5-12). All pieces for this mount are 1/4" flat stock steel. Four holes are drilled in Photo 5-12 1/4" flat stock is the mounting plate for attaching the spring stacks. Photo 5-13 Rear perch used to make the rear spring components being welded perch. Photo attribution To weld the four legs square to the perch plate, a piece of 2x3 square tubing is used as a together. Photo attribution guide, and the bracket parts are clamped in place around the tubing (Photo 5-13). The plate and legs are then centered on a 2x3 crossmember which was cut to length and shown earlier in Chapter 2. At this point, the exact height and position of the spring perch on the crossmember is a bit of guesswork. But, based on the front end spring compression, we can make an educated guess as to where it will work. Photo 5-14 shows the legs of the spring mount welded to the crossmember and the spring stacks bolted in. The crossmember and spring pack are installed as a single unit between the frame rails, located just behind the apex of the frame kick-up. Photo 5-15 shows the crossmember and spring pack being positioned and clamped to the frame rails for welding.

Photo 5-14 Welding the rear Photo 5-15 Positioning the spring perch to the crossmember and spring crossmember. Photo perch for welding. Photo attribution attribution

Just like the front suspension, the leaf springs in the rear will glide on rollers held within adjustable mounting brackets. The brackets are shown in Photo 5-16. The glide components are shown in Photo 5-17 and the mounted glides are shown in Photo 5-18. As was done with the front suspension, these glides were later upgraded with roller bearings.

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Photo 5-16 Mounting Photo 5-17 Glide roller Photo 5-18 Glide roller bracket for a rear spring components. Photo mounted in the adjustable roller. Photo attribution attribution bracket. Photo attribution

The glide brackets are then tack welded to the stock leaf spring pads, thereby minimizing any welding directly on the axle housing (Photo 5-19). The chassis can now be fully suspended on its own springs, both front and rear (Photo 5-20).

Photo 5-19 Roller bracket being welded to spring mounting pad. Photo

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attribution

Photo 5-20 The chassis is now spring-supported at all four corners. Photo attribution

Front and rear shock mounting

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Pete and Jake's shorty shocks will be used, both front and rear. Photo 5-21 shows the parts used for mounting each rear shock. The two "ears" at the bottom of the photo will be welded to the frame and become the upper shock mount. The grade-8 bolt with the head cut off will be welded to the axle's original leaf spring pad and become the lower shock mount.

Since there is no body on the car, we have to do some guesswork to determine the upper shock mounting position. The lower mount is fixed by its location on the axle. So this mount (the bolt shown in Photo 5-21) is positioned and welded so that it lines up with Photo 5-21 Rear shock the existing leaf spring pad. Photo 5-22 Rear shock mounting components. mounts welded in place. Photo attribution The upper mount must be set so that, hopefully, the shock rod will be approximately Photo attribution halfway extended when the car is completed and sitting at rest. There may be some formula to calculate this positioning with mathematics, so if you can find the formula, use it. Otherwise, you may have to cut and re-position your mounts later if your best guess is a bit off.

The method used for this car was to set the leaf spring glides to their lowest position, thus dropping the frame to its lowest position. The shock was then installed onto the lower mounting bolt and the shock rod fully extended. A mounting "ear" was bolted to each side of the upper shock end and the ears positioned against the frame so that the shock was lined up square. The ears were then welded in place (Photo 5-22).

If at all possible, design as much adjustability into your shock mounts as you can. Or, as an alternative, leave this step until much later in the project when the full weight of the car is resting on the chassis. We lucked out with the method used on this project, but the chassis does have some adjustment built into the leaf spring rollers, and that saved having to cut and re-mount the shocks later.

For the front suspension, the shocks had to be mounted so that they operate opposite of how shocks typically operate. This is because the car has an underslung frame. If you look closely at Photo 5-23, you will detect that when the wheel hits a bump and the axle travels upward, the shock will extend. When the wheel hits a pothole and the axle travels downward, the shock will compress. On typical frames, this would be just the opposite, with the shock compressing with upward axle travel and extending on downward axle travel.

But as long as you have 50/50 shocks, this makes no difference whatsoever to your Photo 5-23 Front shock shock; it couldn't care less what direction it is going. It will provide the same degree of Photo 5-24 Close-up of mounting. Photo attribution dampening going up as coming down. Just to be certain, Pete and Jake's was contacted front shock mounts. Photo about mounting the shock this way and confirmed the mounting theory was correct and attribution that the shocks would work properly.

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Photo 5-24 is a close-up of the front shock mount. As you can see, two "ears" were welded to the frame on the lower end of the shock and the upper end of the shock was bolted to the axle mounting bracket which was fabricated in Chapter 3.

Panhard bar

To complete our basic chassis, we must have a way to keep the rear axle from moving from side-to-side. There are a number of ways to accomplish this, but we will be using a simple Panhard bar for this project.

The basic physics of a Panhard bar is illustrated in Photo 5-25. Source The Panhard bar, incidentally, is named after Rene Panhard, who was the founder of the Panhard motor company in France. Source Source

Photo 5-25 Illustration of The Panhard bar runs parallel with the rear axle, one end securely attached to the frame Panhard bar from rear of and the other end securely attached to the axle or an axle component. 1x2 rectangular Photo 5-26 Frame bracket car. Photo attribution - Wiki tubing is used to fabricate the Panhard frame mount (Photo 5-26). for Panhard bar. Photo Commons. This file is attribution licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution- Share Alike 3.0 Unported license. The bar itself is a long sleeve with left-hand threads in one end and right-hand threads in the other. Heim-type rod ends are inserted in each end of the sleeve. The bar is mocked up in the frame mount and then the components are adjusted until the Panhard bar is parallel with the axle, parallel with the ground, and will not come into contact with the axle center section of any other part of the rear end. The frame mount is then welded in place (Photo 5-27). The free end of the Panhard bar will be attached to the spring roller mounting bracket near the opposite wheel of the car. A small extension with a hole drilled in it is welded to this bracket and then a spacer is cut so that the Panhard bar will clear the center section of the axle (Photo 5-28). Photo 5-27 Panhard frame Photo 5-28 A spacer is

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bracket welded in position. required on the axle mount Photo attribution so that the Panhard bar will clear the center section of the rear end. Photo attribution The spacer and Panhard bar are then bolted in place (Photo 5-29). The assembled Panhard bar is shown in Photo 5-30.

The basic rolling chassis is now complete (Photos 5-31 to 5-36).

Photo 5-29 The Panhard Photo 5-30 The completed axle mount. Photo Panhard bar mounts. Photo attribution attribution

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Photo 5-31 Photo attribution

Photo 5-32 Photo attribution

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Photo 5-33 Photo attribution

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Photo 5-34 Photo attribution

Photo 5-35 Photo attribution

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Photo 5-36 Photo attribution

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Chapters

Introduction 1. Design, Donor and Tools of the Trade 2. Frame Fabrication 3. Chassis: Front Suspension 4. Chassis: Motor and Transmission Mounting 5. Chassis: Rear Suspension 6. Body: An Introduction to Scratch Building 7. Body: A Gallery of Scratch-Built Cars 8. Body: Fabricating the Skeleton 9. Body: Applying the Skin 10. Body: Pickup Bed 11. Body: Fenders and Running Boards 12. Mechanicals 13. Interior Fittings 14. Body Preparation and Painting 15. Upholstery: Seats 16. Upholstery: Interior Panels 17. Upholstery: Consoles, Carpets and Trims 18. Engine 19. Finishing Touches and the Completed Car About the Author

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Chapter 6: Body - An Introduction to Scratch Building

A short history of scratch building

Scratch building has a long and storied history. Our earliest historical references date back to about 1450, when Hungarian craftsmen began building horse-drawn carriages and coaches for the aristocracy and wealthy land owners (Photo 6-1). In those very early years, the craft was known as the "carriage trade". By the 1600's, carriage making had spread far and wide, becoming more affordable to the masses, and over time, the process became known as coachbuilding (Photo 6-2). Coachbuilding was an honored and profitable business. So profitable, in fact, that in 1637, King Charles I of England Photo 6-1 Rendering of a imposed the first known tax on the coachbuilding industry. Source horse-drawn carriage. Photo Photo 6-2 Illustration attribution: Florida Center depicting a German for Instructional coach/wagon fabrication Technology Source shop. Photo attribution: Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division Washington, D.C. 20540 USA Source By the 1770's, coachbuilding had come to North America. The "Beekman Carriage" shown in Photo 6-3 was owned by wealthy merchant James Beekman, and the carriage was reportedly used to transport George Washington. Early coach construction consisted primarily of fabricating a wooden substructure or skeleton, and then attaching some sort of weather-resistant fabric or material, to "skin" over the skeleton and protect the passengers from the elements. Photo 6-4 is a blueprint of an early coach in which you can make out the wooden framework or skeleton for the body. Photo 6-3 The Beekman coach, used in America in Photo 6-4 Blueprint of early 1770's. Photo attribution: coach showing wood N.Y. Historical Society framework detail. Photo Source attribution: Library of Congress Rare Books and

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Special Collections, Washington, D.C. 20540 USA Source By 1900, horse-drawn coaches had become quite common; there were 400,000 of them in England alone. Business was booming for coachbuilders, and almost every town of any size had at least one resident coachbuilder. Source Examples of coaches from this era include:

An English coach parked at Mount Vernon, VA. (Photo 6-5)

Photo 6-5 Carriage at Photo 6-6 Carriage of Mount Vernon. Photo The carriage of Kathrine Wright, sister of Orville and Wilbur Wright, in front of the Katherine Wright. Photo attribution: Library of Wright home. (Photo 6-6) attribution: Library of Congress Prints and Congress Prints and Photographs Division Photographs Division Washington, D.C. 20540 Washington, D.C. 20540 USA Source USA Source A wide variety of coaches and carriages on New York's 5th Avenue and 42nd Street. (Photo 6-7)

A Landau-type coach parked in the stable area of the White House. (Photo 6-8)

Photo 6-7 Variety of Photo 6-8 A carriage parked carriages on New York at the White House stables. street. Photo attribution: Photo attribution: Library of Library of Congress Prints Congress Prints and and Photographs Division Photographs Division Washington, D.C. 20540 Washington, D.C. 20540 USA Source USA Source

With the invention of the automobile at the turn of the century, coachbuilders found a whole new outlet for their skills. Prior to the creation of assembly line production by Henry Ford, it was not unusual for automobiles to be purchased as two separate units. The buyer would obtain a rolling

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chassis, including engine, gearbox, differential, axles, wheels, suspension, steering system and the radiator, from a chassis manufacturer. Then, the chassis would be taken to a coachbuilder, and there a body would be built to the customer's specifications. Designs for these bodies ranged from less-expensive traditional models to more exotic models that were custom-designed for buyers. Source

Many of these early automobile coachbuilders trace their roots directly to the carriage industry. John B. McFarlan, for example, became an Ohio blacksmith's apprentice in 1840 at the age of 18. He then went to work as a carriage blacksmith and eventually moved to Connersville, IN in 1856 where he organized the McFarlan Carriage company, which produced a variety of horse-drawn carriages and coaches (Photo 6-9). McFarlan died in 1909, but under his grandson Harry's direction, the company completed its transition to the production of automobiles and automobile coaches that same year. Source: Historic American Engineering Record, U.S. Dept. Of InteriorFurther Source The McFarlan company produced luxury automobiles under its own name, as well as Photo 6-10 McFarlan built Photo 6-9 The McFarlan building coach bodies for well-known names such as Duesenberg, Auburn and race cars for three Indy 500 Carriage factory, later to Auburn/Cord. The McFarlan Roadster can be seen here. The company also created a races, crashing in 1912. become an automobile racing version of their car, and entered the Indianapolis 500 from 1910-1912, wrecking Source manufacturer. Photo their car in that final year, as shown in Photo 6-10. The McFarlan company was hard hit attribution: Library of by the depression and the factory was sold to Auburn in 1929. Congress Prints and Photographs Division, HAER IND,21-CONVI,8, Washington, D.C. 20540 USA Source Early automobile coaches were almost indistinguishable from their horse-drawn counterparts. Photo 6-11 is an early Mercedes Benz automobile carriage. For many years automobile bodies were built using the exact same technique used for the horse-drawn carriages: a wood or metal skeleton covered with a skin made of wood, fabric or metal to keep out the elements, and in some cases, to give the coach a unique appearance (Photo 6-12).

Even after the manufacturing revolution created Ford's assembly line and the widespread availability of the low-cost but somewhat boxy Model T, the more wealthy in both the U.S. and throughout Europe continued to utilize the traditional method of car ownership, Photo 6-12 Even into the Photo 6-11 Early Mercedes- 1930's bodies were Benz automobile body buying the rolling chassis from one maker and then having a custom body built by a coachbuilder. In fact, the tradition remained so prevalent that the Model T and even constructed on a skeleton of closely resembled those wood or metal. Photo built for horse-drawn Ford's Model A continued to be offered to the public with the option of just purchasing the rolling chassis. attribution: The Carrosserie carriages. Photo attribution: Co. Ltd.Source Mercedes-Benz-

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Blog/Adrian-Liviu Dorofte Source

However, it was in Europe where the coachbuilding tradition held out the longest. In spite of the economic advantages of an assembly line model with a mass-manufactured body already attached, European coachbuilders continued, even after WWII, to produce their bodies one at a time, using the age-old method of hammering out metal panels over stumps, sand bags and wooden bucks. In addition, they continued to use the skeleton and skin construction techniques, replacing wood as the predominant skeleton material with thin-wall metal tubing or small diameter steel rod. In almost all cases, the skin was now metal rather than wood or fabric. Source Even Model T and Model A bodies, which were stamped out and assembled in a uniform fashion, still retained a basic skeleton and skin configuration, having either a wooden or metal substructure that held the stamped steel parts rigidly in place.

From 1920 to 1950, the U.S. automobile industry methodically moved from skeleton and skin bodies to the monocoque or unibody type of construction, and then to the modern- day welded unit body. However, a few authentic coachmakers continued their tradition, and a few remain even to this day, including Crailville Ltd. which meticulously crafts their skeleton frames from ash to make the Bugatti and Alpine Eagle Silver Ghost being constructed in Photos 6-13 and 6-14. Photo 6-14 Another Photo 6-13 Crailville Ltd Crailville classic body. still creates classic bodies Photo attribution: Crailville from scratch. This is a Ltd. Source Bugatti formed with a wood skeleton. Photo attribution: Crailville Ltd. Source

Modern-day coachbuilding methods

There are seven basic methods that modern-day builders can use for constructing an automobile body.

1. Fiberglass molding - 3 step process 2. Fiberglass molding - 2 step process 3. Fiberglass sandwiching 4. Freestanding component panels 5. "Heavy metal" 6. "Frankenstein fabrication" 7. Skeleton and skin

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Fiberglass molding - 3 step process

Most fiberglass bodies are built using a three-step process.

1. The builder constructs what is commonly referred to as a "mock-up"," plug" or "male mold". This is an exact representation of the body or object to be made. Builders can also use an actual, pre-existing body or part as their "plug".

2. The builder creates a "female-mold" by casting fiberglass cloth and resin over the outer surface of the plug.

3. The builder removes the plug from the female mold and then creates the final body or component by casting fiberglass cloth and resin over the inner surface of the female mold. When the female mold is removed, the component will be a smooth and nearly-finished replica of the plug.

This is just a very quick synopsis of the process. In actual practice, each of these steps must be done with great care and preparation. Check these sites and videos for details on fiberglass body fabrication.

Video tutorial 1 Video tutorial 2 Video tutorial 3 Tutorial 1 Tutorial 2

Photos 6-15 to 6-17 show a hot rod body built by Randy at Randy's Street Rods in Southern Louisiana, using the traditional three-step fabrication process. Randy works principally in his backyard shop, using tools that can be found in virtually any hot rodder's garage. He provides an easy-to- follow tutorial on fiberglass part making beginning here.

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Photo 6-15 Example of a Photo 6-16 Photo Photo 6-17 Photo fiberglass hot rod body built attribution attribution using the 3-step method. Photo attribution

Fiberglass molding - 2 step process

A variation on the fiberglass mold process described above is what I call the "Big Daddy" method. This method was used in the construction of some, but not all, of Ed "Big Daddy" Roth's iconic hot rod bodies made in the 1960's and 1970's (Photo 6-18).

Basically, this method skips step 2 of the process outlined above. No female mold is cast. Instead, the final shell of the car is cast in fiberglass directly over the plug. After the resin hardens, the plug is removed from the back side. The outer "finished" surface will still be quite rough and must be straightened and smoothed using body filler and Photo 6-18 Ed Roth's block sanding. Beatnik Bandit was built by Photo 6-19 Example of laying up fiberglass over a Roth came up with the unique concept of using plaster of Paris to make his plugs. After body fabricated with two- plaster of Paris plug. Photo the fiberglass shell hardened, the plaster was beaten with hammers and mallets to step fiberglass process. attribution: Aresauburn's remove it from the inside of the shell. Builders, such as Robert Q. Riley Enterprises, Photo attribution: (TM) PhotostreamCreative who employ this technique today often use lightweight foam to create their plugs as Dwstucke's Photostream Commons Attribution- described here. In some cases the foam is removed and in other cases the foam is left in Creative Commons Share Alike place and "sandwiched" between inside and outside layers of fiberglass. The body shown Attribution 2.0 Generic in photo 6-19 was made using the two-step process leaving the foam plug in place.

Fiberglass sandwiching

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Yet another technique employing fiberglass is the sandwich or "core" method. The builder first constructs the body using lightweight materials such as wood, wood veneer, cardboard, aluminum, sheet metal, plastics or foam to create the general shape of the car. Then, fiberglass is cast over the inside and the outside of that structure, forming a "sandwich" with the lightweight panels acting as an armature or core. This core remains as a part of the body, although it is typically not considered a structural element. Once cured, the outer surface of the fiberglass will be quite rough, and must then be coated with body filler and sanded smooth.

Photo 6-20 Example of The rather homely body shown in photo 6-20 was created by the author using the body built using the sandwich method in the early 1990's. This was my very first foray into scratch building fiberglass "sandwich" and clearly left a lot to be desired from a design perspective. Nevertheless, it served method. Photo attribution quite well as a learning tool. The car was sold before completion, and I have my doubts it ever saw actual road travel.

Photo 6-20a shows another body designed by Robert Q. Riley Enterprises, created with a Photo 6-20a Robert Q. thin foam core encapsulated inside and out with a fiberglass shell. Riley Enterprises body built using a foam and fiberglass sandwich. Photo attribution: Robert Q. Riley Enterprises. All rights reserved. Use only with prior written permission.

Freestanding component panels

This is one of the more difficult methods of body fabrication, and is often reserved for the highly-skilled metal craftsman. Typically, the builder begins with an existing body which he/she then replicates. This is done by drawing an imaginary grid over the outside or the inside of the body, and then forming a myriad of individual panels from thin aluminum or sheet metal to mimic the shape within each section of that grid. The individual panels are welded together and then smoothed to create large sections of the body.

This grid is often not just imaginary. Many builders first build a wire form "buck" on which the individual metal panels can be shaped and formed. The wire form is created by a grid pattern of 1/4" steel rod, which is shaped to the inside surface of the existing body. The grid is tack welded together and then removed.

Master builder Randy Ferguson provides an excellent and detailed tutorial for this process on his website. The photos here simply preview that process. Photo 6-21 shows

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the Willys roof Ferguson will use as his original and Photo 6-22 shows the underside of Photo 6-22 Wire mesh buck Photo 6-21 The Willys roof the roof with the wire form buck being made. fabricated inside roof. used as a model. Photo Photo attribution: Randy attribution: Randy Ferguson "It is very important to study the panel well before starting to design the buck," notes Ferguson - All Rights - All Rights Reserved Ferguson. "Most panels will not allow for the buck to be made in a single piece. They Reserved Source Source need to be of a modular design in order to get them removed from the original part as well as each new panel that is made using the buck."

In addition Randy suggests that "wherever possible, it's a good plan to use steel along the edges of the buck, especially in areas where flanges will be turned directly on the buck. This will allow the buck to be used many times without needing to be repaired." Once the wire form is welded together the form is removed and the inside surface of the original panel is coated with a "release agent". Ferguson recommends S.C. Johnson Paste Wax. The wire form is placed back in the panel and body filler, such as Bondo, is applied around the 1/4" rods and allowed to cure. In areas where the buck may be used as a hammerform, Ferguson notes that fiberglass reinforced body filler is preferred, as it is far more durable than regular body fillers. When the wire form is removed, the Bondo Photo 6-23 Sheet metal is will provide an exact match to the inside surface of the roof. formed to fit over the buck. With the "buck" completed, Ferguson then begins to form metal sections of the roof Photo 6-24 Multiple sheet Photo attribution: Randy using the traditional metalshaping techniques of hammer and bag, hammer and stump, metal sections are welded Ferguson - All Rights English wheel and planishing hammer. The wire form buck is used to ensure the panel is together. Photo attribution: Reserved Source in the exact correct shape (Photo 6-23). Randy Ferguson - All Rights Reserved Source The various panels are then welded together (Photo 6-24) and ground or hammer welded smooth.

The nearly completed roof is shown in Photo 6-25.

The same process is used by Ferguson for all the other sections of the car. The fender fabrication process is shown in Photos 6-26 through 6-28.

Photo 6-25 Welds are ground smooth as the roof Photo 6-26 A Willys fender nears completion. Photo buck created by Randy attribution: Randy Ferguson Ferguson. Photo attribution: Randy Ferguson - All

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- All Rights Reserved Rights Reserved Source Source Instead of welding, the freestanding panels created using this method can also be bolted together by adding flanges to the edge of adjoining panels. This is typically used for making removable fenders, hoods, trunks or other parts of the car. Depending on their size and shape, panels will sometimes be reinforced with beads, which are pressed into the panels with special rolling machines to give the panel strength and rigidity. This is often seen in the construction of floor panels.

With the exception of the chassis and supporting material at key locations, there is no Photo 6-27 Sections of skeleton or framework under the panels. Instead, each panel can be considered Photo 6-28 The fender sheet metal are formed to fit freestanding; they derive their overall strength by being bolted or welded to one another being test-fit with other the fender buck. Photo and to the chassis or frame. sections of the body. Photo attribution: Randy Ferguson attribution: Randy Ferguson - All Rights Reserved For building custom bodies, Ferguson creates a freeform buck such as the one shown in - All Rights Reserved Source Photo 6-29. Source

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Photo 6-29 Freeform wire buck for a sports car design. Photo attribution: Randy Ferguson - All Rights Reserved Source

"Heavy Metal"

No, this method has nothing to do with loud and raucous music. I call this method "Heavy Metal" because, typically, it does not use a skeleton or framework on which to build. And instead of using thin, freestanding sheet metal sections which often require special machinery and techniques to give the body strength and rigidity, the panels or body sections of a "Heavy Metal" car are made of thicker-gauge steel, which is inherently stronger and more rigid than sheet metal. This also reduces the need for a complete skeleton.

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The drawback is that the heavier steel is more difficult to form into compound curves and corners. On the flip side, heavy skin bodies usually allow for much quicker construction times than a body made using freestanding sheet metal panels. We will be looking at this method in greater detail in the Gallery section which follows, but, for now, here are a couple of examples of Heavy Metal body fabrication.

The first is this pickup built by Randy at Randy's Street Rods. This car was completed within an incredible 100 hour timeframe (Photo 6-30). Photo 6-31 "Heavy Metal" woody built by Iron Man Photo 6-30 "Heavy Metal" The second is a "woody" built by Randy's friend from Southern Louisiana, Iron Man Joe Joe. Photo attribution pickup body built by (Photo 6-31). Randy's Street Rods. Photo attribution

Frankenstein fabrication

Just as Dr. Frankenstein built his creation out of a wide assortment of human body parts, the Frankenstein fabricator uses a wide assortment of existing body parts to create something entirely new and different. Instead of shaping a flat section of sheet metal into curves and corners using an English wheel or hammer and beater bag, the Frankenstein builder heads to the boneyard to find that exact same curve on some existing junker.

Frankenstein builders become experts at spotting usable curves, corners, angles and flat section on all sorts of old vehicles, from buses to vans to motorcycles. These sections are then cut, trimmed and welded until they blend together into a smooth-flowing body of the builder's own design.

Photo 6-32 Rob Berry's '34 Australia's Rob (Chuck) Berry built his incredible '34 Ford replica primarily from cutting the various curves and body was fabricated from forms he needed from an abandoned bus (Photo 6-32). sheet metal cut and spliced from a bus. Photo attribution

Skeleton and skin

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This is a very traditional method of building coaches described above and dating back to the construction of horse-drawn carriages. The basic shape of the body is fabricated with a framework of wood, metal or other material. A weather-resistant skin is then shaped to fit over and attach to the framework. Photo 6-33 and 6-34 offer a preview of the amazing work done by Shin Yoshikawa as he builds very modern, sports car type bodies. You can see the lightweight skeleton as well as the aluminum skin work in these photos. Visit Shin's website to see the entire process he uses in much greater detail.

Photo 6-33 Shin Photo 6-34 Aluminum sheet Yoshikawa's skeleton work metal skin is applied over on a Toyota 2000 replica skeleton work at Shin body. Photo attribution: Yoshikawa's shop. Photo Shin Yoshikawa All rights attribution: Shin Yoshikawa reserved Source All rights reserved Source

Combination methods

Needless to say, none of these fabrication methods is mutually exclusive. Builders will often combine the various methods into one car, perhaps forming the body using skeleton-and-skin and then forming other components, like fenders, using freestanding panels, and yet other parts will be cast with fiberglass. Also, Heavy Metal cars will often utilize a bit of reinforcing framework here and there, as will fiberglass shell cars. These methods are identified here not to imply that you need to choose just one, but rather to provide you with the range of options you can incorporate into the fabrication of your own car.

Contribute your comments or questions here.

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Chapters

Introduction 1. Design, Donor and Tools of the Trade 2. Frame Fabrication 3. Chassis: Front Suspension 4. Chassis: Motor and Transmission Mounting 5. Chassis: Rear Suspension 6. Body: An Introduction to Scratch Building 7. Body: A Gallery of Scratch-Built Cars 8. Body: Fabricating the Skeleton 9. Body: Applying the Skin 10. Body: Pickup Bed 11. Body: Fenders and Running Boards 12. Mechanicals 13. Interior Fittings 14. Body Preparation and Painting 15. Upholstery: Seats 16. Upholstery: Interior Panels 17. Upholstery: Consoles, Carpets and Trims 18. Engine 19. Finishing Touches and the Completed Car About the Author

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Chapter 7: Body - A Gallery of Scratch-Built Cars

In keeping with the rest of this book, the cars shown in this gallery are all owner-built, shadetree hot rods fabricated by hobbyists in their own garages or backyard shops. The purpose here is not to show what can be created by high-end rod shops with open-ended checkbooks; you can find plenty of those cars in almost any glossy magazine. Rather, this gallery demonstrates what can be done, and has been done, by ordinary weekend hot rodders using an assortment of common tools and easily replicated techniques.

The focus has purposely been kept on cars that are within the skill set of most typical hot rodders reading this book. As a result, you won't find Ridler Award Winners or elegant cover cars in this gallery. What you will find here are true American hot rods built with the ingenuity and persistence found throughout this sport.

Since hot rods first appeared on the scene after WWII, observers and rodders have held widely divergent opinions of each custom car, based on their own personal tastes. That is the beauty of the sport: there are no rules. Each hot rodder has his own dream and his own vision, which is personified in the cars he builds.

Not all of the cars shown below may appeal to you, and they may not represent the dream you have in your own head. What each of these cars will provide is a wealth of practical ideas, novel techniques and cost-cutting inspiration. They are presented here with one thought in mind: to encourage you to take that idea you have in your own head and turn it into a reality. If you don't like a car pictured here, the great joy is that you can pick up a hammer and dolly and make something you do find appealing. Hopefully the stories and pictures in this gallery will help get those creative juices flowing.

Iron Man Joe

Iron Man Joe is from Southern Louisiana, and is quite literally a shadetree builder. In fact, he sometimes can't even find a tree big enough to build under. Joe does almost all of his frame construction and body fabrication outside in his yard. He has no fancy metalworking machinery and relies almost entirely on his "buzz box" for welding. When the rains do come, he erects a temporary shelter of poles and canvas to keep things dry.

Joe sometimes begins his creations with an existing frame or chassis, while at other times, he builds his frames from scratch. Although Joe has by now lost exact count, friends say he has has fabricated somewhere between 30 and 40 cars from scratch.

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What Joe lacks in tools and facilities he more than makes up for with ingenuity and a willingness to try almost anything. He builds most of his bodies with heavier-gauge metals without a lot of subframing necessary to support the body panels. Build times for his cars vary, but usually he has them finished within a few weeks, or at most, a few months.

Follow along with these build sequence highlights from a couple of Iron Man Joe's projects, as well as a small gallery at the end showing a few of his creations.

Coupe on hand-built frame:

Photo 7-1 Builder: Iron Photo 7-2 Builder: Iron Photo 7-3 Builder: Iron Man Joe. Photo attribution Man Joe. Photo attribution Man Joe. Photo attribution Pickup on hand-built frame:

Photo 7-4 Builder: Iron Photo 7-5 Builder: Iron Photo 7-6 Builder: Iron Man Joe. Photo attribution Man Joe. Photo attribution Man Joe. Photo attribution

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Photo 7-7 Builder: Iron Photo 7-8 Builder: Iron Photo 7-9 Builder: Iron Man Joe. Photo attribution Man Joe. Photo attribution Man Joe. Photo attribution

Panel delivery on hand-built frame:

Photo 7-10 Builder: Iron Photo 7-11 Builder: Iron Photo 7-12 Builder: Iron Man Joe. Photo attribution Man Joe. Photo attribution Man Joe. Photo attribution

Photo 7-13 Builder: Iron Photo 7-14 Builder: Iron Photo 7-15 Builder: Iron Man Joe. Photo attribution Man Joe. Photo attribution Man Joe. Photo attribution

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Photo 7-16 Builder: Iron Photo 7-17 Builder: Iron Photo 7-18 Builder: Iron Man Joe. Photo attribution Man Joe. Photo attribution Man Joe. Photo attribution

Extended Tub:

Photo 7-20 Builder: Iron Photo 7-19 Builder: Iron Man Joe. Photo attribution Photo 7-21 Builder: Iron Man Joe. Photo attribution Man Joe. Photo attribution

Radical Pickup:

Photo 7-22 Builder: Iron Photo 7-23 Builder: Iron Photo 7-24 Builder: Iron

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Man Joe. Photo attribution Man Joe. Photo attribution Man Joe. Photo attribution

Photo 7-25 Builder: Iron Photo 7-26 Builder: Iron Photo 7-27 Builder: Iron Man Joe. Photo attribution Man Joe. Photo attribution Man Joe. Photo attribution

Photo 7-28 Builder: Iron Photo 7-29 Builder: Iron Photo 7-30 Builder: Iron Man Joe. Photo attribution Man Joe. Photo attribution Man Joe. Photo attribution

Other Cars by Iron Man Joe:

Photo 7-33 Builder: Iron Photo 7-31 Builder: Iron Photo 7-32 Builder: Iron Man Joe. Photo attribution Man Joe. Photo attribution Man Joe. Photo attribution

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Photo 7-34 Builder: Iron Photo 7-35 Builder: Iron Photo 7-36 Builder: Iron Man Joe. Photo attribution Man Joe. Photo attribution Man Joe. Photo attribution

Rob "Certain T"

Rob is from Adelaide, Australia and goes by the moniker "Certain T", for good reason. He has scratch built an amazing clone of Steve Scott's "Uncertain T", a wild rod originally built in the 1960's and adored by hundreds of young rodders who bought and built the Monogram scale model kit of the car. Rob was inspired to build the car by a picture which hung for years on his workshop wall.

The clone was built using a skeleton and skin technique. As shown in the photos, thin-wall square tubing was used for the body framework, and then Rob used what he calls a "stretch material" attached to the framework. This material is similar to that used by lightweight canoe and boat builders, and also hobbyists who construct fabric-skinned airplanes. Once in place, this stretch material is saturated with resin and then cured. Regular fiberglass mat and resin is then added to the back side of this smooth skin to provide additional strength.

Rob also built the chassis and suspension, and notes that the only parts of the car NOT handmade are the motor, transmission, differential, front end and wheels.

We begin Rob's gallery with a picture of his inspiration, the Monogram box cover for the "Uncertain T", and then provide a few build pictures along with shots of the final product.

Photo 7-37 The Inspiration for Rob's scratch built car: Photo 7-38 Builder: Rob Photo 7-39 Builder: Rob

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the Monogram Kit box "Certain T". Photo "Certain T". Photo cover. Photo attribution - attribution attribution Dave's Show Rod Rally Source

Photo 7-41 Builder: Rob Photo 7-40 Builder: Rob "Certain T". Photo "Certain T". Photo attribution Photo 7-42 Builder: Rob attribution "Certain T". Photo attribution

Photo 7-43 Builder: Rob Photo 7-44 Builder: Rob Photo 7-45 Builder: Rob "Certain T". Photo "Certain T". Photo "Certain T". Photo attribution attribution attribution

Rob (Chuck) Berry

Rob Berry is another scratch builder from Australia. After retiring from his teaching job at a technical school for mechanics in the Queensland area, Rob Berry set out to prove his hot rodding buddies wrong. They told him it would be impossible to build his dream: a '34 Ford from scratch.

"Tex Smith says, 'You can do absolutely anything with a hammer and dolly...and there are body parts from newer cars that you can adapt as hot rod parts'", noted Berry. "Well, I took Tex quite literally."

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With vintage cars extremely difficult to find in his country, Berry set out to create the body style of his dreams by salvaging the curves, corners, shapes and panels he needed from late-model automobiles with similar lines and shapes. "I have for a long time believed there are suitable panels out there that are very close to vintage lines," Berry went on. "I first went to a car show and politely asked an owner if I could use his (unfinished) '34 as a template and he was happy to oblige," says Berry. "I cut out cardboard templates of what I viewed as critical lines and took about 500 measurements using dressmaker's tape."

With his templates and measurements in hand, Berry headed for the junk yard. "Not having an English wheel, I started to search for a car with the same curve(s) as a '34." Berry said. "I found [the shapes I needed] in a Toyota Hi-Ace 12 Passenger Bus."

Berry proceeded to cut the panels he needed off the bus and then headed back home where he retrieved a photo of Jamie Musselman's beautiful '33 roadster built by Boyd Coddington. Rob traced the side profile of Musselman's car onto a transparency, and, with an overhead projector, he focused the image outline on a flat wall.

To get the size and scale of the drawing right, Berry used a 15" wheel and tire leaned against the wall where his image was projected. He then moved the projector forward and backward until the car was in relative proportion to the wheel. With the image correctly eyeballed to size, Berry drew the outline of the car onto the wall, and, from that outline, fashioned a buck with plywood and tubing. "To my amazement," says Berry, "the panels fit onto the buck pretty well." After some cutting and trimming of the various pieces, he clamped them to the buck and began the long, slow process of welding them together just a bit at a time to reduce heat build up and minimize warping of the panels.

"I guess I really just wanted to prove that I could do something different and still end up with a recognizable rod," said Berry. "I was told by so- called experts that it could not be done. So that just made me more eager to try."

To make the moldings around the bottom of the body, Berry fabricated his own bead roller from scrap steel. And to make the reveal around the rear wheel well, Berry bent 1" thin-wall tubing to the shape he wanted, and then he drove over it to flatten it into an oval. The bead was then welded to the sheet metal and filled and smoothed. For fenders, Berry determined that it would be cheaper to buy fiberglass aftermarket fenders than to fashion them himself.

Like Dr. Frankenstein meshing together an assortment of body parts to create his dream, Rob (Chuck) Berry did the same to create his long-desired '34 Ford. Here are some photos he took along the way.

Photo 7-46 Builder: Rob "Chuck" Berry. Photo

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attribution Photo 7-47 Builder: Rob Photo 7-48 Builder: Rob "Chuck" Berry. Photo "Chuck" Berry. Photo attribution attribution

Photo 7-50 Builder: Rob Photo 7-49 Builder: Rob "Chuck" Berry. Photo "Chuck" Berry. Photo attribution attribution

Photo 7-51 Builder: Rob "Chuck" Berry. Photo attribution

Photo 7-52 Builder: Rob Photo 7-53 Builder: Rob Photo 7-54 Builder: Rob "Chuck" Berry. Photo "Chuck" Berry. Photo "Chuck" Berry. Photo attribution attribution attribution

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Photo 7-55 Builder: Rob Photo 7-56 Builder: Rob Photo 7-57 Builder: Rob "Chuck" Berry. Photo "Chuck" Berry. Photo "Chuck" Berry. Photo attribution attribution attribution

Photo 7-58 Builder: Rob Photo 7-59 Builder: Rob Photo 7-60 Builder: Rob "Chuck" Berry. Photo "Chuck" Berry. Photo "Chuck" Berry. Photo attribution attribution attribution

Photo 7-61 Builder: Rob "Chuck" Berry. Photo Photo 7-62 Builder: Rob Photo 7-63 Builder: Rob attribution "Chuck" Berry. Photo "Chuck" Berry. Photo attribution attribution

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Photo 7-64 Builder: Rob Photo 7-65 Builder: Rob Photo 7-66 Builder: Rob "Chuck" Berry. Photo "Chuck" Berry. Photo "Chuck" Berry. Photo attribution attribution attribution

Randy's Street Rods

Randy, of Randy's Street Rods in southern Louisiana, seems to have tried and mastered nearly every method there is for scratch building hot rod bodies. He built the yellow roadster body shown in the previous chapter (Photos 6-16 to 6-17) using the 3-step fiberglassing technique, he is currently building a body using the skeleton and skin technique, and as shown in the following pictures, he is a master at building in the "heavy metal" style.

"I have always said: the only thing that holds you back from doing something in life is yourself," says Randy about his success constructing scratch built hot rods. "I'm living my dream to the fullest. And I look at myself as your everyday kind of guy, just doing what I love to do. I believe that all things are possible. If you set your mind to it, you can do it. Building your own car is just a lot of homework," notes Randy. "It's not as difficult as some might think. Make your plan, then work your plan."

"I hand-build everything on my cars," Randy continues. "The frame (on the car shown below) is made of 2x4 tubing. The floor is 14-gauge steel and the car's shell is 12-gauge steel. I didn't try to get too fancy with this build. I just wanted to build a nice and safe rat rod while keeping the cost down."

Randy builds his creations in a very modest backyard shop. "Like every rodder, I wish I had more room in my shop," Randy says. "I have a 32'x22' shop. Some day I hope to have a 40'x60'."

As far as high-end tools go, Randy notes that, "All the steel on this build was cut with a cutoff wheel on a grinder. I do have a roller to shape some of my metal pieces, but other than that about the only high-end tool I use is my welder."

"I'm just your everyday hot rod guy, having fun and living my dream to the fullest," says Randy. "I do hope that a lot more hot rodders start to scratch build their own bodies. We need more builders like the guys a lot of us remember from the past. Guys we looked up to for their ability to create great looking cars without breaking the bank."

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"I want to keep my cars easy to build," Randy points out. "Hopefully that will help motivate other rodders out there and show them that it's not that hard."

Follow along as these photos from Randy take you chronologically through the fabrication of his traditional pickup hot rod.

Photo 7-67 Builder: Photo 7-68 Builder: Photo 7-69 Builder: Randy's Street Rods. Photo Randy's Street Rods. Photo Randy's Street Rods. Photo attribution attribution attribution

Photo 7-70 Builder: Photo 7-71 Builder: Photo 7-72 Builder: Randy's Street Rods. Photo Randy's Street Rods. Photo Randy's Street Rods. Photo attribution attribution attribution

Photo 7-73 Builder: Photo 7-74 Builder: Photo 7-75 Builder:

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Randy's Street Rods. Photo Randy's Street Rods. Photo Randy's Street Rods. Photo attribution attribution attribution

Photo 7-76 Builder: Photo 7-77 Builder: Photo 7-78 Builder: Randy's Street Rods. Photo Randy's Street Rods. Photo Randy's Street Rods. Photo attribution attribution attribution

Photo 7-79 Builder: Photo 7-80 Builder: Photo 7-81 Builder: Randy's Street Rods. Photo Randy's Street Rods. Photo Randy's Street Rods. Photo attribution attribution attribution

Photo 7-82 Builder: Photo 7-83 Builder: Photo 7-84 Builder: Randy's Street Rods. Photo Randy's Street Rods. Photo Randy's Street Rods. Photo attribution attribution attribution

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Photo 7-85 Builder: Photo 7-86 Builder: Photo 7-87 Builder: Randy's Street Rods. Photo Randy's Street Rods. Photo Randy's Street Rods. Photo attribution attribution attribution

Photo 7-88 Builder: Photo 7-89 Builder: Photo 7-90 Builder: Randy's Street Rods. Photo Randy's Street Rods. Photo Randy's Street Rods. Photo attribution attribution attribution

Photo 7-91 Builder: Photo 7-92 Builder: Randy's Street Rods. Photo Randy's Street Rods. Photo attribution attribution Photo 7-93 Builder: Randy's Street Rods. Photo attribution

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Photo 7-94 Builder: Photo 7-95 Builder: Photo 7-96 Builder: Randy's Street Rods. Photo Randy's Street Rods. Photo Randy's Street Rods. Photo attribution attribution attribution

Photo 7-97 Builder: Photo 7-98 Builder: Photo 7-99 Builder: Randy's Street Rods. Photo Randy's Street Rods. Photo Randy's Street Rods. Photo attribution attribution attribution

Photo 7-100 Builder: Photo 7-101 Builder: Photo 7-102 Builder: Randy's Street Rods. Photo Randy's Street Rods. Photo Randy's Street Rods. Photo attribution attribution attribution

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Dewey Lindstrom

Dewey Lindstrom lives in northern Wisconsin and has been hot rodding since 1958 when he first customized his Jawa 125 at the age of 13. After building everything from T-buckets to a full race C/A drag machine, Lindstrom was bitten by the scratch building bug in 1992.

"As I got older what really appealed to me more and more was the traditional rods based on 20's or 30's-era body styles," says Lindstrom. "But decent metal bodies were just getting too expensive and difficult to find. And fiberglass bodies seemed pretty steep for the amount of work you had to put into them once you got them home."

"The other thing that stuck in my craw was that young people were being driven away from hot rodding because of the extremely high cost of getting involved," Lindstrom went on. "So I got this idea in my head that somehow hot rodders ought to be able to build their bodies from scratch, and do it in their backyards with a minimum of tools and expensive equipment."

Lindstrom's first attempt at scratch building was done in his basement (his garage was not heated) where he fabricated a '32 sedan body out of plywood, with the intention of covering the wood with fiberglass. The major problem was that he couldn't get the car out the basement door without sawing it in half down the center. So, the body was taken apart before glassing and the project was abandoned.

The following year, however, he set out to build a smaller body and to do it out in his shop. This body was built using the fiberglass "sandwich" method. The basic shape of the car was created using a lightweight wood framework covered with a combination of aluminum roof flashing and wood veneer. This "core" was then covered with fiberglass and resin on both the inside and outside. Fenders were made by shaping and welding 3/8" fence post rods, and then wrapping aluminum roof flashing over the rod. The flashing was then covered with fiberglass. (See photo 6-20 in prior chapter.)

The car was a disaster in terms of looks, but was an effective learning experience for the builder. After a couple of years' hiatus from hot rodding (so he and his wife could move to the west coast where she finished graduate school) Lindstrom returned to northern Wisconsin in 2004, where he set out to build his first all-steel street rod body.

"I wanted to prove to myself once and for all that a safe, fun and eye-appealing hot rod could be built on what a high school kid might make working at McDonald's," Lindstrom recalls. "I had a target budget of $3,500 for that car (the roadster shown below). Unfortunately, I ended up going about $1,000 overboard. But, I think the point was still made. With a minimum of metalworking skills and virtually no specialty or high-end tools, I was able to get the roadster completed and on the road. "

"I can't say this often enough," Lindstrom concludes. "If I can do this, any hot rodder reading these pages can do this. I had no metalworking skills, training, or experience going into this project and no high-end tools to speak of other than my welder and a chop saw. Mostly it just takes time and tenacity. If you are willing to devote yourself to the project, you can create almost any dream you have in your head."

Here, in chronological order, you can follow the fabrication of Lindstrom's replica 1931 Ford roadster.

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Photo 7-103 Builder: Photo 7-104 Builder: Photo 7-105 Builder: Dewey Lindstrom. Photo Dewey Lindstrom. Photo Dewey Lindstrom. Photo attribution attribution attribution

Photo 7-106 Builder: Photo 7-107 Builder: Photo 7-108 Builder: Dewey Lindstrom. Photo Dewey Lindstrom. Photo Dewey Lindstrom. Photo attribution attribution attribution

Photo 7-109 Builder: Photo 7-110 Builder: Photo 7-111 Builder: Dewey Lindstrom. Photo Dewey Lindstrom. Photo Dewey Lindstrom. Photo attribution attribution attribution

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Photo 7-112 Builder: Photo 7-113 Builder: Photo 7-114 Builder: Dewey Lindstrom. Photo Dewey Lindstrom. Photo Dewey Lindstrom. Photo attribution attribution attribution

Photo 7-115 Builder: Photo 7-116 Builder: Photo 7-117 Builder: Dewey Lindstrom. Photo Dewey Lindstrom. Photo Dewey Lindstrom. Photo attribution attribution attribution

Photo 7-118 Builder: Photo 7-119 Builder: Photo 7-120 Builder: Dewey Lindstrom. Photo Dewey Lindstrom. Photo Dewey Lindstrom. Photo attribution attribution attribution

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Photo 7-121 Builder: Photo 7-122 Builder: Photo 7-123 Builder: Dewey Lindstrom. Photo Dewey Lindstrom. Photo Dewey Lindstrom. Photo attribution attribution attribution

Photo 7-126 Builder: Photo 7-124 Builder: Photo 7-125 Builder: Dewey Lindstrom. Photo Dewey Lindstrom. Photo Dewey Lindstrom. Photo attribution attribution attribution

Photo 7-127 Builder: Photo 7-128 Builder: Photo 7-129 Builder: Dewey Lindstrom. Photo Dewey Lindstrom. Photo Dewey Lindstrom. Photo attribution attribution attribution

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Photo 7-130 Builder: Photo 7-131 Builder: Dewey Lindstrom. Photo Dewey Lindstrom. Photo attribution attribution

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Chapters

Introduction 1. Design, Donor and Tools of the Trade 2. Frame Fabrication 3. Chassis: Front Suspension

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4. Chassis: Motor and Transmission Mounting 5. Chassis: Rear Suspension 6. Body: An Introduction to Scratch Building 7. Body: A Gallery of Scratch-Built Cars 8. Body: Fabricating the Skeleton 9. Body: Applying the Skin 10. Body: Pickup Bed 11. Body: Fenders and Running Boards 12. Mechanicals 13. Interior Fittings 14. Body Preparation and Painting 15. Upholstery: Seats 16. Upholstery: Interior Panels 17. Upholstery: Consoles, Carpets and Trims 18. Engine 19. Finishing Touches and the Completed Car About the Author

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Chapter 8: Body - Fabricating the Skeleton

Designing the skeleton

Like building a house, the coachbuilding process begins with a "blueprint". The blueprint will define the main structural elements of the body. It will form the basic shape of the body, and will provide the framework on which the sheet metal skin will be hung. As you may recall, in Chapter 1 (Design, Donor and Tools of the Trade) we developed a sketch of our proposed body drawn to scale (Photo 8-1). Using this sketch, each element of the skeleton can now be drawn in place. For this body, these elements will be either 1x1 or 1x2 rectangular tube. Where framing elements are directly adjacent to each other, such as the door and the door jamb, colored pencils are used to make the drawing easier to read (Photo 8-2). Photo 8-1 Original sketch Photo 8-2 Body sketch with of body to scale. Photo skeleton structural attribution components. Photo attribution To make this scale drawing life-size, an old trick many of you may have learned in grade school can be used. On a clean 4'x8' sheet of 5/8" particle board, I draw a grid pattern of lines at 2" intervals. If you look closely at Photo 8-3, you will be able to make out the grid lines drawn on the plywood. This pattern matches the grid pattern on the graph paper sketch. Next, carefully transfer whatever is drawn within each grid on the graph paper to the corresponding grid on the particle board. When finished, the sketch on graph paper will be drawn full-size on the particle board (Photo 8-4). This full-scale drawing can now be used to measure, cut and shape all of the framing elements for each side of the body. Photo 8-3 A 2"x2" grid Photo 8-4 The sketch is pattern is drawn on 4'x8' transferred from graph plywood sheet. Photo paper to full-size by attribution copying the lines in each grid square. Photo attribution

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Begin with the door jambs

It may seem an odd place to start, but the doors, jambs and door fitment are essential for a well-functioning and good-looking body. So I prefer building from the doors out, rather than vice versa. Door jambs are a bit more complex than they may first appear. The jamb incorporates the door hinges, the hinge pockets, the latch and the latch pin. In addition, the jambs must be constructed so that they can accommodate the type of door being used: a flush fit door, an overlapping door or a suicide door.

Designing hinges

A good set of doors begins with a good set of hinges. Fabricating your own hinges can be a real challenge, particularly if you want hidden hinges such as the ones anticipated for this car. Fortunately, a good deal of the mystery can be taken out of making hinges by creating this rather simple tool which I call the "Hinge Design Machine", or HDM for short.

The HDM is a way of viewing your door and hinge from the top looking straight down. Photo 8-5 shows the four main pieces of the HDM, which are cut from heavy paper stock. This particular HDM was made to create the doors on my roadster, which had overlapping doors (the outermost edge of the door overlapped the body sheet metal rather than the door being inset into the jamb and fitting flush with the exterior body sheet metal). However, the concept can easily be adapted for flush doors or suicide doors, like those which will be built for this sedan delivery project. This tool simply creates a paper mock-up of the door, so that you can see if it will operate properly.

The top piece, #1 in Photo 8-5, represents the front jamb. The hinge pocket area is shown in black stripes, and the exterior body line extending right (to the front of the car) is shown in red. The hinge pockets for this car will be made out of 2x3 rectangular tubing, so the 2" dimension is used to draw this piece to full scale.

The next piece down, #2, represents the door and the front door jamb. The door is on the left and is outlined with red stripes, while the hinge pocket is on the right outlined with brown stripes. The dark blue line between them represents a quarter-inch gap between the door and the jamb. Note that the hinge pocket on this piece fits directly over the hinge pocket shown in piece #1. Also note that the door length is not drawn to scale and does not need to be. However, the door's depth and the depth of the hinge pocket do need to be drawn to exact scale, which in this case is 2". This is important to ensure that your hinge design will work properly.

Photo 8-5 You can create The next piece below the door, #3 in Photo 8-5, is the hinge itself. The hinge will be Photo 8-6 The components your own "Hinge Design fabricated out of 1/4" by 1 1/2" flat stock steel and welded at a right angle as shown. A of the Hinge Design Machine" to design and test pivot sleeve will also be welded on the end as shown. These parts of the hinge must be Machine are assembled to hinges for any purpose. drawn to full scale. The pivot point of the hinge can theoretically be anywhere within the resemble your door. Photo Photo attribution hinge pocket area shown with brown stripes. attribution

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The piece at the very bottom of the photo, #4, represents the rear door jamb (in green) and the outside body line extending to the rear of the car (in red). Photo 8-6 shows the four pieces of the HDM assembled to represent how the door and hinge will actually operate in your car. Note that we can move the hinge and hinge pivot point anywhere in the brown striped area of the hinge pocket. By sticking a pin in the center of the pivot point of the hinge, as shown in Photo 8-7, we can "open" our imaginary door and determine if that particular hinge pivot location will allow the door to open and close without contact with the front or rear jamb, or come in contact with any other body sheet metal. We can also determine how far the door edge will swing away from the body, or if it might come in contact with any other parts of the body as shown in Photo 8-8. I have fabricated a number of door hinges, as well as trunk hinges, Photo 8-7 Using a pin at the Photo 8-8 The door and and I have found that creating one of these simple paper mock-ups is an almost pivot point, the hinge can hinge in the open position foolproof method of ensuring your hinges will work once you weld them up with real be tested to determine if the to test how the door will steel. It is a bit time-consuming, but it is much cheaper to make a design mistake with door will open and close swing. Photo attribution paper cutouts than it is to make that same mistake with steel. properly. Photo attribution

Fabricating the hinges and hinge pockets

Photo 8-9 shows the basic pieces for fabricating the hinge and the hinge pocket. The pocket itself is 2x3 tubing with a notch cut in it to allow hinge travel. Note that the hinge bolt shown here is only being used for fabrication. It is a 12 mm metric bolt which fits nice and tight inside the 5/8" pipe being used to make the hinge pivot cylinder. The long, 1 1/2" section of pipe will be welded to the hinge, while the two shorter sections of pipe will be welded to the hinge pocket. (Note: when the hinge pocket is assembled and welded to the rest of the door jamb, additional support pieces will be added to the pocket Photo 8-10 Assembling the to firmly hold the hinge pin.) The metric bolt is used here only to hold the pipe sections hinge pieces. Photo in accurate alignment for welding. Later, this bolt will be replaced by a 3/8" bolt with a Photo 8-9 Pieces used for attribution plastic bushing around it. These bushings would melt if used while the hinge was being making the hinge and hinge welded together - thus the need for the metric bolt. Photo 8-10 shows the pieces for the pocket. Photo attribution hinge being mocked up for welding.

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Photo 8-11 shows the hinge parts welded together. Photo 8-12 shows the hinge mounted in the pocket. Note how the two short pieces of pipe are welded to the pocket to secure the hinge in place.

Photo 8-11 The hinge pieces welded together. Photo 8-12 Hinge mounted Photo attribution in the hinge pocket. Photo attribution Photo 8-13 is another view of the hinge mounted in the pocket. Although we won't be installing them quite yet, Photo 8-14 shows the nylon bushing which will be used in the hinges later to prevent squeaking. PEX tube was used to make these bushings, since it makes for a nice tight fit between the 5/8" pipe and the 3/8" bolt which will be used as a hinge pin.

Photo 8-13 Another view of Photo 8-14 Nylon bushings the hinge mounted in the will be used around the pocket. Photo attribution hinge pin to prevent squeaking. Photo attribution When cutting flexible plastic tubing it can be difficult to create a clean, straight and accurate cut. Here's a method that works quite well. An appropriately-sized bolt is inserted into the tube (in this case a 3/8" bolt) and then a cutter designed for cutting copper pipe is used to make the cut (Photo 8-15). Doors on any car take an awful lot of abuse, and that is no less true for a scratch-built car. Therefore, as mentioned above, additional support is being built into the hinge pockets to strengthen the hinge mounts.

Photo 8-15 The bushings Photo 8-16 3/8" steel plates are cut from PEX tubing by are used to help support the inserting a bolt in the tubing hinge pin in the hinge and cutting with a plumber's pocket. Photo attribution cutting tool. Photo

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attribution A 3/16" plate made from 2" wide flat stock will be welded to the top and bottom of each hinge pocket, and a hole drilled in each plate to accommodate the hinge mounting pin. Photo 8-16 shows the eight support plates (two for each of 4 hinge pockets) that have been cut and drilled. The plates are assembled on the pockets (Photo 8-17) and then welded in place (Photo 8-18).

Photo 8-17 The support Photo 8-18 Support plates plates are clamped to the welded in place, showing hinge pocket for welding. the additional strength this Photo attribution will provide for the hinge pin. Photo attribution

Fabricating the rear door jamb

As you follow along, remember that suicide doors are being incorporated into this build. If using normal doors, the front and rear jamb building information would be reversed. Also keep in mind that these will be "flush" doors as opposed to "overlapping" doors. The accompanying illustration titled "Door Types" shows the differences in how these two types of doors fit with the jambs and the body sheet metal. In this chapter the terms "inset" or "recess" will refer to how the flush-mounted door fits into a "step" in the jamb and seals against this step rather than sealing to the exterior of the body as occurs with an "overlapping" door. Before beginning the jambs, sketches are created to ensure things Photo 8-19 Sketch of rear Door Types - Illustration of will go together properly. These drawings are made to life-size to aid with accuracy jamb configuration. Photo "recessed" and (Photo 8-19). attribution "overlapping" door design. Photo attribution Note that the door is designed to be flush with the car's exterior sheet metal when completed. The jambs therefore need to provide a recessed area for the door to fit into. This is done by overlapping and offsetting the 1x1 and 1x2 tubing which will be used to create the door jamb. Note also that a quarter-inch of space is maintained between the door and the jamb on all sides and that the lip at the edge of the door does not fit tight against the jamb. Rather, a quarter-inch of space is maintained here as well and will later Photo 8-20 Sketch showing be filled with 3/8" thick weatherstripping so that the door will seal tight against the window channel and rear jamb. Since these doors will have fully-operational window glass, a second sketch

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door jamb detail. Photo (Photo 8-20) was made to show how a slot for the glass would be incorporated into the attribution door, and to ensure that nothing would structurally interfere with the glass in either the Photo 8-21 Pieces for raised or lowered position. making the rear door jamb. Photo attribution Using these sketches along with the full-size drawing on my plywood sheet, the pieces of 1x2 tubing for the face of the rear door jamb and the piece of 1x1 tubing which will form the recessed pocket for the rear jamb are cut. Note that the 1x2 pieces are cut in short sections based on where the hinge pockets will be located. These location points are up to the builder and will vary depending on the overall car design. As a practical matter, the hinges should be spaced so that they distribute the weight of the door as uniformly as possible over the entire height of the door and jamb. Photo 8-21 shows the 1x2 jamb pieces laid out with the hinge pockets, along with the 1x1 piece to the right which will form the recess. Photo 8-22 and 8-23 show the pieces for the rear jamb Photo 8-22 Rear jamb Photo 8-23 Another view of mocked up together while Photo 8-24 shows the parts clamped together in preparation mocked up. Photo rear jamb mocked up. Photo for welding. Photos 8-25 through 8-29 provide a number of different views of the attribution attribution welded rear jamb so that you can get a better idea of how it is put together.

Photo 8-24 Rear jamb parts Photo 8-25 Rear jamb Photo 8-26 Another view of clamped for welding. Photo welded. Photo attribution the rear jamb. Photo attribution attribution

Photo 8-27 Another view of Photo 8-28 Another view of Photo 8-29 Another view of

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the rear jamb. Photo the rear jamb. Photo the rear jamb. Photo attribution attribution attribution

Fabricating the front door jamb

On this particular car, the front door jamb will also serve as the windshield post. An overhead view of the jamb unit is first sketched at full size on graph paper (Photo 8-30). The front door jamb will also house the door's mini bear claw latch mechanism shown at the far left in Photo 8-31.

Photo 8-30 Sketch of front door jamb. Photo attribution Photo 8-31 Bear claw latch parts. Photo attribution Using the full-size plywood drawing, the two main pieces of the jamb (the 1x2 jamb face piece and the 1x1 inset lip piece) are cut. They are then laid out on the plywood drawing to determine the best position for the latch, so that it won't interfere with the window or glass and will also be in a position to hold the door securely (Photo 8-32). Using the faceplate provided with the bear claw latch kit (shown at the right in Photo 8-31), the 1x2 jamb face piece is marked so that it can be cut and drilled for latch mounting (Photo 8-33). Note that the screw holes for mounting must be countersunk so that the tapered screw heads will be flush with the jamb face when they are tightened down. Photo 8-32 Latch and jamb Photo 8-33 Jamb is cut and laid out on full-scale drilled to mount latch. The drawing to determine best mounting plate from the latch position. Photo latch kit (Photo 8-31) is attribution used as a pattern for these cuts. Photo attribution The back side of the 1x2 jamb face must also be cut open to allow for installation and removal of the latch (Photo 8-34). The latch can then be installed to make sure everything fits up to this point (Photo 8-35 and 8-36). In addition, the 1x1 jamb recess piece can now be marked and cut to allow room for the latch trip handle to operate (Photo 8-37).

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Photo 8-34 An access hole Photo 8-35 Latch being is cut into the back side of fitted into jamb. Photo the jamb. Photo attribution attribution

Photo 8-36 Another view of Photo 8-37 Recess piece on latch being fitted into jamb. jamb must be marked and Photo attribution cut to allow clearance for latch trip lever. Photo attribution The 1x1 jamb recess piece is then welded to the 1x2 jamb face piece. Photo 8-38 shows these pieces welded together from the back side while Photo 8-39 shows the outer "face" side of the welded jamb pieces.

As mentioned earlier, the windshield post (made from 1x2 tubing) is also a part of the front door jamb unit. Using the plywood drawing, that piece can now be measured and cut to length. Before welding the windshield post to the rest of the jamb parts, a couple of housekeeping items need to be completed.

Photo 8-38 Backside view First, another section of the 1x2 jamb face must be cut away to allow full access to the Photo 8-39 Front side view of jamb pieces welded latch for installation and removal. This piece was not cut out originally, in order to of jamb pieces welded together. Photo attribution maintain the integrity of the 1x2 jamb face during the welding process. Now that it is together. Photo attribution solidly welded to the 1x1 inset piece, the additional material can be cut away. Arrow "A" in Photo 8-40 shows where the additional metal has been removed from the edge of the jamb face.

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This is also a good time to fabricate and install the levers and rods which will be necessary to trip the door latch - one to operate the latch from inside the cockpit and the other to operate the latch from outside the car. Arrow "B" in Photo 8-40 shows the very simple lever mechanism that will be used for the interior trip mechanism. It is a 2 3/4" long piece of 1/8" x 3/4" flat stock with two holes drilled near the bottom. A 1/4" hole is drilled through the 1x2 windshield post piece and a bolt (see arrow "C" in Photo 8-40) is inserted through the hole and then though the bottom hole of the lever which was just fabricated. Note the four nuts on this bolt; they center the lever. Note also that the end of the lever will protrude into the cockpit area. Later, an oak trim piece will cover this Photo 8-40 Latch operating Photo 8-41 Another view of section of the door jamb, and the trip lever will protrude through a slot cut in the trim levers and rods. Photo latch operating levers and piece. The lever will then be cut off at the appropriate length. attribution rods. Photo attribution A short rod (arrow "D" in Photo 8-40) is cut, bent and attached to the second hole in the trip lever which was just fabricated. Photo 8-41 provides another view of the latch trip rod and lever.

The trip mechanism rod for opening the door from the outside will be hidden, so that the door and surrounding area will be absolutely smooth. Although it was impossible to get a picture of the rod, it attaches to the very end of the latch mechanism arm which extends into the windshield post. The rod then drops down and out the bottom of the windshield post. The rod is activated by reaching under the front door jamb area of the car to pull the rod and pop open the latch. You can see the tip of this rod at Arrow "D" in Photo 8-42.

Photo 8-42 Windshield post Photo 8-42 also shows the windshield post, arrow "A", now welded to the balance of the door jamb - the 1x2 jamb welded to jamb. Note latch face, arrow "B", and the 1x1 inset piece, arrow "C". trip lever, arrow on far right. Photo attribution

Completing the door opening

With the front and rear door jambs completed, the entire door opening can now be assembled. Using the plywood drawing, the top and bottom of the door opening are cut to length. The pieces are then positioned and clamped together as shown in photo 8-43. The parts of the opening shown in the photo include:

Arrow A = Front jamb with latch Arrow B = Rear jamb with hinges Arrow C = Bottom jamb piece Arrow D = Top jamb piece Photo 8-43 Assembling the Photo 8-44 Another view of door opening. Photo Photo 8-44 provides another view of the door opening pieces mocked up and being tack the door opening pieces

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attribution welded together. being tack welded together. Photo attribution

Before final welding of all the joints, two more pieces need to be added. To complete a recessed area for the door to fit into at the top and bottom of the opening, 1x1 tubing must be cut and welded in place to form this lip or recessed area. Photo 8-45 shows this lower recess section being welded in place and Photo 8-46 shows the top recess section being installed.

With the door opening welded together, the main bottom support (rocker) for the body is cut and welded in place (See arrow in Photo 8-47). This main support is cut from 1x2 rectangular tubing.

Photo 8-45 Bottom inset Photo 8-46 Top inset piece Photo 8-47 The completed piece being positioned. being positioned. Photo door opening. Photo Photo attribution attribution attribution

Creating an inexpensive tube bender

In the next phases of building this body skeleton, some of the structural tubing needs to be bent into various shapes and curves. Tube bending is essential to many scratch-built projects, and high-priced benders are often beyond the budget of many rodders.

One potential solution is to convert a relatively inexpensive Harbor Freight hydraulic "pipe" bender into a utilitarian "tube" bender. The difference is essentially in the dies. The pipe dies that come with a H.F. bender are meant to bend round pipe and they simply will not work well, if at all, when bending square tubing. The hydraulic jack on one of these benders provides plenty of power to bend the tubing, so what's needed is a die or dies that will handle square tubing.

As you will see in the balance of this chapter, some of the bends in a hot rod body are nice tight curves, while others are big sweeping curves. Differently-sized dies will work better for each type of curve you intend to make, so you may have to fabricate more than just one die. However, the following description can be used to create a die for almost any need.

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Bending dies are essentially just a curve to bend your steel over, and the support necessary to keep that curve stable and rigid. The support mechanism will also double as a means to attach your die to the jack or hydraulic apparatus you use to force the bend. The die being fabricated here is intended for making bends with a 3" radius and larger. To create the curve for this die, 6" diameter well casing pipe works perfectly. Photo 8-48 shows a 1" wide section of pipe being marked and then cut off the well casing with a 4 1/2" cutting blade. Photo 8-49 shows the slice of well casing that will be used for the die.

Photo 8-48 Six-inch well Photo 8-49 A 1" wide slice casing is used for the die is cut off the well casing. curve. Photo attribution Photo attribution To mount the die to the bender, a short section of 1/8" wall, 1x1 square tubing is cut and slipped over the attachment pin that comes as a part of the Harbor Freight bender. Then, another short section of 1x1 square tubing is welded to each side of that first section of tubing. This forms a goalpost-shaped base for the die. Photo 8-50 shows this die base installed on the pipe bender. Next, the 1" wide section of well casing is welded to the die base as shown in Photo 8-51. You can also see in this photo that additional supports, in the form of 1x2 rectangular tubing, have been welded to the back side of the curve.

Photo 8-50 The mounting Photo 8-51 The well casing socket and die base is curve is welded to the die fabricated from 1x1 tubing base. Photo attribution in a "Y" or goalpost shape. Photo attribution Photo 8-52 shows how these 1x2 support pieces (arrows "A" and "B") are welded to the front half of the well casing. The important thing to remember is that the distance between these support pieces must be at least 1" so that the material you want to bend can easily slip down between the supports during the bending process. During the bending operation, the inside radius of the tubing is compressed while the outside radius of the tubing is stretched. It is essential for good bends that the compressed metal on the inside radius of the tubing has someplace to go. To aid in this process, a 3/8" "crush rod" is welded to the center of the well casing (Photo 8-53). Photo 8-52. Additional 1x2 Photo 8-53 A 3/8" inch supports are welded to the "crush rod" is welded to the casing curve to prevent it center of the casing curve. from flexing during the Photo attribution

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bending process. Photo attribution This rod forces the excess metal on the inside radius of the tubing up into an indentation formed by the crush rod. You can see the result of this crushing action by looking at the inside of a bend made with this die (Photo 8-54) Interestingly, the outside stretching of the tubing automatically causes the material to indent as shown in Photo 8-55.

Photo 8-54 This sample Photo 8-55 The outside bend shows the effect of the radius of the curve crush rod on the interior automatically indents due to radius of the bend. Photo stretching of the metal. attribution Photo attribution

In addition to the die itself, one other modification must be made to the H.F. bender to improve the accuracy of your bends. To keep whatever material you are bending in proper alignment with the die, roller guides need to be fabricated for both the front and the rear of the bender. Photo 8-56 shows the new die in the bender and Photo 8-57 shows the new roller guides (arrows). These guides are simply pieces of pipe cut to length so that the distance between the pipes is just slightly more than 1". The pipe pieces are slipped over tubing so that everything fits solidly over the pins provided with the H.F. bender (Photo 8-58).

Photo 8-56 The new die Photo 8-57 Rollers (arrow) Photo 8-58 The roller parts assembled in the bender. are fabricated to keep the are made from pipe and Photo attribution material being bent square tubing to fit over the in the bender. Photo bender's original roller pins. attribution Photo attribution

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Finishing the side skeleton

With this modified tubing bender added to our arsenal of tools, the rest of the side skeleton pieces can be cut and welded together. The full-scale drawing is used to cut each piece to its proper length, and the curved pieces are then shaped to match the curvature on our drawing using the tubing bender. Everything is then welded together as shown in Photos 8-59 and 8-60.

Photo 8-59 Side section of Photo 8-60 Another view of skeleton is completed. the completed side skeleton. Photo attribution Photo attribution The completed side section is temporarily mocked up on the chassis (Photo 8-61), and the seat is rigged up in position so a test can be made to determine the amount of headroom that will be available (Photo 8-62). Each of the above steps is then repeated to create the other side of the body skeleton. Photos 8-63 and 8-64 show the two sides of the body skeleton on the chassis.

Photo 8-61 Side section Photo 8-62 Seats are mocked up on chassis. temporarily installed to test Photo attribution for head room. Photo attribution

Photo 8-63 Both side Photo 8-64 Another view of sections completed and the side sections mocked mocked up on the chassis. up. Photo attribution

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Photo attribution

Fabricating the door skeletons

Scratch-built doors can be quite simple, or quite complex. For this project the doors are on the complex end of the spectrum since they will have fully-operational window glass. Also, because of the shape of the car, the doors and door windows are comprised of some odd angles, which makes fabrication a bit more challenging.

Each door consists of what we will be calling a front vertical, a rear vertical, a top horizontal, a bottom horizontal, an interior window frame and an exterior window frame (Photo 8-65). This will become a bit more clear as we proceed.

The vertical and horizontal pieces for the door are cut from 1x2 rectangular tubing, while the window frame pieces are cut from 1x1 square tubing.

Photo 8-65 Illustration of the basic door components. Photo attribution

The rear vertical

Since these are suicide doors, we will be attaching the hinges to the rear vertical frame piece. After cutting this piece to length, it is laid in the door opening and marked for each hinge position. The vertical is then notched to accommodate the hinges (Photo 8-66) and placed back in the door opening to check that the hinges will be correctly positioned (Photo 8-67).

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Photo 8-66 Rear vertical is Photo 8-67 Checking hinge marked and cut to clear the clearance for the notched hinges. Photo attribution vertical piece. Photo attribution To bolt the hinge to the door, a mounting plate is cut from 1/4" flat stock (Photo 8-68). This plate will be welded to the door frame and has been pre-drilled so that the plate can later be bolted to the hinge itself. To make sure everything is positioned correctly, 1/4" spacers (see arrow in photo) are inserted between the vertical and the door jamb, the mounting plate is lined up on the hinge, and then the vertical is clamped to the jamb and the mounting plate tack welded to the vertical (Photo 8-69).

Photo 8-68 A hinge Photo 8-69 Hinge plate mounting plate will be being positioned and welded to the door frame clamped for tack welding. and will bolt to the hinge. Photo attribution Photo attribution After being tack welded, the rear vertical and hinge mounting plates are removed from the door frame for final welding (Photo 8-70). Photo 8-71 shows the rear vertical and hinge plates after welding and grinding.

Photo 8-70 Once tack Photo 8-71 The hinge welded, the vertical and mounting plates welded to mounting plates are the vertical and ground removed from the jamb to smooth. Photo attribution complete the welding. Photo attribution

The vertical is then positioned in the door opening with 1/4" spacers again (Photo 8-72), and the hinge is marked for drilling the final bolt holes (Photo 8-73). After drilling the bolt holes, the rear vertical is bolted in place and tested to make sure the hinges work properly and do not bind (Photo 8-74).

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Photo 8-72 The vertical is Photo 8-73 Bolt hole Photo 8-74 The rear vertical once again positioned in the positions are marked on the is bolted to the hinges and door opening using 1/4" hinge and then drilled can now be tested to ensure spacers. Photo attribution through. Photo attribution that it swings properly and does not bind. Photo attribution

The front vertical

The front vertical for the door is cut from 1x2 tubing, based upon the length shown in our full-size drawing. This is the "latch" side of the door and requires some fabrication for the installation of the latch striker bolt. The striker bolt and mounting hardware are shown in the center of Photo 8-31.

By carefully measuring where the center of the bear claw latch is positioned in the jamb, the front vertical can be marked for the position of the striker bolt. A hole is then drilled in the face of the front vertical for the striker bolt (Photo 8-75).

Photo 8-75 Using the latch On the back side of the vertical, a hole is cut out slightly larger than the striker bolt Photo 8-76 An access hole in the jamb as our guide, a mounting hardware. The mounting hardware is then welded into the vertical (Photo is cut in the back side of the hole is drilled in the front 8-76). front vertical and the striker vertical for the striker pin. pin mounting hardware is Photo attribution welded in place. Photo attribution

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With the striker bolt in place and inserted into the latch mechanism, the front vertical can be positioned in the door opening using 1/4" spacers at the top and bottom and the vertical can be be clamped in place (Photo 8-77). The bottom horizontal (Photo 8-78) and top horizontal (8-79) can then be measured, cut and clamped into place using 1/4" spacers.

Photo 8-77 The striker pin Photo 8-78 The bottom is positioned in the latch horizontal of the door frame and the front vertical is is cut and clamped in place clamped into position with with 1/4" spacers. Photo 1/4" spacers between the attribution vertical and the jamb. Photo attribution

After checking that all four frame sections are square and correctly positioned (Photo 8-79), the door frame can be welded together (Photo 8-80) and tested to ensure it opens, closes and latches properly (Photo 8-81).

Photo 8-79 The top Photo 8-80 The door frame Photo 8-81 The door can horizontal is clamped in welded together. Photo now be opened and closed, position and the door frame attribution and the latch mechanism pieces can now be welded can be tested. Photo together. Photo attribution attribution

The window frames - interior side

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The window openings consist of an interior frame and an exterior frame, with space between them (a channel) for the window glass to move up and down. The interior frame pieces are cut from 1x1 square tubing (Photo 8-82) and clamped into place for welding (Photo 8-83).

Photo 8-82 The 1x1 tubing Photo 8-83 Interior window pieces for the interior surround welded in place. window surround. Photo Photo attribution attribution To improve the look of the butt welded and "squarish" corners of the windows, fill pieces will be added to give each window opening a more rounded look. The curved fill pieces are made by slicing off a 1" length of 1/8" wall, 2" diameter steel pipe (Photo 8-84), and then quartering the pipe section (Photo 8-85).

Photo 8-84 A section of 2" Photo 8-85 The pipe is first diameter pipe is used to quartered. Photo attribution curve the corners of the window. Photo attribution To improve the fit of the corner curves, the back side of each end of the curve is ground flat (Photo 8-86). The corner pieces can then be fit into each window corner (Photo 8-87) and welded in place.

Photo 8-86 The back side of Photo 8-87 The curved the pipe is ground down to pieces are then fit in each create a flush fit on the corner and welded in place. window frame. Photo Photo attribution

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attribution Photo 8-88 shows a corner after the welds have been ground smooth and Photo 8-89 shows how the full window looks with the corner curves completed.

Photo 8-88 A close-up shot Photo 8-89 The interior side of one corner curve after of the window with all welding and grinding. corner curves completed. Photo attribution Photo attribution

Window regulators

Although it may seem a bit out of order here, the window regulators will be installed at this juncture. These will be electric units found at any number of catalog outlets and rod shops. These units come from the factory as one piece. However, due to the tight confines within these doors (they are only 2" deep, and less than 24" tall), the units had to be cut apart and modified in order to fit. The arrows in Photo 8-90 indicate how the motor was originally attached to the lift mechanism. The motor was cut off the bottom and the lift bracket and drive cable tube were shortened. The trough that holds the glass also had to be narrowed. Photo 8-91 shows the alternative positioning of the drive motor and drive cable. The arrows show the mounting tabs for the regulator components. Note Photo 8-90 The window Photo 8-91 Fabricating the that in it's final configuration, the drive cable runs through plastic tubing which is bent to regulator pieces had to be mounting tabs (arrows) for attach the motor to the bottom of the lift mechanism. Without the plastic tubing, the cut apart (arrows) and the modified electric drive cable will not function properly. modified to fit the tight window mechanism. Photo confines of the door. Photo attribution attribution

Door sealing lip

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To make our door fit properly in the jamb so that it will be flush with the sheet metal on the exterior side of the body and flush with the inside of the jamb on the interior side, we will weld a 1/4" thick spacer around the perimeter of the door frame and then weld a 2" wide by 1/4" thick "lip" around the entire perimeter or the door which will extend 1" beyond the current framing on all sides. This "lip" will provide the seal between the door and the jamb. The spacer and lip configuration is illustrated in Photo 8-92. Photo 8-93 shows the 1/4" spacer sections being welded to the door frame. Photo 8-92 Illustration of the door spacer and lip to Photo 8-93 Quarter-inch flat create a flush-mounted stock is welded around the door. Photo attribution perimeter of the door frame to create a spacer. Photo attribution

Before moving on to the installation of the door lip, another critical element must be accounted for: crowning.

Virtually every panel on every vehicle since even the earliest of years has been made with a crown. A crown is a "bow" or bend put into the sheet metal, which gives the panel additional strength, and, more importantly, prevents our eye from seeing the panel as concave. If a large section of sheet metal is absolutely flat and is then painted, the human eye will perceive that panel as bowing inward, even though it is actually flat. To prevent this potential concave appearance, all flat panels on a scratch-built car should incorporate a crown or a bow. If the panel is curved, then the crowning effect is less necessary. But for large flat panels, like the door, the roof, or the side of the car, builders should seriously consider employing some sort of crowning technique.

To create a crown in these doors, a 3/8" inch spacer is spot welded approximately halfway up the front vertical, and another spacer spot welded the same distance up the rear vertical (Photo 8-94). The 2" x 1/4" "lip" is cut from flat stock and then bent over the spacer as shown in Photo 8-95. The top and bottom ends of the flat stock are then welded to the door frame. Flat stock pieces are cut for the top and bottom door lip and welded flat to the door framing (no crown). The complete door lip is shown in Photo 8-96, and you can see the crowning effect on both the front and rear verticals.

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Photo 8-94 To create a Photo 8-95 The door lip is Photo 8-96 The completed crown in the door's sheet then bent over the 3/8" door lip with crowning. metal, a 3/8" spacer is spacer and welded to the Photo attribution welded near the center of door frame at each end. the front vertical and the Photo attribution rear vertical. Photo attribution

The window frames - exterior side

With the door lip crowned and welded in place, the exterior side of the window frames can now be fabricated. This frame is made of 1x1 square tubing and will match the interior window frame we made earlier. However, before the frame is installed, a 1/2" spacer is screwed along the sides and top of the window opening to create a "channel" for the window glass. This channel will be wider at the bottom than at the top, due to the crowning of the door panel. The "spacer" is installed primarily to prevent the weatherstripping, which will be installed later, from being driven too deep into the channel. Photo 8-97 shows the pieces of 1/2"x1/2" tubing used for the channel spacers and photo 8-98 shows the spacers (arrows) screwed into place. Photo 8-97 Half-inch square Photo 8-98 The 1/2" tubing is used to create a channel spacers are screwed "channel" between the into place. Photo attribution interior and exterior window framing. Photo attribution The 1x1 exterior frame pieces (see arrows) are then clamped to the door frame and welded in place (Photo 8-99) creating the window channel shown in Photo 8-100 and the slot at the top of the door for the window glass to move up and down (Photo 8-101).

Photo 8-99 The 1x1 Photo 8-100 The "channel" window frame pieces are created for the window

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clamped to the door frame glass to travel and seat. and welded. Photo Photo attribution attribution With the window frame pieces in place, the corner curves are cut and installed in the same manner as the interior corner curves. Photo 8-102 shows the door with the exterior corner curves nearly completed.

Photo 8-101 Another view Photo 8-102 The exterior of the window channel window frames with the along with the slot on the curved corners in progress. top of the door (to the right) Photo attribution for the glass to pass through. Photo attribution

Roof skeleton

With the doors and side panels of the skeleton completed, the roof ribs are next on the agenda. Note that up to this point we have not sketched or discussed anything regarding the width of the body. This has been done intentionally, to allow some flexibility once the car's shape became better defined by the completion of the side skeleton structure. With the side skeleton sections mocked up on the chassis (Photo 8-103) we can alter the shape of the car, making it wider/narrower in front or wider/narrower in the rear, until it looks the most visually appealing. You can also test your seat configuration and other interior design elements and make any necessary adjustments in body width to fit your plans for the interior. This would be very difficult to do with sketches or even in Photo 8-103 The completed Photo 8-104 The roof side Photoshop. So, it is quite advantageous to leave decisions regarding body width until side skeletons are adjusted curve "A" and back curve this point in the fabrication process. on the chassis to determine "B" on this typical hot rod. the best width for the body, Photo attribution both functionally and visually. Photo attribution

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Once you are satisfied with the front and rear widths of the body, the side sections can be plumbed vertically and clamped in place. The sides are also cross-braced to ensure that they do not move during roof fabrication and welding.

To begin the roof fabrication, you must first decide the radius of the curves that will transition from the side of the car to the roof (see arrow A in Photo 8-104), and from the rear of the car to the roof (arrow B in Photo 8-104). Though not necessary, it is sometimes best to make these two radii the same, since it makes forming the corner cap easier.

For this particular car, the side curve (A in Photo 8-104) will have a 3" radius. This will place the perimeter tubing pieces for the roof 3" above and 3" inside the top tubing of the side skeleton. Photo 8-105, which represents a cross-sectional view of the roof and side section, may help illustrate how the relative position of the roof tubing and the side tubing is determined by the radius of the corner curve.

Photo 8-106 shows the perimeter structural members of the roof being positioned and welded in place, while Photo 8-107 shows how the roof members are permanently attached using short supporting sections (see arrow) to bridge from the side section to the roof ribs.

Photo 8-105 Illustration for determining where the roof Photo 8-106 Structural Photo 8-107 Structural skeleton tubing must be members of the roof being members of the roof being placed to create a roof-to- positioned and welded. positioned and side curve with a 3" radius. Photo attribution welded.Photo attribution Photo attribution

The back skeleton

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With the roof perimeter in place, the skeleton for the back of the car can be fabricated. The curved ribs for this section are formed using the tube bending dies described above. This process requires slow and careful bending of the tube, a little at a time. The tubing is removed from the bender often, and checked against the drawing of the curve that was made on our particle board "blueprint" for the car (Photo 8-108). The main sections of the back skeleton are then welded together (Photo 8-109 and 8-110).

Photo 8-108 The curved Photo 8-109 The back ribs of the back skeleton are skeleton pieces being carefully bent with the welded together. Photo bending die described attribution above, and removed from the bender often to check against the curve outlined on our full-scale drawing. Photo attribution With the basic four pieces of the back section welded together, the unit is positioned and clamped into place. As can be seen in Photo 8-111, a large number of supports and clamps are necessary to get this back section properly positioned and held firmly in place for welding.

Photo 8-110 Another view Photo 8-111 Many supports of the back skeleton pieces are necessary to position being welded. Photo and hold the rear skeleton in attribution place for welding. Photo attribution

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Photo 8-112 shows the rear unit installed. The curved corner supports (see arrow in photo) are bent using the die created earlier in this chapter, and have a 6" diameter. Then, additional rear structural members are added, including a lower crossmember, arrow A, and additional vertical supports, arrow B, in Photo 8-113, and other supports as noted by the arrows in Photo 8-114.

Photo 8-112 The rear Photo 8-113 Other sections skeleton welded in place. (arrows) being added to the Note the curved corner rear skeleton. Photo support which has a 6" attribution diameter, and was bent using the die fabricated earlier. Photo attribution A center rib is added to the roof (Photo 8-115). This rib is bent upwards approximately 2" near its center point. This will provide a crown at the center of the roof when the sheet metal is applied. The body was originally designed to incorporate a rear opening hatch. However, as will be described in Chapter 10, this hatch was later eliminated, and a pickup bed added to the rear of the car instead. In some of the pictures that follow, you will be able to see that opening hatch. Since it will not be a part of the car in its final form, the details for the hatch fabrication are not included here.

Photo 8-114 Corner bends Photo 8-115 A taller center and other supports being rib, bent upward near its added to the upper section midpoint, is added to of the rear skeleton. Photo "crown" the roof. Photo attribution attribution

Cowl and firewall hoop

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The cowl crossmember (arrow) serves as the bottom support for the windshield as well as the support for the cockpit side of the cowl top. It is bent first, then cut to length and welded in place (Photo 8-116). The firewall hoop consists of five separate pieces of 1x1 square tubing (Photo 8-117).

Photo 8-116 The cowl Photo 8-117 Firewall hoop crossmember serves as the pieces are cut from 1" bottom of the windshield square tubing and bent opening and as the support using the die created earlier for the cockpit side of the in this chapter. Photo upper cowl sheet metal. attribution Photo attribution The top center section of the firewall hoop is bent to match the bend in the cowl crossmember, and the two corner pieces are bent to approximately 100 degrees using our bending die. These pieces are then welded together (Photo 8-118) and installed on the body skeleton (Photo 8-119).

Photo 8-118 The firewall hoop pieces welded Photo 8-119 The firewall together. Photo attribution hoop installed. Note the support brace between the top of the hoop and the cowl crossmember. Photo attribution

The completed skeleton

The skeleton for our body is now complete and ready for sheet metal. Photos 8-120 through 8-125 provide a number of views of the completed framework.

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Photo 8-120 The completed Photo 8-121 The completed Photo 8-122 The completed skeleton. Photo attribution skeleton. Photo attribution skeleton. Photo attribution

Photo 8-123 The completed Photo 8-124 The completed Photo 8-125 The completed skeleton. Photo attribution skeleton. Photo attribution skeleton. Photo attribution

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Chapters

Introduction 1. Design, Donor and Tools of the Trade 2. Frame Fabrication 3. Chassis: Front Suspension 4. Chassis: Motor and Transmission Mounting 5. Chassis: Rear Suspension 6. Body: An Introduction to Scratch Building 7. Body: A Gallery of Scratch-Built Cars 8. Body: Fabricating the Skeleton 9. Body: Applying the Skin 10. Body: Pickup Bed 11. Body: Fenders and Running Boards 12. Mechanicals 13. Interior Fittings 14. Body Preparation and Painting 15. Upholstery: Seats 16. Upholstery: Interior Panels 17. Upholstery: Consoles, Carpets and Trims 18. Engine 19. Finishing Touches and the Completed Car About the Author

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Chapter 9: Body - Applying the Skin

Now comes the fun part. After countless hours getting the chassis built and the body skeleton fabricated, it's time to start seeing what the car is going to really look like as we begin hanging the sheet metal skin.

Flat panels

Roof

The skinning process takes place in two stages. In the first stage, all of the large flat body areas are covered with flat panels. In the second stage, all of the curved areas, connecting one flat panel to another, are fabricated. 18-gauge sheet metal is used throughout the fabrication, and we begin with two panels which will cover the front 3/4 of the roof. These panels are crowned at the center, where they join over a raised center rib member of the roof skeleton (Photo 9-1). Each panel is bent to form a curve along the front edge, to create a smooth transition from the roof to the front of the windshield frame. This bend is made by clamping the sheet metal to the work table under a length of 1" black pipe (Photo 9-2). A heavy metal hammer, also shown in Photo 9-2, is used to Photo 9-1 Roof panels Photo 9-2 The front edge tap the metal around the pipe. being cut, bent and fitted. curve of the roof panel is Photo attribution bent over 1" black pipe. Photo attribution Photo 9-3 shows the front bend in the sheet metal and the two panels clamped to the skeleton as they are tack welded around the outer edge and down the center seam. With the major portion of the roof skin in place, the contour of the "crown" is established, and we can now duck to the underside of the roof and install additional 1x1 roof supports (Photo 9-4). If these supports are installed earlier, before the skin is in place, there is a good chance they might get positioned at the wrong height...either too high or too low. With the sheet metal panels in place, it is a simple matter to follow the contour of the crown as it tapers left-to-right and front-to-back, and position the roof supports correctly.

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Photo 9-3 Roof panels Photo 9-4 Additional 1x1 clamped to skeleton and supports are welded to the tack welded in place. Photo skeleton following the attribution "crown" contours of the sheet metal. Photo attribution At the rear of the roof is a major curve, which transitions from the roof to the back skeleton. The sheet metal is cut to the correct length and width so that it will butt up to the two existing roof panels, and span the main corner supports of the skeleton. It is butted to the existing roof panels and held in place using a length of square tubing and clamps (Arrow "A" in Photo 9-5). A second length of square tubing (arrow "B" in Photo 9-5) is laid on the sheet metal 8"-12" from the front edge of the panel. Clamps are attached to this tubing and the skeleton sections below, and the tightening/bending process is begun as the sheet metal is drawn down to the curved skeleton sections. The tubing allows us to bend the sheet metal uniformly across the entire width of the panel. Photo 9-5 Panel for rear top Photo 9-6 Sheet metal is Without the tubing, the sheet metal can bow or become deformed if we try to bend just curve being clamped in progressively bent around one small section at a time. By moving back and forth between the two end clamps, place for bending. Photo skeleton curves using tightening each as we go, the metal can be curved in a uniform manner to minimize attribution clamps and support tubes. kinks and potential oil canning. Photo attribution Photo 9-6 shows the next step in the bend's progress. As Tube "B" from our prior photo is drawn firmly against the skeleton supports, a third tube, "C", is added and clamps are positioned so that the balance of the sheet metal can be drawn toward the skeleton supports. Also note that clamps "D" are utilized to keep the sheet metal firmly against the skeleton supports once it has been drawn tight around the curve. Photo 9-7 shows the sheet metal fully formed around the skeleton supports and being held in place for tack welding. Note that wherever possible, the sheet metal is tack welded to the skeleton from the inside (Photo 9-8). If the panels are tack welded on the outside along the edge of the panel, it would make it very difficult to fit the next panel flush up against the first. So, Photo 9-7 The bend is Photo 9-8 The rear top try to keep abutting panel edges free of welds. completed and the panel is curve welded. Photo clamped for welding. Photo attribution attribution

Rear panel

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The next panel to go on is the lower section at the rear of the car. The panel is cut roughly to shape and then clamped firmly to the car (Photo 9-9). From the inside of the car, it is marked where it will fit around the driveshaft tube and the panel is cut to final shape (Photo 9-10).

Photo 9-9 The rear panel Photo 9-10 The rear panel mocked up to mark for final cut and ready for cuts. Photo attribution installation. Photo attribution The panel is once again clamped firmly to the skeleton (Photo 9-11) and welded in place (Photo 9-12). Note that the area between the lower panel and the upper curve has purposely been left open. This is the area where the hatch door will be located.

Photo 9-11 The panel is Photo 9-12 Rear panel clamped tightly to the welded. Photo attribution skeleton and prepared for welding. Photo attribution

Doors

The door skins are made by clamping a blank of sheet metal over the door skeleton and tracing around the perimeter and window opening. The metal is then cut as shown in Photo 9-13. The panel is firmly clamped to the door skeleton (Photo 9-14), and tack welded around the edges (Photo 9-15).

Photo 9-13 The outline of Photo 9-14 The sheet metal

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the door skeleton is traced is clamped to the skeleton onto sheet metal and cut and tack welded. Photo out. Photo attribution attribution With the clamps removed, the doors are welded up around the outside and around the window openings and the welds are ground smooth (Photo 9-16).

Photo 9-15 Clamps are Photo 9-16 The welds are removed and final welding ground smooth using a 4 is completed around all 1/2" angle-head grinder. edges and the window Photo attribution opening. Photo attribution

Side panel

Next, the large side panels of the car are cut and installed. To create a side panel, the builder can either create a cardboard pattern or, as was done here, cut sheet metal roughly to shape, and then clamp it to the skeleton to draw the cut lines. Photo 9-17 shows the side panel cut to shape.

The side panel will abut the door, so the crowns in their sheet metal must match. If the contour of the crown at the door edge does not match the contour of the crown along the door jamb, it will be very obvious to the naked eye when the door is in the closed position. Photo 9-17 A side panel cut Photo 9-18 A small spacer and ready for installation. To crown the side panel, a 3/8" spacer (see arrow) is tack welded to the door jamb at the is tack welded to the door Photo attribution same height as the 3/8" spacer located on the rear vertical of the door (Photo 9-18). jamb to crown the side panel. Photo attribution

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The side panel is then clamped firmly on all sides EXCEPT the door jamb side (Photo 9-19), and welded in place (Photo 9-20).

Photo 9-19 The panel is Photo 9-20 The side panel clamped to the skeleton for welded. Photo attribution welding. The front edge of the panel is left un-welded at this point. Photo attribution

To make sure the contour of the side panel crown will match the contour of the door crown, the door is installed, and a length of 5" wide, 1/8" flat stock is clamped to the door (Photo 9-21). Then, from the inside of the car, the side panel sheet metal is pushed firmly against the 1/8" flat stock, and small tabs are tack welded from the skeleton to the sheet metal, to hold the sheet metal in position.

When the 1/8" flat stock is removed, the crown contour of the side panel should match perfectly with the crown contour along the edge of the door (Photo 9-22). The void between the sheet metal and the jamb is then filled with a combination of sheet metal strips and welding (Photo 9-23).

Photo 9-21 Flat stock is Photo 9-22 When the flat Photo 9-23 Because of the clamped to the door. Then, stock is removed, the crown, there will be a small from the inside of the car, contour of the door and side void between the side panel the front edge of the side panel match. Photo and the jamb. This void is panel is forced against the attribution filled with sheet metal strips flat stock, and tabs are and welding. Photo welded between the attribution

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skeleton and the edge of the panel, so that the contour of the panel matches the contour of the door. Photo attribution

Hatch

As noted earlier, the operating rear hatch will be replaced later in the build process. But for those who might be interested, Photo 9-24 shows the hatch after being skinned with sheet metal, and Photo 9-25 shows the hatch hung in place.

Photo 9-24 Although it was Photo 9-25 The original later replaced, the hatch hatch door installed. Photo door is here being skinned attribution with sheet metal. Photo attribution

Firewall

The firewall sheet metal is marked and cut to shape using a cardboard pattern. (Photo 9-26) The panel is then firmly clamped in place (Photo 9-27) and welded (Photo 9-28).

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Photo 9-26 The firewall Photo 9-27 The firewall Photo 9-28 The completed panel cut and ready for panel clamped for welding. firewall panel. Photo installation. Photo Photo attribution attribution attribution

Cowl

The cowl gets a bit trickier than the prior panels, particularly because of the cowl corners, which require some mathematics. Most cowls from the 20's and 30's have a corner curve, which is uneven from the front to the back. That is, the radius of the corner curve is larger on the firewall end than the radius on the windshield (cockpit) end.

To build the cowl, one must first decide the radius of these two curves. For this car, the radius of the curve at the firewall end is 4" and the radius on the windshield end is 3". These curve radii are a matter of personal taste, and they can even be identical, front-to-back, if the builder wishes.

To begin building the cowl, we need a short length of 1/8" thick x 1/2" wide flat stock steel to be used as a corner- Photo 9-29 A "cowl curve curve-support at the windshield end of the curve (Photo 9-29). The length of this support is determined by the radius support" is welded to the of your curve. The support is going to look like exactly one quarter of a full circle. Thus, the length of the support windshield post. Photo will be one quarter of the circumference of a circle having the radius you have chosen. attribution

Here is a quickie formula to calculate the length of the support, where L=length and R=the radius of the curve. 3.14 is the value used for pi.

L= (3.14 (2 x R))/4

Or in longer hand: Length equals pi times twice the radius divided by 4.

For this particular car, having a curve radius of 3", the calculation looks like this:

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L=(3.14(2x3))/4 L=(3.14x6)/4 L=18.84/4 L=4.71

(Sorry if the math may seem a little drawn out, I just want to make sure folks can follow it and use it.)

The curve support piece is cut to length and bent around 6" PVC pipe to form one quarter of a circle with a 3" radius. The support is then positioned and welded to the windshield post at the windshield end of the cowl (Photo 9-29).

Next, a pattern for cutting the sheet metal is made using posterboard or heavy paper stock. Cut the pattern paper 12" wide and draw a line down the center of the paper on both the top and bottom of the paper. Also, mark the center of the firewall curve, and the center of the curve support just welded to the windshield post. (Note that the accompanying pictures of the pattern process, 9-30 through 9-34, were taken during a prior cowl fabrication. The body shown in the pictures will appear slightly different than this body, but the process is exactly the same.)

Photo 9-30 Posterboard The pattern paper centerline is matched to the centers marked on the two curves, and the Photo 9-31 The pattern pattern is cut to fit tight to pattern is cut and trimmed to fit tightly up against the windshield post. Once it has been extends over the firewall so the windshield post. Photo trimmed, it is taped in place (Photo 9-30). Note also in this picture the center mark "A" that the edge of the firewall attribution for the curve support and marks "B" noted on the pattern, representing the two ends of hoop can be traced onto the the curve support. The firewall end of the pattern paper is allowed to extend out over the underside of the pattern firewall hoop (Photo 9-31). paper. Photo attribution Holding the paper so that it can't move, a line is drawn on the underside of the paper following the outer edge of the firewall hoop. When you pull the pattern paper off, the underside should look like Photo 9-32. The pattern can then be trimmed (Photo 9-33), transferred to sheet metal, and the metal cut out and marked with a centerline (Photo 9-34).

Photo 9-32 When removed, Photo 9-33 When the the pattern drawing will pattern is trimmed, it will look something like this. look like this. Photo Photo attribution attribution

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The panel is then formed into the rough shape of the curve by bending it over 5" PVC pipe using a series of clamps. Once it is roughly shaped, it is positioned on the skeleton with the centerline on the panel lined up with center points of the two end curves (arrows), which were previously marked. The panel is bent to its final form around the two curves using clamps, and, if necessary, a bit of coaxing with a teardrop mallet (Photo 9-35).

Photo 9-34 The resulting Photo 9-35 The panel is panel with a centerline bent to shape and clamped drawn to locate the panel on to the skeleton. Photo the skeleton. Photo attribution attribution The panel is then tack welded in place (Photo 9-36).

The cowl's lower side piece is fabricated in conjunction with a small strip of sheet metal, which transitions from the front of the door opening to the front of the windshield post. This transition piece will follow the shape of the door crown contour on the door side, and transition to the straight contour of the windshield post on the engine side. This transition piece also extends up to the roof to cover the side of the windshield post.

With the door in place, a small 3/8" spacer is tack welded at the edge of the front door Photo 9-36 The corner tack jamb to match the highest point in the crown of the door. The transition piece (arrow) is Photo 9-37 A narrow strip welded to the skeleton. then clamped in place over the spacer as shown in Photo 9-37. Additional spacers are of sheet metal (arrow) Photo attribution then added above and below the first, to ensure the contour of the transition piece transitions from the crown matches the contour of the door crown at the front edge of the door. The transition piece contour of the door edge to is tack welded in place. the straight contour at the front of the windshield post. Photo attribution

Next, the side panel is cut to shape and tack welded to the firewall hoop at the front, and to the transition piece at the rear (Photo 9-38). The voids along the jamb edge are filled and welded (Photo 9-39). The final piece of the cowl is the top section. This section is made by first creating a posterboard pattern. The pattern outline is transferred to sheet metal, cut and tack welded in place (Photo 9-40).

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Photo 9-38 The cowl side Photo 9-39 The void Photo 9-40 The cowl top panel cut and tack welded created by the crown panel is cut and welded in in place. Photo attribution contour (arrow) is filled and place. Photo attribution welded. Photo attribution

Curves and corners

Shaping with stumps

As the sheet metal fabrication moves into the second phase where complex curves and corners need to be formed, there are two tools to consider adding to your shop. The first tool is not only very helpful, it is dirt cheap: the wooden stump.

As was noted in Chapter 6 (Introduction to Scratch Building) stumps have been a mainstay of sheet metal fabrication throughout much of the automobile's history. This was particularly true in European countries, and remains true today in some coachbuilding shops.

Photo 9-41 Two oak tree Two different stumps were cut and used for this project (Photo 9-41). Both are Photo 9-42 Universal trunk sections are used to approximately 36" tall, which is a comfortable workbench height. The stumps were cut shapes are carved into the create metalshaping from 18"-20" diameter oak tree trunks, and they are debarked. stump with a chainsaw. "stumps". Photo attribution Photo attribution

After trimming both ends to get the stumps sitting flat and level, a chainsaw is used to carve various shapes into the top of the stumps. The shapes are then smoothed using a 3" portable plane and a 7" angle grinder with coarse sandpaper. The shaping of the stumps is not to create an exact "buck" to shape the metal over, but rather to create a few universal shapes which can then be used to form the metal in many different ways.

The stump shapes used for this project are shown in Photo 9-42 and 9-43. Photo 9-44 shows the author getting in a little practice with the stumps, and photo 9-45 shows some shaping being done with a stump and a teardrop mallet.

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Photo 9-43 The shapes are Photo 9-44 Getting some Photo 9-45 Working some smoothed with a portable practice time on the stump. bends on the second stump plane and 7" grinder Photo attribution shape. Photo attribution equipped with coarse sandpaper. Photo attribution

English wheel

An English wheel was purchased to try out with this project. This is a relatively inexpensive unit from Harbor Freight. As shown in the photo, there are a number of modifications that need to be made to an entry-level wheel such as this, including some significant reinforcement of the frame to eliminate flexing (Photo 9-46). The English wheel is handy, and does speed up the shaping work. However, it is not absolutely essential. All of the cars shown in the Chapter 7 galleries were fabricated without a single builder using an English wheel. Obviously, the more professional shops rely heavily on their English wheels to reduce labor time. But for the first-time scratch builder, there are many other tools that might be considered more essential for the task.

Photo 9-46 The Harbor Freight English wheel was used on this project, after some modifications to make the unit more rigid, and to

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maintain better control over the wheel action. The English wheel was helpful but not essential for creating the panels on this car. Photo attribution

Top corner curve

The first curve to be tackled is the top corner curve, which transitions from the side of the body to the top of the roof. This is the area shown at the arrow in Photo 9-47. The length for the curve can be measured easily on the skeleton, but the width must be calculated using the formula shown above. The curve covers one quarter of a full circle. So, the width of the work piece is determined by calculating one quarter of the circumference of a circle having a radius of 3". In this case, 4 3/4" (rounded). Once cut, the work piece is clamped to 5" PVC pipe, by laying 1x1 square tubing down the centerline of the workpiece, as shown in Photo 9-48. The metal is then forced around the curve by laying an 18" block of 2x4 on the sheet metal, and hammering up and down the Photo 9-47 A curve must be Photo 9-48 The curve is length of sheet metal until it wraps fairly closely around the PVC. Note that the 5" PVC created to span the area made by bending the pipe is a circle with a 2 1/2" radius, while the curve we want has a 3 inch radius. This between the roof and side workpiece over 5" PVC works to our advantage, however, since the metal retains a good bit of its "memory", and section (arrow). Photo pipe. Photo attribution even when hammered around this smaller cylinder will spring back to a slightly larger attribution size.

After the workpiece is roughly shaped around the PVC pipe, we remove it and make use of 6" diameter well casing to do our final forming. The well casing has exactly the radius we are creating (3") and the workpiece is hammered to conform with the inside surface of the well casing using a plastic teardrop mallet, as shown in Photo 9-49. The resulting curve is shown in Photo 9-50. The curve section is then clamped to the body and tack welded in place (Photo 9-51).

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Photo 9-49 To give the Photo 9-50 The curve after Photo 9-51 The top corner curve its final shape, it is being shaped. Photo curve being welded in hammered against the attribution place. Photo attribution inside surface of some 6" well casing. Photo attribution

Rear corner curve and cap

This particular curve on a scratch-built body is probably the most daunting challenge to the amateur coachbuilder, and the one curve that convinces most novices they could never build their own steel body. It's the compound-complex curve running up the back corner of the body, and finishing off with a cap at the top. It transitions from the side panel to the rear panel, and also transitions to the roof of the car (Photo 9-52).

The easiest approach for the novice is to break down these difficult curves into many smaller curves, shaping and forming each section one at a time. It is far more time- consuming than how a professional shop would approach such a task, but it is a much Photo 9-52 The compound- easier technique for the amateur to master. Photo 9-53 For the amateur complex curve and cap builder, the best technique necessary to cover this area This particular curve is started with a couple of the primary sections (Photo 9-53). The is to break the curve down on the rear corner of the car metal is shaped using a combination of PVC pipe, stumps, a beater bag, hammer and into many small sections is the most challenging dolly, and on this project, an English wheel. (The English wheel speeds up the process ranging from a couple of metalwork of the entire but the task can be accomplished without it.) inches to a foot in height. project. Photo attribution Each section is shaped, trimmed and tack welded in place before moving to the next section. Photo attribution

The import thing is to do one piece at a time, tack weld it in place, and then move on to the next piece. This way, the shape at the edge of the second piece will match up with the contour along the edge of the first piece.

Also, as the pieces progress, it is sometimes helpful to first cut a pattern for the next piece using posterboard. This will give you the general size of the piece, and cut down on the amount of edge trimming that must be done to ensure the abutting pieces fit together without any large gaps. Don't make a great effort to cut the pieces to the correct shape right at the beginning; it's much more efficient to cut to a rough shape and then do a good

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deal of your bending and shaping.

The bending, hammering and shaping will compress and flatten the metal, altering the outside dimensions of the workpiece. If you have ever flattened pizza dough or pie crust with a rolling pin, you understand the effect. As you push down the center of the dough, the outside spreads out farther and farther in the pan. The same thing happens with metal, although to a much more limited degree; as the metal is worked, the outside dimensions will change. The pieces will need to be trimmed or ground along the edges to allow them to fit tightly against the abutting sections.

Note also that the individual sections are only minimally tacked in place. Now and then, a piece may need to be removed and redone if the overall curve is not forming up correctly. You need enough tack welds to prevent any movement, but not so many that it makes removal difficult in the event of an error. As the sections progress upwards toward the cap, the pieces will need to become smaller and more pie-shaped. The pieces will also require more shaping work to ensure that they fit properly and maintain the correct curvature (Photo 9-54). Here, posterboard patterns become almost essential. The final cap pieces (Photo 9-55) will require a good deal of shaping work with the stumps and beater bag, and many trial mock-ups to check the fit and shape. These final pieces Photo 9-54 The sections in Photo 9-55 The corner cap will also require a good deal of edge trimming as the metal is stretched and formed. the corner cap area become completed. Photo Don't expect your first attempt to survive; it may take two or three cap pieces before you smaller and more pie- attribution get it right. shaped. Photo attribution With the difficult cap pieces in place, the lower segment of the rear curve is finished off by fabricating more individual sections (Photo 9-56). Then, it is on to completing the other rear corner of the body (Photo 9-57). Make no mistake, this is a slow and tedious process. Each of these rear corners took approximately 20-24 hours to complete, and they still need to be welded and ground smooth. Don't become discouraged if your progress is slow, and plan your project work accordingly.

Photo 9-56 The sectioning Photo 9-57 The same steps technique is continued on are used to finish the down to the bottom of the passenger side of the car. curve. Photo attribution Photo attribution

Visor

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There will be a visor over the windshield, but before that can be fabricated, the electric windshield wiper must be installed to ensure the visor will not create any clearance problems. A wiper is being installed only on the driver's side. This happens to be a Mr. Roadster single-speed wiper with the automatic park feature (Photo 9-58). After determining the best wiper mounting location, a hole is drilled through the top section of the windshield frame (Photo 9-59).

Photo 9-58 The Mr. Photo 9-59 A hole is drilled Roadster windshield wiper in the upper windshield kit parts. Photo attribution framework for the wiper driveshaft. Photo attribution The wiper motor is bolted in place (Photo 9-60), and the wiper arm is attached (Photo 9-61).

Photo 9-60 The wiper Photo 9-61 The wiper arm motor is installed is installed on the temporarily. Photo driveshaft. Photo attribution attribution The main panel of the visor is cut roughly to shape, and is mocked up using some temporary supports and clamps (Photo 9-62). The underside of the panel is checked to make sure there is clearance for the wiper arm to operate (Photo 9-63).

Photo 9-62 The main front Photo 9-63 On the panel of the visor is mocked underside of the visor, the up using temporary wiper clearance can now be supports. Photo attribution checked. Photo attribution

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The most difficult part of the visor fabrication is designing a corner piece that will smoothly transition from the body to the visor (Photo 9-64). After trying out a number of paper patterns, the final piece is cut and shaped (Photo 9-65).

Photo 9-64 A piece must be Photo 9-65 The corner designed to transition from transition piece. Photo the roof to the visor in this attribution corner area (arrow). Photo attribution The piece is then tack welded in place with a similar piece fabricated and welded at the opposite end of the visor. The front panel is temporarily put in place, and the outline of the corner piece is marked on the back side of the panel (Photo 9-66). The front panel is then cut and temporarily installed on the car, so that a 1/8" x 1" piece of flat stock can be welded along the bottom inside edge of the visor to support it across the entire width of the windshield (Photo 9-67).

Photo 9-66 The front panel Photo 9-67 The front panel is temporarily installed, and is then trimmed on each the edge of the corner piece end, and is now ready to be is marked on the back side welded in place. A 1/8" x 1" of the panel. Photo piece of flat stock is welded attribution to the leading edge of the visor to support it across the full width of the windshield. Photo attribution

Body skin completed

Photos 9-68 through 9-73 show the completed sheet metal work prior to final welding of all the seams and the beginning of the paint preparation work. Note that the grill shell shown in these shots is an aftermarket unit and was not fabricated by the builder.

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Photo 9-68 The completed Photo 9-69 The completed Photo 9-70 The completed sheet metal skin. Photo sheet metal skin. Photo sheet metal skin. Photo attribution attribution attribution

Photo 9-72 The completed Photo 9-71 The completed sheet metal skin. Photo Photo 9-73 The completed sheet metal skin. Photo attribution sheet metal skin. Photo attribution attribution

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Chapters

Introduction 1. Design, Donor and Tools of the Trade 2. Frame Fabrication 3. Chassis: Front Suspension 4. Chassis: Motor and Transmission Mounting 5. Chassis: Rear Suspension 6. Body: An Introduction to Scratch Building 7. Body: A Gallery of Scratch-Built Cars 8. Body: Fabricating the Skeleton 9. Body: Applying the Skin 10. Body: Pickup Bed 11. Body: Fenders and Running Boards 12. Mechanicals 13. Interior Fittings 14. Body Preparation and Painting 15. Upholstery: Seats 16. Upholstery: Interior Panels 17. Upholstery: Consoles, Carpets and Trims 18. Engine 19. Finishing Touches and the Completed Car About the Author

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Chapter 10: Body - Pickup Bed

One of the joys of scratch building is that you have the ability to alter or improve your design in midstream. And for this project, that was true in spades.

After completing the sheet metal skin and having a few days to view the finished body from a number of different angles, it was determined that the original design was lacking in overall interest and eye appeal. After pulling out the sketch paper and toying with a number of ideas, the decision was made to add a short pickup bed to the back of the body, and to add fenders and a hint of running boards.

Pickup bed design

To visualize the pickup bed and its location, 1" sheets of Styrofoam were cut and taped together to mimic the bed (Photo 10-1). After deciding on the appropriate length and width for the bed, posterboard was used to create an enhanced design for the side of the bed (Photo 10-2).

Photo 10-1 Styrofoam Photo 10-2 A design for the panels are used to mock up side of the bed is created on the bed. Photo attribution posterboard. Photo attribution

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This pattern was taped to the original mock-up to see the visual effect (Photo 10-3). The design work for the bed quickly made it clear that the gas tank location would have to be changed. Instead of being mounted on top of the frame as was originally planned, the tank was moved rearward and under the frame. However, this meant that the tank was now exposed in the event of a rear end collision. To help remedy that situation, the frame was extended about 12" to the rear and the side rails (arrows) were angled down so that the rear crossmember would protect the tank (Photo 10-4).

Photo 10-3 The posterboard Photo 10-4 The pickup bed is taped to the Styrofoam required that the gas tank be bed. Photo attribution moved, and the frame extended to protect it from potential rear end collision. Photo attribution

Bed frame fabrication

Since the tailgate is to be fixed, and not operable, it can be used as the starting point for the bed skeleton. The sides and bottom of the tailgate frame are cut from 1x1 square tube, and the top (arrow) is cut from 1" round pipe. These four pieces are clamped together for welding (Photo 10-5). The finished tailgate frame is shown in Photo 10-6.

Photo 10-5 The bed is Photo 10-6 The welded started by welding up the framework for the tailgate. tailgate, which will be fixed Note how round tubing is rather than operational. used for the top Photo attribution crossmember to give a nicer final look. Photo attribution

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The balance of the bed framework is then squared up and welded to the tailgate (Photo 10-7). Note that the top member of both the tailgate and the front of the bed (arrows) is round tubing. The other sections of the framework are either square tubing or 1" angle iron. The sheet metal for the inside of the tailgate is cut and welded in at this juncture (Photo 10-8).

Photo 10-7 The remainder Photo 10-8 The sheet metal of the frame sections are is welded to the inside of squared up to the tailgate the tailgate, and must be and welded together. Photo installed at this juncture to attribution provide enough access to grind the welds smooth. Photo attribution

Using the template for the side of the pickup bed as a guide, 3/4" x 3/32" flat stock is bent to create a lip that will define the lower section of the bed (Photo 10-9). These bends are made around any solid round objects you might have in your shop. As you are making the bends, lay the workpiece on a flat bench or table from time to time to make sure it remains flat. It is quite easy for the workpiece to warp in one direction or another as you make each of the bends. The lower lip is then welded to the main section of the bed (Photo 10-10).

Using the pattern once again, flat stock is cut and welded to the bed framework (arrows) to support the sheet metal, which will be installed at the front of the bed (Photo 10-11).

Photo 10-9 Flat stock is Photo 10-10 The lower lip Photo 10-11 Side supports bent around the pattern is welded to the upper (arrows) are welded to the made earlier to create the section of the bed. Photo bed framework for the front lower section of the bed's attribution panel. Photo attribution side panel. Photo attribution

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Sheet metal fabrication

To skin the side panel of the bed, the framework is tilted up on its side and set on a piece of sheet metal, and the outline of the bed side is traced onto the metal. The sheet metal is then cut and clamped solidly to the framework for tack welding (Photo 10-12). The tacked side is shown in Photo 10-13.

Photo 10-12 Skinning the Photo 10-13 The side panel bed skeleton begins with a tack welded to the side panel. Photo attribution framework. Photo attribution The front panel is cut and welded in place as shown in Photo 10-14. We want a rolled pan at the rear of the bed. However, before that can be fabricated, we need to mount the trailer hitch receptacle, which is being installed so we can tow a very lightweight (teardrop) trailer behind the car. Holes are drilled using the receptacle mounting plate as a guide, and the receptacle is bolted in (Photo 10-15).

Photo 10-14 The front panel Photo 10-15 A 3500-pound in place. Photo attribution hitch receptacle is mounted to the frame. Photo attribution To create the rolled rear pan we begin by cutting a piece of sheet metal to the width of the bed, and to a height that will span from the bottom of the tailgate to well under the bed (Photo 10-16).

This panel is then "rolled" using a 4' long section of 5" PVC pipe. The sheet metal is first clamped to the work table under 1x2 rectangular tubing (arrow A) which runs the width of the table. Next, the PVC pipe is placed tightly against the 1x2 tubing, and the pipe is clamped solidly to the table at each end (Photo 10-17).

Photo 10-16 The rolled pan To do the bending, a 5' length of angle iron (arrow B) is placed under the edge of the Photo 10-17 The pan is begins with a piece of flat "rolled" using PVC pipe.

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sheet metal. Photo sheet metal. The entire length of the sheet metal can then be pried or lifted up and rolled Photo attribution attribution evenly around the PVC pipe. As the sheet metal is lifted upward, it may also be necessary to use a mallet or hammer to tap on the underside of the panel, to coax the bending process along. However, this should be done in small increments, moving left and right on the panel so that the bend can be made evenly and uniformly.

Photo 10-18 shows the completed roll, and Photo 10-19 shows the rolled panel welded to the bed. To complete the rolled pan, an access hole is cut so that the hitch receptacle can be installed and removed. The hole is cut with a 4 1/2" angle grinder (with cutting blade), and then 3/16" steel rod is cut and welded all around the inside edge of the opening and ground smooth. This gives a more rounded and finished look to the access hole (Photo 10-20).

Photo 10-18 The panel after Photo 10-19 The pan Photo 10-20 The hitch being formed over the PVC welded to the bed. Photo cutout is finished off around pipe. Photo attribution attribution the edges with 3/16" steel rod. Photo attribution

Corner posts and wings

The rear corner posts for the bed are cut from 2x3 rectangular tubing. The bottom is cut in a semicircle pattern, and the top is cut at an angle for the "wing" to sit on (Photo 10-21). A small plate is cut and bent to cover the bottom of the post and then welded and ground smooth (Photo 10-22).

Photo 10-21 The corner Photo 10-22 The finished post for the bed is cut from corner post ready for

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2x3 rectangular tubing. mounting. Photo attribution Photo attribution The post can then be clamped in place for welding (Photo 10-23). The front posts are made differently, since they must be bent to follow the curve at the back of the body. Two separate pieces of 1x1 are cut, bent to fit the contour of the body, and welded together (Photo 10-24).

Photo 10-23 The rear post Photo 10-24 The front post clamped to the bed. Photo is made with two separate attribution pieces of 1x1, so that they can be bent to shape using our Harbor Freight bender which is not equipped to bend 1x2 or 2x3 tubing. Photo attribution The bottom of the post is then cut in a curve to match the curve at the bottom of the rear posts, and the cut section is filled with a plate and welded. The welds are ground smooth before the post is installed (Photo 10-25). The "wing" is cut from 1/8" flat stock, and is laid on the posts to mark the length (Photo 10-26).

Photo 10-25 The front post Photo 10-26 The wing ready for mounting. Photo being measured for length. attribution Photo attribution The wing is then tack welded to the posts and the bed (Photo 10-27). The outer edge of the wing is given the appearance of being rolled by welding on a length of 1" pipe (Photo 10-28).

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Photo 10-27 The wing Photo 10-28 1" pipe is used being tack welded in place. to create the outer rolled Photo attribution edge of the wing. Photo attribution Both wings are shown in Photo 10-29. To bridge the void at the end of each wing (arrow Photo 10-30), a small plate is cut and ground to match the wing and tubing roll (Photo 10-31).

Photo 10-29 Photo Photo 10-30 This void attribution (arrow) must be bridged, and the end of the round tubing covered. Photo attribution The plate is then welded to the post and wing, and ground smooth (Photo 10-32).

Photo 10-31 A pattern is Photo 10-32 The end plate made using posterboard, after welding and grinding. and then this plate is cut Photo attribution and ground to match the curve of the bed wing. Photo attribution

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A similar plate must also be made to cover the back side of the post, in the area shown already completed in Photo 10-33. This plate is a little more difficult to make since it wraps around the pipe, rather than covering the end of the pipe. To do this, the plate material is first drilled with a 1" hole (Photo 10-34). The template in the photo is then used to draw and cut out the rest of the plate.

Photo 10-33 A plate must Photo 10-34 The back side be fabricated to cover this plate is made by first area on the back side of the drilling a 1" hole in the flat post as well (the plate has stock, so that the plate will already been installed in fit tightly around the tubing this photo). Photo at the edge of the wing. attribution Photo attribution

Frenching the tail lights

To create frenched tail lights, we begin by drilling three holes on each side of the rolled pan using a 2 1/4" hole saw (Photo 10-35). A backer plate is cut from sheet metal and drilled with the same size holes spaced exactly the same as the holes in the rolled pan (Photo 10-36).

Photo 10-35 Holes are Photo 10-36 A backer plate drilled in the rolled pan is made with holes drilled using a hole saw. Photo with the same spacing. attribution Photo attribution

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The lens for the tail light is cut from common plastic sheeting normally used for dropped ceiling light fixtures (Photo 10-37). The lens is fastened to the backer plate with screws (photo 10-38).

Photo 10-37 The lens Photo 10-38 The lens is material is from a common screwed to the backer plate. dropped ceiling lighting Photo attribution panel. Photo attribution The "buckets" used to recess the tail lights are cut from 2 1/4" 16-gauge exhaust tubing (Photo 10-39). The buckets are fitted into the holes in the pan (Photo 10-40) and the backer plate is fitted over the opposite ends of the buckets (Photo 10-41).

Photo 10-39 The frenching Photo 10-40 The "buckets" "buckets" are cut from being fitted into the back exhaust tubing. Photo side of the pan holes. Photo attribution attribution Note that exhaust tubing has a welded seam on the inside. That seam should first be ground down with a burr, and then sanded smooth. If the seam is still a bit visible, it should be installed so that it will be at the top of the bucket where it will be the least visible. The buckets are then welded in place on each end (Photo 10-42).

Photo 10-41 The backer Photo 10-42 The frenching plate is then fitted over the buckets are welded to the other end of the buckets. pan and the backer plate. Photo attribution Photo attribution

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The lens is painted candy apple red (Photo 10-43). This paint can be purchased in very small spray cans at any hobby store and at many hardware stores. The candy paint is translucent. It will also be used in conjunction with red LED bulbs, to ensure a vivid red hue to the tail lights. The tail lights are housed in "boxes", which are fabricated from 1/8" flat stock. Photo 10-44 is an outside view of the box. The bulb socket is from the F-100 donor truck. The somewhat odd shape to the box is due to limited room between the rolled pan and the chassis.

Photo 10-43 The lenses are Photo 10-44 The "light box" painted translucent candy exterior view. Photo apple red. Photo attribution attribution Photo 10-45 is a view of the inside of the box, and shows the LED bulb, as well as aluminum flashing being used to better reflect the light within the box. (Note: after the car was completed and driven for a period of time, a second "strip" of LED lights was added to the box to provide full illumination to all three tail light holes.) Photo 10-46 shows the light box installed, and Photo 10-47 shows the finished frenched tail lights.

Photo 10-45 The inside of Photo 10-46 The light box the "light box" showing the is mounted to the backer LED bulb and reflective plate behind the rolled pan. material. Photo attribution Photo attribution

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Photo 10-47. The completed bed. Photo attribution

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Chapters

Introduction 1. Design, Donor and Tools of the Trade 2. Frame Fabrication 3. Chassis: Front Suspension 4. Chassis: Motor and Transmission Mounting 5. Chassis: Rear Suspension 6. Body: An Introduction to Scratch Building 7. Body: A Gallery of Scratch-Built Cars 8. Body: Fabricating the Skeleton 9. Body: Applying the Skin 10. Body: Pickup Bed 11. Body: Fenders and Running Boards 12. Mechanicals 13. Interior Fittings 14. Body Preparation and Painting 15. Upholstery: Seats 16. Upholstery: Interior Panels 17. Upholstery: Consoles, Carpets and Trims 18. Engine 19. Finishing Touches and the Completed Car About the Author

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Chapter 11: Body - Fenders and Running Boards

Design

The design criteria for the fenders and running boards on this project are that:

They be simple and minimal. They flow with the header and side exhaust design. They make use of existing fenders or materials if possible. They tie together the lines of the body and the pickup bed .

For the front tires, the simplest treatment will be a cycle-type fender; the rear fender and running board design will be more challenging. To visualize the various alternatives, a universal trailer fender (available from online suppliers and agriculturally-related "big box" stores such as Fleet Farm and Tractor Supply Co.) and 1x2 rectangular tubing (arrows Photo 11-1 and 11-2) are used to create different layouts and designs.

The design that seemed most appealing was a very minimal hint of a running board, that Photo 11-1 A trailer fender will follow the lines of the intended exhaust headers and side pipes. This meant, Photo 11-2 Photo and some 1x2 tubing are however, that the exhaust pipes and headers would have to be completed before creating attribution used to visualize various the final design for the running board and rear fender. fender and running board layouts. Photo attribution

Headers and exhaust

Although a bit out of place in a chapter titled "Fenders and Running Boards", the headers and exhaust on this particular project will make up a major design element of the vehicle. That design element will dictate the shape and size of the running boards, and how they tie into the rear fenders. So, the headers and side exhaust system must be completed before proceeding.

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Headers

The exhaust is going to run on the outside of the car along the rocker panel, so none of the typical pre-fabricated header systems will work. Instead, a Patriot brand "weld up" sprint-style roadster header kit will be used. These kits come with the head flanges and gaskets, the collector tubes, and eight individual header pipes which are bent to shape, but must be cut to length to fit each individual application.

The header tubes are first assembled in their approximate locations with the tail ends of the tubes inserted in the collector, and the tubes lashed together tightly with nylon ties (arrows) to keep them in position. The assembly is set on wood blocks to position them at the approximate height they will be when finished. The correct height and angle of the headers is critical to ensure the exhaust system will hug the body line, and that it will be below the door when it is opened. This provides a very rough mock-up, to see how the tubes will need to be cut (Photo 11-3). Next, the rear- most header pipe (arrow "A") is marked and cut to length at the head end of the pipe, so that it will fit inside the header flange while the collector and lower assembly of pipes remain in the correct position. It is best to cut the pipe a little long to begin with, and then trim the pipe down until it fits correctly.

Ford exhaust ports are rectangular rather than round, so the end of each header tube must be bent into an oblong shape to fit into the header flange. Everything must be lined up correctly before you start bending the tube end, because there is little room for error once the end of the tube has been reshaped. The pipe may need to be tilted upward or downward, forward or back, in order to get the collector tube in the correct position and allow the balance of the exhaust to follow the line of the rocker panel and to fit below the door when it is opened.

Once the tube is cut, shaped to slip into the flange, and correctly positioned, it is tack welded to the outside of the flange in four spots. Don't overdo the tacking. The final welds for the header pipes are all done on the inside edge of the flange, not around the outside of the flange. So, the tack welds on the outside will be ground off later. After the first tube is tacked in place, move to the next header pipe and follow the same procedure. Keep moving toward the front of the engine until all the pipes are completed. Each header pipe gets more and more difficult to do, because you have less and less fudge factor available as the prior pipes are already welded in place. Each pipe must not only be cut and fitted to the flange on the head end, but must also be perfectly aligned at the Photo 11-3 Mocking up the Photo 11-4 The header collector end, so that the collector pipe will slide on and off the assembled pipes. Photo components of the Patriot pipes cut and tack welded to 11-4 shows the passenger side header pipes tack welded to the header flange in their "Sprint Style" header kit. the header flange. Photo final configuration. Photo attribution attribution

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Once all four pipes are tack welded at the flange, and with the collector tube solidly over the other end of the pipes to hold them in place, the header assembly is removed from the engine, and the pipes are welded to the inside of the flange. If any pipe is not snug up against the flange before welding, use the pick end of a body hammer to tap the tubing up flush against the flange hole, and then do your welding. The welds are then ground smooth (Photo 11-5).

Photo 11-5 The header At the collector end of the exhaust tubes, first cut and trim the pipes, if necessary, so that Photo 11-6 The collector pipes are welded to the they all end evenly. Then, cut a rectangular piece of sheet metal to fill the space that is end of the header tubes are inside of the header flange, left in the center of the four-tube cluster (Arrow "A" in Photo 11-6). After tacking the filled and welded to prevent and the welds ground filler piece in place, a small burr is used to grind the edges of the sheet metal to exhaust leaks. Photo smooth. Photo attribution correspond with the tube openings. The fill piece is then welded solidly in place. Also, attribution as shown at arrow "B", each set of abutting pipes must be welded together as far back along the pipe as the collector is going to slide over the tubes. This prevents any exhaust from escaping in that space.

Next, the collector is slipped in place over the four tube ends. The collector will be welded to the tubes a bit later. It is important to note that in Photo 11-7, you can see the weld bead between the abutting pipes, which was done during the prior step. This weld helps prevent potential exhaust leaks after the collector is welded to the pipes. At this juncture, the temporary tack welds at the header flange can be ground smooth (Photo 11-8).

Photo 11-7 The collector is Photo 11-8 The temporary slipped over the four tube tack welds at the header ends. Arrow shows weld flange are ground smooth. between abutting pipes. Photo attribution Photo attribution

Side exhaust

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The side exhaust is also from Patriot. The pieces are shown in Photo 11-9. On the left is the muffler and 90-degree turn out. In the center is a 24" pipe extension. And, on the right is the collector from the header kit, which has been slipped off the headers so that it can be assembled with the side pipes.

The components for the side pipes are first marked so that the turn out at the end of the pipe will be in the direction desired. In this case, the turn will be pointed horizontally. Photo 11-9 Left-to-right: The sections are then tack welded together (Photo 11-10), placed back on the headers to Photo 11-10 The side the Patriot muffler, 24" ensure everything is lined up properly, and then all the seams are welded and ground exhaust system tack welded extension and collector tube smooth. At this juncture, the side exhaust is still not welded to the headers at the together. Photo attribution for the side exhaust. Photo collector pipe. This will allow a bit of final adjustment to take place as the running attribution boards are completed.

Running boards

Fabrication of the running board frame begins with the rear brace, which will extend perpendicularly from the chassis and support the front edge of the rear fender. This brace is cut from 1x2 rectangular tubing, and has a plate welded at one end to bolt to the chassis (Photo 11-11). This rear brace is then welded to a long side brace which runs parallel with, and will be bolted to, the rocker panel of the car. This brace will extend forward to the firewall (Photo 11-12).

Photo 11-11 The rear brace Photo 11-12 The side brace of the running board will extends forward to the support the front edge of the firewall. Photo attribution rear fender. Photo attribution

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This minimal framework for the running board is temporarily clamped to the car along the rocker panel, and checked with an angle finder (arrow Photo 11-13) to ensure the brace is absolutely level. If the brace is not level, it may result in the rear fender being tilted at an odd angle.

To attach the fender to the rear brace (and allow the fender to be removable), a mounting plate consisting of a 6" piece of 2 x 3/32" flat stock is bolted to the back side of the rear Photo 11-13 An angle brace (arrow Photo 11-14). Note that the front edge of the fender sits just at the front Photo 11-14 The rear fender gauge is used to ensure the edge of this mounting plate. Photo 11-15 shows from the front side how the fender sits mounting plate is bolted to running board will be level. on the edge of the brace, and also shows the two bolts in the brace, which hold the the running board brace. Photo attribution mounting plate in position. Photo attribution Next, a tab consisting of a 5" piece of 1 x 3/32" flat stock is placed on the top edge of the "mounting plate" and tilted slightly forward, so that it lays flat against the inside of the fender. The tab is then tack welded to the mounting plate.

With the fender removed, Photo 11-16 shows how the "tab" extends upward from the "mounting plate". Note that the tab angles forward slightly; this corresponds with the curvature of the fender at that point. Photo 11-15 Front view Photo 11-16 A tab is showing position of fender welded to the top of the over mounting plate. Photo mounting plate. Photo attribution attribution

The fender is placed back in position against the mounting plate and tab. Note in Photo 11-17 that the fender is mocked up with wooden spacers (arrow) holding it approximately 2 1/2" up off the tire. This will allow for wheel travel once the fender is permanently affixed. The "tab" is then welded to the front edge of the fender (Photo 11-18). With the fender off the car, you can see how the mounting plate is now permanently attached to the fender (Photo 11-19).

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Photo 11-17 Wooden Photo 11-18 The tab above Photo 11-19 The fender spacers (arrow) are used to the mounting plate is with its mounting plate position the fender above welded to the back side of welded in place. Photo the wheel during the the fender. Photo attribution attribution fabrication process. Photo attribution

Rear fenders

At this point, the running board construction cannot be completed until we fabricate the remainder of the rear fender. So, we will temporarily postpone construction of the running boards, and jump into the rear fender fabrication.

As the prior photos show, a universal trailer fender (these came from Fleet Farm and cost approximately $18 each) has been used in the fabrication. However, this fender is too narrow, and does not tie in well with the pickup bed. The solution is to create a much wider fender by mating two trailer fenders side-by-side (Photo 11-20).

Photo 11-20 Two With our one fender bolted up to the portion of the running board we just finished, a Photo 11-21 A body- inexpensive universal trailer pattern can now be made for cutting the "inside" portion of the fender. The pattern is hugging pattern is made fenders are mated to make made by cutting small sections of posterboard, and positioning them snug to the pickup with posterboard pieces one rear fender for the bed and to the curvature at the rear of the body. The various sections of posterboard are taped together. Photo project. Photo attribution taped together to form one unified pattern. (Photo 11-21). attribution

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Photo 11-22 shows the pattern-making from a different view. The pattern is removed, placed over the second fender so that it can be traced, and the inner fender is cut to the shape of the pattern (Photo 11-23).

Photo 11-22 Another view Photo 11-23 The inner of the pattern being made. fender is cut to shape using Photo attribution the pattern. Photo attribution The two fenders are then clamped together (Photo 11-24), and tack welded on the underside (Photo 11-25). Note that the mounting flange for the outside (uncut) fender is left intact (arrow). This helps strengthen the fender. The flange will not interfere with tire travel, since the tire sits totally within the width of the outside fender section.

Photo 11-24 The two fender Photo 11-25 The underside sections are clamped view of the two fenders tack together for welding. Photo welded together. Photo attribution attribution Photo 11-26 shows the two blended fenders from the outside, and Photo 11-27 shows the completed fender being tested to ensure it fits snugly to the bed and body.

Photo 11-26 The topside Photo 11-27 The "double view of the mated fenders. wide" fender being test-fit. Photo attribution Photo attribution

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To secure the new fender to the pickup bed, a series of holes are drilled in the flanged edge of the inner fender (Photo 11-28). These holes should be spaced evenly, because the heads will show inside the pickup bed. The fender is then placed back on the car, and corresponding holes are marked and drilled in the side of the pickup bed (Photo 11-29).

Photo 11-28 Mounting Photo 11-29 Corresponding holes are evenly spaced and holes are drilled in the bed's drilled in the fender edge side panel, using the fender flange. Photo attribution as a template. Photo attribution

Even when bolted solidly to the bed, there is still enough flex in the side panel of the bed to allow a bit of movement in the fender's horizontal position. To ensure the fender will remain parallel with the ground, a small adjusting tab (arrow) is welded to the framework of the bed behind one of the fender mounting bolts (Photo 11-30). By attaching a magnetic angle finder to the lip of the fender (Photo 11-31) and tweaking the bolt tightness at the adjusting tab, the fender can be set and maintained in the horizontal position.

Photo 11-32 shows the two completed rear fenders.

Photo 11-30 To allow Photo 11-31 A magnetic Photo 11-32 Rear view of adjustment and leveling of angle finder is used to set the completed fenders. the fender, a small tab is the fender horizontally and Photo attribution welded to the bed then lock it in position with framework behind one of the adjusting bolt/tab. Photo the attachment bolts. This attribution prevents flexing of the bed's side panel due to the weight

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of the fender. Photo attribution

Running board (continued)

With the rear fenders completed, the running boards can now be finished. The original section of the running board framework is bolted back onto the car, along with the new rear fender. The side exhaust is then placed back on the header system and correctly positioned (Photo 11-33).

An outside edge for the running board is cut from 1x2 tubing so that it extends to about two inches from the end of the exhaust pipe. It is temporarily held in place with two 1x1 Photo 11-33 To continue supports. This outside edge piece is then tack welded to the rear brace at the corner Photo 11-34 An outside with the running board shown by the arrow (Photo 11-34). edge piece is added to the fabrication, the side exhaust running board. Photo is mounted back in position. attribution Photo attribution Next, a piece of 2"x 3/32" flat stock (arrow) is bent to match the curve of the side pipe turn out. The piece is cut to length so that it fits between the newly installed edge piece and the original main brace, which runs parallel with the rocker panel. It is then clamped in place and tack welded (Photo 11-35). Photo 11-36 shows the completed rear section of the running board framework.

Photo 11-35 Flat stock is Photo 11-36 The completed used to create a curve that framework for the running mimics the curve of the board. Photo attribution exhaust pipe. Photo attribution

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A pattern to cover this section of the running board is made using posterboard (Photo 11-37), and sheet metal is then marked, cut and tack welded in place (Photo 11-38).

Photo 11-37 A pattern is Photo 11-38 The panel is created to cover the rear tack welded to the running section of the running board. Photo attribution board. Photo attribution Photos 11-39 and 11-40 show the completed running board, and how it follows the line of the side exhaust and ties in with the rear fender.

Photo 11-39 The completed Photo 11-40 Another view running board. Photo of the completed running attribution board. Photo attribution

Front fenders

The simplest and most minimal front fender is the cycle-type fender which is attached to and turns with the front wheels. A good friend and fellow rodder rummaged through his collection of fine old hot rod parts and found a set of fenders he had picked up at a swap meet and never used. These fenders had the desired look, but they were far too long. In fact, both of the final fenders came from just one original, by cutting it in half and reshaping the bobbed end (Photo 11-41).

Photo 11-41 An original To create mounting brackets for the fenders, 3/16" x 1" flat stock is cut and bent to Photo 11-42 The fender

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fender is shown at top and conform with the shape of the underside of the fender. Two bolt holes are drilled in the mounting bracket is begun the two "cycle" fenders cut flat stock and through the fender (Photo 11-42). by bending flat stock to fit from one original are shown the underside of the fender. under it. Photo attribution Photo attribution The flat stock is bolted to the fender (Photo 11-43) and a second section of 3/16" flat stock is bent to pass around the edge of the fender, the tire, and the spindle, to reach the vicinity of the spindle, where it will be bolted.

This section is very lightly tacked to the flat stock bolted to the fender, and then the fender is held in place, and the long section of flat stock is adjusted so that it will clear all obstacles and be in position to be bolted to the spindle. It is then welded solid (Photo Photo 11-43 Holes are 11-44). Photo 11-44 The lower drilled and the bracket portion of the mounting section is bolted to the bracket is bent to shape and fender. Photo attribution welded to the section bolted to the fender. Photo attribution A hole is drilled near the end of the mounting bracket, and the fender is again positioned over the wheel and the hole marked on the spindle. The hole is then drilled and tapped for the mounting bolt (Photo 11-45). A spacer is cut and placed behind the mounting bracket, to center the fender over the wheel. This spacer can be ground down or angled slightly to position the fender more precisely (arrow, Photo 11-46). This spacer is later welded to the bracket permanently.

Photo 11-45 The bracket Photo 11-46 A spacer is mounting hole is drilled used to center the fender on through the spindle and the wheel. Photo attribution tapped for a mounting bolt. Photo attribution

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The lower fender bracket (arrow) is fabricated in the same way (Photo 11-47), and the fender can then be bolted in place (Photo 11-48). Photo 11-49 shows another view of the cycle fender mounted in position.

Photo 11-47 The lower Photo 11-48 The cycle fender bracket is created in fender bolted in place. the same way as the upper Photo attribution bracket. The lower bracket attaches to the caliper mounting bolt. Photo attribution After the car was completed and driven a few hundred miles, the mounting bracket on one side cracked at a weld, most likely due to the brackets allowing too much movement and vibration of the fenders during road travel. This is a fairly common problem with cycle fenders. To remedy the situation, vertical "ribs", made from 3/4" flat stock, were added to the back side of the brackets (Photo 11-50).

Photo 11-49 Another view Photo 11-50 After being of the mounted cycle driven for some time, the fender. Photo attribution fender brackets were modified with a vertical "rib" (arrow) to strengthen the bracket and reduce vibration of the fenders. Photo attribution

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Chapters

Introduction 1. Design, Donor and Tools of the Trade 2. Frame Fabrication 3. Chassis: Front Suspension 4. Chassis: Motor and Transmission Mounting 5. Chassis: Rear Suspension 6. Body: An Introduction to Scratch Building 7. Body: A Gallery of Scratch-Built Cars 8. Body: Fabricating the Skeleton 9. Body: Applying the Skin 10. Body: Pickup Bed 11. Body: Fenders and Running Boards 12. Mechanicals 13. Interior Fittings 14. Body Preparation and Painting 15. Upholstery: Seats 16. Upholstery: Interior Panels 17. Upholstery: Consoles, Carpets and Trims 18. Engine 19. Finishing Touches and the Completed Car

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Chapter 12: Mechanicals

By design, the individual sections presented in this chapter are not necessarily in chronological order. You may notice that in some of the pictures, we have jumped forward or backward in time. And in other pictures, certain parts of the construction will be completed even though they have not yet been described in the prior sections of the book. Hopefully this will all make some sense to the reader, and not be too distracting.

Pedal mounts

The pedals from the donor F-100 can be used for the project, but the mounting hardware must be fabricated from scratch. The parts and pieces used for the pedals are shown in Photo 12-1. From left to right are: the clutch pedal, the clutch pedal push rod, the brake pedal, two 1x2 rectangular tube support brackets (with mounting holes drilled for the support tubes), two support tubes cut from 1" pipe, and, above the support brackets, four plastic bushings from the donor.

To begin, a support tube is inserted into one of the 1x2 brackets, welded on each end and ground smooth (Photo 12-2). The second bracket and tube are welded together in the same way. The two brackets and the pedals are then assembled into one unit (Photo 12-3).

Photo 12-1 Pedal Photo 12-2 A support tube Photo 12-3 The pedals components. Photo is welded into the pedal assembled on the mounting attribution mounting bracket. Photo bracket. Photo attribution attribution

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The pedal unit is positioned and welded to the firewall hoop at the front, and the windshield crossmember at the rear (Photo 12-4). Photos 12-5 and 12-6 provide a couple of views of the pedals hung in the car. Later in the construction process the pedals will be shortened a bit.

Photo 12-4 Pedal assembly Photo 12-5 A view of the Photo 12-6 Another view of is positioned and welded in installed pedals. Photo the installed pedals. Photo place. Photo attribution attribution attribution

To support the clutch master cylinder and brake master cylinder when they are hung on the firewall, 1/4" flat stock (arrow) is cut and welded to the mounting brackets (Photo 12-7). The firewall sheet metal alone would not support the pressure put on the master cylinders by the pedal action.

Using a hole saw, the firewall and supports are drilled out and the master cylinders are bolted in place (Photo 12-8). Note that the clutch master, shown on the right in this picture, was later lowered approximately 2" so that the fluid reservoir would no longer extend above the firewall hoop. In addition, a new Wilwood master was swapped in for the stock unit shown in this picture. A new master brake cylinder was also used to replace this original.

Photo 12-9 shows how the push rods for each master cylinder are attached to tabs welded to the pedals.

Photo 12-7 Support is Photo 12-8 The clutch and Photo 12-9 Tabs are welded provided behind the firewall brake master cylinders are to the pedals to connect the to mount the master bolted to the firewall. Photo cylinder activation rods. cylinders. Photo attribution attribution Photo attribution

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Steering box mount

The project will use a 525 steering box. After mocking up the box and the tie rods to ensure there will be no clearance problems, the frame is marked for the location of the mounting bracket. The main faceplate and triangular gusset supports for the bracket are made using 3/16" flat stock. One-inch pipe, as shown in the photo, is used to provide the correct spacing to keep the bracket from interfering with the box (Photo 12-10). This portion of the mounting bracket is welded and ground smooth (Photo 12-11). The steering box is bolted to the bracket using the two lower mounting holes. An extension must then be fabricated so that the upper mounting hole on the steering box can be bolted to the bracket (Photo 12-12). The extension is made using a piece of 1x1 tubing, which is cut at a 45-degree angle at the top, and then rounded with a grinder to match the curve of the 1" tube spacer.

Photo 12-10 The main Photo 12-11 This portion of Photo 12-12 An extension portion of the mounting the bracket is welded and is required to reach the top bracket is tack welded to ground smooth. Photo bolt of the steering box. the chassis. Photo attribution Photo attribution attribution

After tack welding the tube spacer to the extension, it is removed from the rest of the bracket to complete the welding and to grind the beads smooth (Photo 12-13). The extension is then mocked back up with the steering box, and welded to the main portion of the mounting bracket. Photo 12-14 shows the completed bracket after the welds have been ground smooth and painted with a coat of primer. The steering box can then be bolted to the mount (Photo 12-15).

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Photo 12-13 The extension Photo 12-14 The extension Photo 12-15 The steering is welded and ground is then welded to the main box bolted to the new smooth. Photo attribution portion of the mounting mounting bracket. Photo bracket. Photo attribution attribution

The tie rods were cut to length from 1/4" wall, 1 1/16" tubing, which is then drilled and tapped at each end with left- and right-hand threads to accommodate 5/8" heim rod ends. With the wheels straight ahead, the tie rod from the steering box to the passenger side spindle is installed first. To complete the cross steering setup, a bracket is cut from 1/4" flat stock and drilled for a 5/8" bolt (Photo 12-16). This bracket is welded to the tie rod we just installed as shown at the arrow in Photo 12-17. The tie rod to the driver side wheel is attached to this bracket as shown in Photo 12-18.

Photo 12-16 A mounting Photo 12-17 The mounting Photo 12-18 An overhead plate for connecting the two plate (arrow) welded to the view of the tie rod tie rods. Photo attribution tie rod. Photo attribution configuration. Photo attribution

Note that with this design, each of the tie rods is approximately the same length as each I-beam axle. By keeping both tie rods (Pitman-to-passenger and passenger-to-driver) approximately the same length as each of the I-beam axles, it reduces potential for bumpsteer, since the arc of travel for the tie rod will be virtually the same as the arc of travel for the axle. Steering column and steering shaft

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Mounting the steering column begins with determining where the column will pass through the firewall, and then cutting the required hole in the firewall sheet metal. Using a level and tape measure, the firewall is marked in direct line with the center of the input shaft on the steering box. Although this location does not have to be absolutely exact, we want the "forward shaft" (the intermediary shaft that runs between the steering box and the steering column) to be nearly parallel with the steering box input shaft, so that it will clear the engine mount and the exhaust headers. This mark gives us a reference point for the "left-right" location of our steering wheel shaft hole.

The mark also provides a reference point for the height of the hole we need to make in the firewall. It is the apex of the angle between the steering shaft and the "forward shaft". To determine the actual height and position of the hole, we just need to calculate the angle of the steering wheel shaft.

To calculate that angle, we remove the column so that only the steering wheel shaft and steering wheel remain. We then mock up the wheel and the shaft, placing the upper end of the shaft at the exact height it will be once the dashboard is created. To do that, a temporary "dash", in the form of a 2x4, is clamped in place and the steering wheel shaft is clamped to the lower edge of that temporary dash (Photo 12-19).

Using the reference mark we previously made on the firewall as our guide, we move the lower tip of the steering wheel shaft up or down against the inside (cockpit side) of the firewall sheet metal. We then "eyeball" the trajectory of the steering wheel shaft, and visualize an imaginary line intersecting with the line from the steering box to the firewall. The firewall is marked where the tip of the steering wheel shaft is then touching the inside surface of the firewall sheet metal. The steering wheel and shaft are then removed.

Since locating this hole in the firewall is far from an exact science, we first make just a 3/4" pilot hole through the sheet metal (Photo 12-20). This hole needs to be just large enough that our steering wheel shaft will fit through, but no larger.

The steering wheel and shaft are once again mocked up, but this time the shaft can be inserted through the small hole in the firewall, and the upper section of the shaft is once again clamped to our imaginary dash (Photo 12-21). We can now test if our hole location needs to be moved slightly left, right, up or down in order for the steering wheel shaft to intersect at an appropriate point with the "forward shaft" of the steering system. By drilling our initial hole to the absolute minimum size, we can compensate by up to an inch in any direction if we have made an error in our calculation of the hole's location.

Photo 12-19 The steering Photo 12-20 A small pilot Photo 12-21 The steering shaft is mocked up to a hole is drilled to test for shaft is mocked up with the temporary dashboard to correct alignment of the shaft running through the

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locate where the steering steering shaft and the pilot hole. Photo attribution column should pass through "forward shaft". Photo the firewall. Photo attribution attribution

Fortunately, our hole location is well-positioned, and we can simply enlarge it to accommodate the steering column itself (Photo 12-22). Note that as the hole is enlarged it needs to be made a bit oblong rather than circular, so that the column can fit within the hole at the proper angle. With the hole enlarged, the column is once again placed over the steering wheel shaft and the full assembly is mocked up in position (Photo 12-23).

To mount the column, we begin by cutting two mounting blocks, which will bolt to the stock mounting pad that is attached to the column (Photo 12-24).

Photo 12-22 After making Photo 12-23 The full Photo 12-24 Mounting any final adjustments to column is test-fit to ensure blocks for anchoring the ensure the center of the hole it is properly located. Photo steering column to the pedal is in the correct location, it attribution support assembly. Photo is enlarged to accommodate attribution the full steering column. Photo attribution

The two blocks are bolted to the column mounting pad, and 1x1 square tubing is used to fabricate the balance of the column mounting bracket (Photo 12-25). The bracket is then welded to the pedal mounting supports (Photo 12-26 and 12-27).

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Photo 12-25 The blocks are Photo 12-26 The mounting Photo 12-27 Another view bolted to the column, and bracket is positioned and of the mounted steering 1x1 tubing is fabricated for welded in place. Photo column. Photo attribution the mounting bracket. Photo attribution attribution

As you may have noticed in an earlier fabrication photo, 12-23, the column is a few inches too long for this application. With the upper steering wheel end of the column bolted in place we have determined that 7 3/4" needs to be removed from the column.

Unfortunately, you can't simply cut 7 3/4" off the end of the column and be done with it. There is a critical bearing and race at the end of the column (arrow "A") which keeps the steering shaft centered in the column (Photo 12-28). To retain this bearing, the bottom of the column must be cut off, and then reattached to the column once the 7 3/4" section has been removed.

Note also in Photo 12-28 that there is a hole cut in the original column for the old gear shift levers (arrow "B"). This hole is not needed or wanted for this project, so the end piece is cut off just below this hole, and then the 7 3/4" section is removed from the column. These cuts are done with a chop saw, which provides for a fairly precise 90-degree angle on the cuts.

Photo 12-29 shows the three sections after cutting. The arrow indicates the 7 3/4" section which will be discarded. The other two sections are then clamped together for welding (Photo 12-30).

Photo 12-28 To shorten the Photo 12-29 The column is Photo 12-30 The end

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steering column, the end cut using a chop saw, and section is clamped together section with its centering the 7 3/4" section (arrow) is with the main portion of the bearing must be retained. discarded. Photo attribution column for welding. Photo Photo attribution attribution

Photo 12-31 shows the shortened column after the welds have been ground smooth and a coat of primer applied. With this portion of the shortening completed, we can now shorten the steering wheel shaft. To do this, the shaft is assembled in the column, and the column is bolted to the mounting bracket. The steering U-joint is held in place and marked so that the shaft will extend fully into the collar at one end of the U-joint (Photo 12-32). Note also in this photo that there must be enough shaft length to accommodate the bearing retaining collar which can be seen just above the U-joint. Photo 12-33 shows the shaft with the cut off mark (arrow "A") and the bearing retaining collar (arrow "B").

Photo 12-31 The shortened Photo 12-32 The steering Photo 12-33 Arrow "A" column after welds are wheel shaft must also be shows where the shaft will ground smooth. Photo shortened. It must be long be cut off while arrow "B" attribution enough so that the bearing identifies the bearing collar. collar and U-joint can be Photo attribution attached. Photo attribution

Photo 12-34 shows the shaft, with the U-joint attached, after being cut to the proper length. Photo 12-35 shows the completed steering column mounting from inside the cockpit.

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Photo 12-34 The U-joint is Photo 12-35 A cockpit view installed on the shortened of the completed steering steering shaft. The U-joint column. Photo attribution is retained with a grade-8 through bolt and two set screws. Photo attribution

To finish out the steering system, a support must be provided for the "forward shaft". This support will also help stabilize the lower end of the steering wheel shaft and the U-joint. The forward shaft will ride in a heim-type collar, and that collar will be bolted to a bracket. The pieces for the bracket are shown in Photo 12-36. The "pedestal" on the left is made from 1x2 rectangular tubing and the arm (on right) is cut from 1 1/2" x 1/4" flat stock. The pedestal was cut and welded to form a triangular shape, for improved looks.

The two pieces of the mounting bracket are welded together (Photo 12-37), and the unit is positioned and welded to the frame. Photo 12-38 shows the completed bracket and heim-type shaft collar in place.

Photo 12-36 The base and Photo 12-37 The support top for the "forward shaft" pieces welded together and Photo 12-38 The completed support. Photo attribution ground smooth. Photo "forward shaft" support. attribution Photo attribution

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Clutch slave cylinder and bracket

The F-100 donor vehicle had a mechanical clutch linkage that was too bulky and too difficult to swap into this project. A hydraulic master and slave from a Mazda pickup truck were used to replace the mechanical linkage. Later, these Mazda components were swapped out for new Wilwood units.

The clutch master cylinder and pedal fabrication were shown previously in this chapter. A bracket must now be fabricated to mount the slave cylinder, so that it can operate the clutch.

The first step is to locate at least two existing bolts in the vicinity of the clutch throw-out arm, that can be used to anchor the bracket. Two bellhousing bolts (arrows) will serve the purpose well on this engine. With the bolt locations established, a posterboard pattern is made for a mounting plate.

The mounting plate should provide for solid attachment to the bellhousing, and it should vertically extend slightly below the bottom of the clutch arm. The width of the bracket should be measured so that with the slave cylinder on the outside edge of the bracket (farthest from the engine) the push rod will be centered in the dimple of the clutch arm. Using the paper pattern, a mounting plate is cut from 3/16" flat stock, drilled and bolted in place (Photo 12-39).

The second piece of the bracket, the faceplate, is another length of 3/16" x 3" flat stock on which we will mount the slave cylinder. This piece is purposely cut a bit longer than the mounting plate and is then drilled and cut to provide two "adjusting slots", which are positioned to match the bolt holes on the slave cylinder. These slots are cut after roughly eyeballing their position, so that when completed, the slave cylinder push rod will be centered in the clutch arm dimple (Photo 12-40). The slave is then bolted to the faceplate (Photo 12-41).

Photo 12-39 The clutch Photo 12-40 Slots are cut in Photo 12-41 The slave slave cylinder mounting the bracket's faceplate so cylinder bolted to the plate is cut, drilled and that the slave cylinder can faceplate. Photo attribution bolted to the bellhousing. be adjusted to control the Photo attribution clutch correctly. Photo attribution

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The faceplate and slave can then be positioned on the mounting plate, so that the slave's push rod fits perfectly into the dimple in the clutch arm. The top and bottom of the faceplate are marked so that the excess material can be trimmed off. The top and bottom marks also serve to correctly position the faceplate vertically on the mounting plate.

With both pieces removed from the engine, they are positioned and clamped together at right angles and welded. To provide additional strength, a top plate (arrow) is also cut and welded to the bracket (Photo 12-42). Although it can not be seen in the photo, a second but smaller triangular support piece is welded inside the bracket and just above the upper mounting slot. Photo 12-43 provides another view of the completed clutch slave mounting bracket.

Photo 12-42 The faceplate Photo 12-43 Another view is welded to the mounting of the completed slave plate and a triangular cylinder bracket. Photo support (arrow) is added at attribution the top of the bracket. An additional support is hidden inside the bracket near the bottom. Photo attribution

Radiator mounting

It is not unusual when putting together a scratch-built car that you suddenly discover two key elements that both want to occupy the exact same space. No matter how well we plan, this is bound to happen. For this project, it happened when the Mustang radiator I had ordered was mocked up on the chassis. The lower hose connection on the radiator exited exactly in line with the front crossmember of the chassis. And to keep the radiator in the position we wanted, there was no way to bend a hose sharply enough to get around the obstacle.

The solution? Run the radiator connection right through the center of the crossmember.

To do this, the crossmember is marked and cut with a hole saw (Photo 12-44). A section of black pipe is then cut long enough so that there is

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enough length on either side of the crossmember to attach a radiator hose. On one end of the pipe, a "blow-off" lip is welded around the tip of the pipe and ground smooth (Photo 12-45). Do NOT, however, weld a lip around both ends of the pipe at this juncture, or you will not be able fit the pipe through the crossmember hole.

The pipe is slipped into the crossmember hole, centered and welded in place (Photo 12-46). At this point, the "blow-off" lip can be welded to the "clean" end of the pipe and ground smooth.

Photo 12-44 A hole is cut Photo 12-45 The "pass Photo 12-46 The "pass through the front through" pipe is cut to through" pipe is positioned crossmember to provide length and a "blow-off" ring in the crossmember, welded access to the lower radiator is created by welding in place, and a blow-off ring outlet. Photo attribution around one end of the pipe is welded around the and grinding the bead "clean" end. Photo smooth. Photo attribution attribution

Before fabricating the radiator mounting brackets, the electric fan is positioned on the radiator and mounting brackets (arrows) are made from flat stock and drilled to fit the radiator and fan mounting holes (Photo 12-47).

The radiator (with the fan affixed) is then mocked up on the chassis, and mounting brackets are fabricated from flat stock. Note that the upright portions of the brackets (arrows) are bolted at the bottom and are removable, which helps when installing or removing the engine (Photo 12-48).

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Photo 12-47 Brackets to Photo 12-48 Mounting hold the electric fan to the brackets for the radiator are radiator are created from fabricated using flat stock. flat stock. Photo attribution Photo attribution

Photo 12-49 shows the radiator mounted on the brackets. It also provides a good view of how the "pass through" pipe (arrow) lines up with the lower hose outlet on the radiator. A straight section of hose can be used to create this connection. Photos 12-50 and 12-51 show the radiator mounting brackets from a couple of different angles.

Photo 12-49 This shot with Photo 12-50 The completed Photo 12-51 Another view the radiator shows how the radiator installation. Photo of the completed radiator "pass through" (arrow) lines attribution installation. Photo up with the lower hose attribution outlet. Photo attribution

Fan shroud

Hot rods can tend to run a little on the warm side, so it is best to provide a shroud around the fan to assist in cooling. In most cases, the shroud should be built so that half of the fan blade depth is inside the shroud, and half outside the shroud. By using a framework of 1 1/2" x 1/8" flat stock, our shroud will be positioned almost perfectly. The framework pieces are measured to fit around the perimeter of the radiator core and small slots (arrows) are cut in the flat stock to fit around the fan mounting bracket (Photo 12-52).

Photo 12-53 shows the perimeter frame for the shroud placed on the radiator. The arrows indicate where the slots were cut to fit around the fan bracket. Also note that the shroud perimeter fits fairly tightly to the edge of the core, and allows exposure to virtually all of the core for the fan's circulation effect. Small tabs are welded to the perimeter framing (arrows) to attach the shroud to the radiator (Photo 12-54).

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Photo 12-52 The shroud Photo 12-53 The frame Photo 12-54 Tabs are begins with a perimeter must be notched to clear the welded to the frame so that framework of 1 1/2" flat fan mounting bracket. it can be bolted to the stock. Photo attribution Photo attribution radiator. Photo attribution

Using posterboard, (Photo 12-55) a pattern is made to cover the perimeter framework of the shroud. The radius of the fan is measured, and a circle drawn on the pattern and then cut out. Photo 12-56 shows the pattern being test-fit on the fan and shroud perimeter. The pattern is then transferred to sheet metal, and after testing to ensure the fan will turn freely, the resulting panel is tack welded to the shroud perimeter frame (Photo 57).

Photo 12-55 A pattern is Photo 12-56 The paper Photo 12-57 The pattern is made for the face of the pattern is test-fitted on the cut from sheet metal and shroud. Photo attribution frame. Photo attribution tack welded to the frame. Photo attribution

With the shroud removed from the radiator, it is welded up and ground smooth. It is then bolted back on the radiator for one final test-fit (Photo 12-58), and then given a coat of primer (Photo 12-59).

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Photo 12-58 The shroud is Photo 12-59 The completed removed for final welding shroud mounted on the car. and grinding, and then Photo attribution given one final test-fitting. Photo attribution

Heat and A/C

This project will be equipped with a Vintage Air clone "mini" heater and air conditioning unit, which also comes equipped with defrost. The parts and pieces for the kit are shown in Photo 12-60. The evaporator/heater box is positioned under the cowl, and mounting tabs (arrows) are cut and welded in place (Photo 12-61). The air conditioning hoses will be run through the floor board, but the heater hoses will be run through the firewall. This requires some sort of bulkhead connector. These connectors are availed as an aftermarket item, but they are often pricey. With just a few common hardware items (Photo 12-62) you can make your own. The only modification that needs to be made to these parts is to bore out the connector (arrow) to allow the 1/2" copper pipe shown above the connector to slip all the way through.

Photo 12-60 The Photo 12-61 The heating Photo 12-62 The components for the heating box and A/C evaporator inexpensive hardware store and A/C installation. Photo being hung under the cowl. components to make your attribution Photo attribution own bulkhead connectors. Photo attribution

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Photo 12-63 shows the bulkhead parts assembled, and how the copper tubing passes all the way through the connector. Two 7/8" holes are located and drilled through the firewall, (Photo 12-64) and the bulkhead connector is installed. The copper pipe is centered in the connector and soldered so that there is adequate tubing on both ends to allow attachment of the hoses. Also, it is important to note that a "blow-off ring" (arrow) has been soldered to the tip of the copper pipe on each end (Photo 12-65). This ring is made by slicing off a very thin strip from a 1/2" copper connector.

Photo 12-63 The bulkhead Photo 12-64 Holes are Photo 12-65 The connector pieces assembled. Photo drilled in the firewall for the installed on the firewall. A attribution bulkhead connectors. Photo thin slice of copper pipe attribution (arrow) is soldered to the pipe as a "blow-off ring". Photo attribution

Cutting such a straight and thin slice of copper can be quite difficult with most traditional tools. To remedy the situation, a "mini chop saw" was utilized to make the cut (Photo 12-66). This very handy little tool is made by clamping an air-driven cutoff tool to a short length of board. The board is then hinged (arrows) to a wooden base (Photo 12-67). Note that various "guides" have been attached to the top of the base so that material can be held in place to make 90-degree and 45-degree cuts. Photo 12-68 shows the saw being used to cut the blow-off rings for our bulkhead connectors.

Photo 12-66 A homemade Photo 12-67 The mini chop Photo 12-68 The chop saw

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mini chop saw is used to cut saw is made by clamping an cutting a blow-off ring. the thin rings seen on the air-powered cutting wheel Photo attribution bulkhead connectors. Photo to a hinged lever. Photo attribution attribution

An aftermarket stainless steel heater hose kit is being used for the water lines to and from the heater (Photo 12-69). This kit comes with the chromed ferrule end as shown, but this application also needs a "dress up" or "beauty" ring to cover the nut on the bulkhead connector. The ring shown in the photo is a 5/8" long piece of 1 1/2" diameter aluminum pipe which has been sanded and polished. Photo 12-70 shows the two heater hoses attached to the bulkhead connectors.

Photo 12-69 Stainless steel Photo 12-70 The stainless Photo 12-71 Parts heater hose with "beauty heater hoses attached to the fabricated for the heater ring" fabricated from bulkhead connectors. Photo hose bracket. Photo aluminum pipe. Photo attribution attribution attribution

To keep the hoses tidy and straight, a small bracket is made from clear plastic and 3/4" flat stock (Photo 12-71). Plastic is used in this situation to reduce wear or potential damage to the stainless hoses, which will undergo a good deal of flex and movement during road travel. The bracket (arrow "A") bolts to the engine mounting pad and is shown holding the heater hoses in photo 12-72. Note also in this photo that the A/C compressor (arrow "B") has been mounted below the alternator.

Photo 12-73 shows the condenser core mounted in front of the radiator and Photo 12-74 shows the heater box plumbed with its incoming and outgoing water lines.

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Photo 12-72 The heater Photo 12-73 The A/C Photo 12-74 The hose bracket installed condenser core is mounted heater/evaporator box is (arrow). Photo attribution in front of the radiator. plumbed. Photo attribution Photo attribution

Headlight mounts and adjusters

The Dietz-type headlights being used on this project have a mounting stanchion (arrow) and adjustment/tightening apparatus that are not really usable unless you are mounting on a large flat surface. To mount these lights on the top of thin pedestals, we'll need to toss much of the mechanism, and fabricate a new mounting and adjusting mechanism (Photo 12-75).

Looking more closely at Photo 12-75, you will see that the headlight housing has a small sphere at the bottom, which rests in a cup shape at the top of the stanchion (arrow). This allows the housing to be rotated up or down to adjust the angle of the headlight beam. A bolt (which can be seen exiting the bottom of the stanchion) runs down through the sphere and the cup and a nut, also shown in the photo, can then be tightened to hold the housing in position once it is aimed correctly.

Since the stanchion must be discarded, we need to fabricate a comparable "cup" for the headlight sphere to ride in. The cup is made by cutting off a short length of 1/8" wall 1" tubing. We then weld a 1" diameter washer on what will become the bottom of the cup (Photo 12-76). A tightening nut is then welded to the bottom of the washer (Photo 12-77).

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Photo 12-75 The Dietz Photo 12-76 A "cup" is Photo 12-77 A nut is headlight mount and fabricated from pipe and a welded to the bottom of the adjusting mechanism must washer. The headlight cup so that the housing can be replaced with a different housing will rotate within be tightened when it is design to fit the headlight this cup for vertical beam correctly adjusted. Photo stands. Photo attribution adjustment. Photo attribution attribution

To ensure the cup and tightening mechanism will work properly, it is tested on the stem bolt as shown in Photo 12-78. This test should allow full rotation of the headlight housing up or down when the nut is loosened, but should hold the housing in any position when the nut is tightened.

The headlight mounting posts are each made of two parts, a base pad and a pedestal (Photo 12-79). The base pad is cut from 1 1/2" x 1/4" flat stock, and is drilled so that the pedestal will slip into the center hole. Two mounting bolt holes are also drilled in the base. The pedestal is cut from 1/8" wall 1" tubing.

Photo 12-78 The adjusting Photo 12-79 The headlight Photo 12-80 A nut is mechanism and locking bolt stand is fabricated from welded inside the top end of are tested on the headlight 1/4" flat stock base and a 1" the pedestal. Photo housing. Photo attribution pipe pedestal. Photo attribution attribution

To attach the headlight housing to the pedestal, a nut is welded inside the top end of the pedestal tubing (Photo 12-80). Note the holes drilled around the perimeter of the tubing, which allow for welding the nut without making a mess of the threads. The pedestal can then be threaded onto the stem bolt of the headlight housing (Photo 12-81). Note that a nut (arrow) was first threaded on the stem. This nut will allow the headlight housing to be adjusted from left-to-right when the nut is loosened, but will hold the housing in a locked position when the nut is tightened against the top of the pedestal.

This adjustment and tightening mechanism is not the prettiest thing in the world, so it will be concealed with a slip cover made of 1" I.D., thin-wall tubing. This tubing slides up and down the pedestal to allow access to the aiming/tightening mechanism, and is held in place by a small set screw

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(arrow) on the back (Photo12-82). When finished and painted, the slip cover should be barely noticeable.

To complete the headlight mounting, the pedestal base is positioned at the front of the frame rail. A large center hole is drilled to allow the headlight wiring to be run hidden within the frame rails. Two mounting holes are then drilled and tapped so that the base can be bolted in place (Photo 12-83).

Photo 12-81 The pedestal Photo 12-82 Thin-wall Photo 12-83 The base of the and a locking nut (arrow) tubing slides over the light stand is fastened to the are threaded onto the stem adjustment mechanism to frame rail. Photo attribution bolt of the headlight hide it from view. Photo housing. The nut locks the attribution horizontal adjustment of the beam. Photo attribution

The pedestal is then inserted into the center hole in the base, and set vertical with a magnetic angle finder. The pedestal is tack welded and then removed from the car for final welding and smoothing of the beads (Photo 12-84). Photos 12-85 and 12-86 provide a couple of different views of the completed headlight mounts.

Photo 12-84 The pedestal is Photo 12-85 The completed Photo 12-86 Another view inserted into the hole in the headlight mounts. Photo of the completed headlight base, leveled vertically and attribution mounts. Photo attribution

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welded to the base. Photo attribution

Front turn signals

Mr. Roadster turn signal lights are used on the front of the car. The lights are mounted on a small tab cut from flat stock, which is welded to the frame (Photo 12-87). A small hole is drilled below the mounting tab, and the wiring for the turn signals is inserted through the hole and then runs hidden within the frame rail along with the headlight wiring. Photo 12-88 shows both turn signal lights mounted on the car.

Photo 12-87 A Mr. Roadster Photo 12-88 The right and turn signal lamp is mounted left turn signal lights. Photo on a tab cut from flat stock. attribution Photo attribution

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Chapters

Introduction 1. Design, Donor and Tools of the Trade 2. Frame Fabrication 3. Chassis: Front Suspension 4. Chassis: Motor and Transmission Mounting 5. Chassis: Rear Suspension 6. Body: An Introduction to Scratch Building 7. Body: A Gallery of Scratch-Built Cars 8. Body: Fabricating the Skeleton 9. Body: Applying the Skin 10. Body: Pickup Bed 11. Body: Fenders and Running Boards 12. Mechanicals 13. Interior Fittings 14. Body Preparation and Painting 15. Upholstery: Seats 16. Upholstery: Interior Panels 17. Upholstery: Consoles, Carpets and Trims 18. Engine 19. Finishing Touches and the Completed Car About the Author

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Chapter 13: Interior Fittings

Floor shifter

A Mr. Gasket "universal" floor shifter was acquired for $9 on eBay. It came surprisingly well-equipped with a large array of brackets and installation pieces, but still required some major modifications for this particular application. The shifter had to be raised and moved to the right to clear the transmission crossmember and speedometer cable. The shifter rods also had to be cut, bent and re-welded to clear the transmission case and properly operate the shift levers. The mounting brackets are a combination of kit parts and handmade pieces (Photo 13-1 to 13-3).

(Note to readers who may question the quality of such an inexpensive shifter: after many months of driving, the unit has proven to be fairly smooth and trouble-free. It is NOT, however, designed for racing or speed shifting - due to its very long "throw" and imprecise lever action. But, for normal cruising and everyday use, it has been quite adequate - especially considering the price tag.)

Photo 13-1 Photo Photo 13-2 Photo Photo 13-3 Photo attribution attribution attribution

Floor skeleton and seat installation

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A skeleton made of 1x1 and 1x2 tubing is formed around the transmission and driveshaft to support the flooring sheet metal (Photo 13-4). While the skeleton is still exposed, the bucket seat mounts are positioned, and holes are drilled for bolting the seats to the floor (Photo 13-5 to 13-7).

Photo 13-4 The floor Photo 13-5 Positioning the skeleton. Photo attribution seat base on the floor framing Photo attribution

Photo 13-6 The driver's seat Photo 13-7 The completed being positioned and seat installation. Photo mounted. Photo attribution attribution

Floor sheet metal

Beginning at the front passenger side of the cockpit, patterns are made and then the sheet metal panels are cut and welded to the skeleton (Photo 13-8). Note that the floor sections located under the seats have their sheet metal installed on the underside of the skeleton rather than over the top of the skeleton (Photo 13-9). This is to gain just a little additional headroom in the car. As it turned out, this was not worth the extra work for this particular vehicle, since there was ample headroom once the car was finished. However, this trick can be utilized for heavily chopped or channeled cars.

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Photo 13-8 Sheet metal Photo 13-9 Flooring Photo 13-10 A recessed being welded to floor attached under seating area. area is created near the skeleton. Photo attribution Photo attribution driver's door to provide more foot room to operate the clutch. Photo attribution

Many hot rods have fairly tight quarters inside the cockpit, and this can be particularly noticeable with standard transmissions. To gain a bit of leg room to operate the clutch in this car, a "foot box" was created along the driver's side door and kick panel. This is a trick used by many T-bucket builders. The box is designed so that the driver can slip the heel of his or her left foot down into this extra space while driving or shifting ( Photos 13-10 and 13-11). Photo 13-12 shows the box being tried out for size.

Photo 13-11 A closer view Photo 13-12 Testing out the of the "foot box". Photo foot box. Photo attribution attribution

Transmission and driveshaft tunnel

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The transmission tunnel is designed to be removable, so a few additional fabrication steps are required beyond normal tunnel construction. To begin, a "lip" is bent to fit around the firewall opening. The lip is 3/4" wide flat stock and is drilled and tapped for 1/4" machine screws (Photo 13-13). The lip is welded to the firewall, and will become the mounting base for the forward section of the transmission tunnel (Photo 13-14).

Photo 13-13 A mounting Photo 13-14 The "lip" is "lip" is bent to fit around welded around the firewall the firewall opening. Photo opening. Photo attribution attribution The actual tunnel fabrication begins with measuring and cutting three sheet metal sections and welding them to fit over the transmission tailshaft, and to enclose the shifter mechanism and emergency brake (Photo 13-15). Three more panels are then cut and welded to fit over the gearbox and shifter arms (Photo 13-16). Note also that tabs have been welded to the bottom edge of the panels so that the tunnel can be screwed to the floorboard.

Photo 13-15 Three panels Photo 13-16 Three more are cut and fit over the panels are cut and welded transmission tunnel, shifter together with the first set of mechanism and emergency panels. Photo attribution brake mechanism. Photo attribution A second hoop (arrow) is formed from flat stock to fit over the "lip" already welded to the firewall. This second hoop is marked and drilled so that it can be fastened to the first lip with screws (Photo 13-17). Using posterboard patterns as a guide, the final sections of sheet metal are cut and welded, to bridge from the lower portion of the tunnel to the firewall attachment hoop (Photo 13-18).

Photo 13-17 A second "lip" Photo 13-18 Sheet metal is bent and drilled so that it sections are bent and

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can be bolted to the lip trimmed to fit to bridge welded to the firewall. from the firewall lip to the Photo attribution previously fabricated sections of the tunnel. Photo attribution

Construction of the driveshaft tunnel begins by fabricating a short "connection box" (arrow "A") as shown in Photo 13-19. This box will be welded to the driveshaft tunnel, but screwed to the transmission tunnel. This will allow the transmission tunnel to be removed and installed as a separate piece from the driveshaft tunnel. The top of the driveshaft tunnel (arrow "B") is then cut, curved and tack welded to the "box".

The sides of the tunnel are then measured, cut, and welded in place along with a mounting strip (arrow), which runs around the perimeter of the tunnel and is screwed to the floor structure to allow for easy removal (Photo 13-20). Photo 13-21 shows the completed driveshaft tunnel.

Photo 13-19 The junction Photo 13-20 The completed Photo 13-21 Another view between the transmission driveshaft tunnel. Photo of the driveshaft tunnel. tunnel and driveshaft tunnel attribution Photo attribution allows them to be installed or removed separately. Photo attribution

Emergency brake

The emergency brake mechanism from the donor F-100 can be used for the project, but it must be modified to fit. In its stock configuration, this unit is mounted under the dash by the kick panel, and is operated with a foot pedal. To move it between the seats where it will fit our interior much better, the unit must be mounted upside-down and backwards to operate correctly.

To allow the mechanism to fit in this new position, sections of the backing plate need to be cut away, and two new mounting "feet" (arrows) added, so that the unit can be bolted to the chassis (Photo 13-22). Photo 13-23 shows the e-brake unit (arrow "A") now mounted upside-down and

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backwards. You will also note that the original foot pedal (arrow "B") has been cut off so that it can be hand-operated. A section of 1x1 tubing is welded perpendicular to the "stub" of the foot pedal, so that the new pull handle ("C") can be centered over the transmission tailshaft. The pull handle is an interior door handle from the F-100 donor.

Photo 13-24 provides a driver's side view of the e-brake. The arrow points to the remaining "stub" of the foot pedal, which is now connected to the hand lever for operation.

Photo 13-22 The emergency Photo 13-23 The unit is Photo 13-24 The pull brake unit from the donor flipped upside-down and handle for the brake is a truck is trimmed backwards, to operate donor door handle. Photo extensively and has new correctly in a center mount attribution mounting "feet" welded on. position. Photo attribution Photo attribution

Seat belt mounting

To mount the center buckles for the three-point retractable seat belts, a hoop is fabricated from 1 1/2" x 1/4" flat stock to loop over the driveshaft tunnel (Photo 13-25). The hoop is bolted to a main 1x2 body framing member and "ears" are welded on the top to attach the seat belts (Photo 13-26). Photo 13-27 shows a center seat belt buckle attached to the hoop bracket.

Photo 13-25 A bracket is Photo 13-26 Mounting Photo 13-27 A center

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formed to attach the center "ears" are welded to the buckle is bolted to the buckles for the seat belts. bracket, and the bracket is bracket. Photo attribution Photo attribution bolted to the floor framing. Photo attribution The seat belt retractors are mounted to a small tab cut from 1/4" flat stock, and welded to a floor frame member just behind the outside rear corner of the seat. Once we are certain that the retractor will fit properly in this position, a gusset is added to the 1x1 floor frame member to tie it into the main 1x2 framing member shown at the arrow in Photo 13-28. Photo 13-29 shows the retractor being test-fit.

Photo 13-28 A tab is Photo 13-29 The belt welded to the floor framing retractor being tested to to mount the belt retractor. ensure it works in this Photo attribution position. Photo attribution The "shoulder" mount for the seat belt is cut from 2x2 angle iron, and is welded to a main member of the body skeleton (Photo 13-30). Photo 13-31 shows the shoulder mount attachment, and the completed seat belt installation.

Photo 13-30 The "shoulder" Photo 13-31 The completed mount is welded to the body seat belt installation. Photo framing. Photo attribution attribution

Dashboard

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The dashboard is comprised of four pieces, as shown in the illustration at Photo 13-32: the "dash top", a rolled front edge, the dash "face" and a lower edge or "lip" which defines and supports the bottom edge of the dash. Photo 13-33 jumps ahead in the fabrication to show these components as they will look closer to completion, so that the reader can better visualize and identify these parts as they are discussed during these earlier steps of the fabrication. The dash is designed to be removable. Also, it should be noted that the "dash top" also acts as the lower support for the windshield, holding the bottom of the windshield tight against the outer frame of the windshield. This may help Photo 13-32 Illustration of explain some of the fabrication steps. dashboard fabrication Photo 13-33 The dashboard components. Photo components as they will attribution later appear. Photo attribution

The dash top

The dash top is a 2" wide length of 1/8" flat stock. It extends horizontally from the windshield into the cockpit. The dash top will house the defroster vents, and will have a curved front edge made from steel pipe.

To begin, eight mounting brackets are cut from 1x1 angle iron, and then drilled and tapped for 1/4" bolts (Photo 13-34). The brackets are welded to the bottom edge of the windshield crossmember (Photo 13-35). Note that each bracket is set into the cockpit 1/4", leaving a "ledge" (arrow) for the windshield to rest on. A short strip of butyl caulk will be laid on top of each "ledge" when the windshield is installed, to protect the glass from potential stress cracks.

Photo 13-34 Eight small Photo 13-35 The brackets Photo 13-36 The "dash top" mounting brackets are cut are welded to the underside is cut and clamped to follow

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from angle iron. Photo of the windshield the contour of the attribution crossmember. Photo windshield crossmember. attribution Photo attribution

Next the "dash top" is cut to length from 2" wide flat stock, and clamped to the top of the windshield crossmember so that it follows the exact same contour (Photo 13-36). Eight "attachment tabs" (Photo 13-37) are cut and drilled with oversize holes, so that they can be bolted to our eight mounting brackets, but will have some slack for upward and downward adjustment. Each of these attachment tabs is then mounted as shown in Photo 13-38, and adjusted upward or downward until snug up against the bottom of the dash top. The 1/4" bolt for each tab is then tightened securely to hold the tab firmly in that position.

Next, the clamps are removed and the dash top is taken away, leaving the eight attachment tabs locked in place. The top edges of these tabs now define the precise contour we want the dash top to follow (Photo 10-39).

Photo 13-37 Eight Photo 13-38 the attachment Photo 13-39 Then the dash "attachment tabs" are cut tabs are loosely bolted to top is unclamped and and drilled with oversized the mounting brackets, and removed; the top edges of holes. Photo attribution then slid upward so that the the attachment tabs will top of the tab is snug retain the exact curvature against the bottom of the we want to maintain. Photo dash top. Photo attribution attribution

Using the defrost "funnels" from our heater kit (Photo 13-40), the dash top is marked, and defrost vents are cut open (Photo 13-41). The dash top is then repositioned on the attachment tabs, only this time the top is slid 1/4" in from the windshield crossmember, and 1/4" spacers (arrows) are inserted between the windshield crossmember and the dash top (13-42). This space between the dash top and the crossmember is to allow for the windshield glass and a thin butyl seal to be fitted in place.

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Photo 13-40 The defroster Photo 13-41 The defroster Photo 13-42 The dash top is attachments from our heater vents cut into the dash top. clamped to the shape of our kit are used as patterns to Photo attribution "attachment tabs", leaving a cut vents in the dash top. 1/4" space between the dash Photo attribution top and the windshield crossmember to accommodate the glass to be installed later. Photo attribution The eight attachment tabs are then welded to the bottom side of the dash top. With the tabs welded and the clamps removed, the dash top now looks like Photo 13-43. An overhead view (Photo 13-44) shows the space left for the windshield glass (arrow "A") and the two defroster vents (arrows "B").

Photo 13-43 The attachment Photo 13-44 An overhead tabs are welded to the view shows the 1/4" space bottom of the dash top. left for the windshield ("A") Photo attribution and the defrost vents ("B"). Photo attribution

Rolled front edge

The rolled front edge of the dash top is created by bending 1" black pipe to the same contour as the dash top (Photo 13-45). The pipe is then clamped to the dash top (Photo 13-46) and welded in place (Photo 13-47). A small filler section is welded inside each end of the pipe, so that the pipe end can be rounded off with a grinder.

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Photo 13-45 Black pipe is Photo 13-46 The pipe is Photo 13-47 The rolled bent to match the curve of clamped to the dash top for front edge welded in place. the dash top. Photo welding. Photo attribution Photo attribution attribution

Outer face

The "face" of the dashboard is cut from sheet metal stock and temporarily clamped in place (Photo 13-48). Using paper taped to the face, a number of different gauge arrangements can be tried out (Photo 13-49). Once satisfied with the placement of the gauges and other dash items, the appropriate holes are cut in the sheet metal (Photo 13-50).

Photo 13-48 Sheet metal for Photo 13-49 Paper is taped Photo 13-50 Holes are cut the dash face is cut and to the dash, to experiment for the gauges, ignition temporarily installed. Photo with various instrument switch, turn signal attribution designs and layouts. Photo indicators, high-beam attribution indicator and the heater and A/C control panel. Photo attribution

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Lower supporting lip

The lower edge of the dash cannot be left as just raw sheet metal. An edging or "lip" must be created to finish off this lower area and provide additional strength. We also want to curve each lower corner of the dash to create a cleaner look. The lower supporting lip is created from three separate sections of 1" x 1/8" flat stock (Photo 13-51). The two corner curves are bent to match each other, and then the curve outlines are traced onto the dash face and cut out (Photo 13-52).

Photo 13-51 The lower Photo 13-52 The lower edge of the dash face curves are traced onto the consists of three separate face panel and trimmed to sections of flat stock. Photo match. Photo attribution attribution The lip is then clamped for welding, (Photo 13-53) and the lip is welded to the face and the beads ground smooth (Photo 13-54).

Photo 13-53 The lip Photo 13-54 The lower sections are clamped to the supporting lip after welds dash face. Photo attribution are ground smooth. Photo attribution The gauges are installed in the dash to ensure that they fit, (Photo 13-55) but are removed again to provide access behind the dash while other fabrication work inside the car is completed. The lower section of the dash is then re-installed in the car (Photo 13-56). The dash is permanently held in place with a 1/4" bolt inserted through the lip on each end of the dash. These bolts thread into tapped holes in each windshield post. The top edge of the face is held in place between the rolled front top edge and three small, evenly spaced tabs, which are welded on the underside of the dash top. This allows the

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dash face to be removed by simply unscrewing the two end bolts and gently pulling the Photo 13-55 The gauges are face downward. Photo 13-56 The completed temporarily installed to dash fabrication. Photo ensure that everything fits. attribution Photo attribution

Overhead console

The framework for the overhead console is created from flat stock. Note the mounting strip (arrow) running along the top edge of the console, which is flat up against the roof structure (Photo 13-57). This strip is for securing the front edge of the headliner. You will also note that the framework has been pre-drilled and tapped for screws which will mount an upholstered wooden faceplate. This faceplate will hold the CD player.

The bottom of the console will house the stereo speakers, and will also be the mounting point for the rearview mirror. Other views of the console framework are shown in Photos 13-58 and 13-59.

Photo 13-57 The framework Photo 13-58 Another view Photo 13-59 Another view for the overhead console is of the console framework. of the console framework. created with flat stock. Photo attribution Photo attribution Photo attribution

Removable toe board

On the passenger side of the cockpit, the toe board area is being used to house a number of electrical components, as well as plumbing for the heater box and A/C evaporator. The toe board itself acts as a "false front" to hide these components. To gain access to this area, the toe board will be removable.

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Photo 13-60 shows the square-tube framework for the removable toe board. Two bolts (arrows) will run through the floorboard and secure the toe board in place. Photo 13-61 shows the toe board frame installed to check for clearances. This shot also shows the evil maze of plumbing and electrical items, which will be hidden behind the panel.

Photo 13-60 Framework for Photo 13-61 The framework the removable toe board. being test-fit. Photo Photo attribution attribution

Sheet metal sections are welded to the toe board framework (Photo 13-62), and the completed unit is again tested to ensure that it fits (Photo 13-63). Photo 13-64 provides another view of the completed toe board.

Photo 13-62 The toe board Photo 13-63 The completed Photo 13-64 Another view is "skinned" with sheet toe board installed. Photo of the completed toe board. metal. Photo attribution attribution Photo attribution

Door pulls

Since there are no actual door handles, door pulls will be provided instead. These simple chromed handles were about $7 each at the local hardware store (Photo 13-65).

The handles are made to be held in place by screws from the back side. Since we will not have access to the back side once the upholstered door panels are installed, the first order of business is to drill a mounting hole through each end of the pull. A backing plate is then cut from flat stock, and drilled with holes to match the holes in the door pull. Nuts are welded onto the back side of the plate. The backing plate is then welded to the lower bar of the window frame (Photo 13-66).

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Photo 13-67 shows a pull installed on its backing plate. In its final configuration, the pull will be seated on the upholstered interior door panel, and the mounting screws will run through the panel to the backing plate behind it.

Photo 13-65 The door pulls Photo 13-66 The mounting Photo 13-67 The door pull and stainless mounting plate for the pull is welded mounted to the backing bolts. Photo attribution to the window frame of the plate. Photo attribution door. Photo attribution

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Introduction 1. Design, Donor and Tools of the Trade 2. Frame Fabrication 3. Chassis: Front Suspension 4. Chassis: Motor and Transmission Mounting 5. Chassis: Rear Suspension 6. Body: An Introduction to Scratch Building 7. Body: A Gallery of Scratch-Built Cars 8. Body: Fabricating the Skeleton 9. Body: Applying the Skin 10. Body: Pickup Bed 11. Body: Fenders and Running Boards 12. Mechanicals 13. Interior Fittings 14. Body Preparation and Painting 15. Upholstery: Seats 16. Upholstery: Interior Panels 17. Upholstery: Consoles, Carpets and Trims 18. Engine 19. Finishing Touches and the Completed Car About the Author

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Chapter 14: Body Preparation and Painting

There are many authoritative and well-written books already on the market covering the subject of automotive finishing, as well as custom painting. In addition, there are some very fine websites with great instructions for anyone hoping to paint their own vehicle. Novice painters should consult as many of these sources as possible to learn how to do basic body work, how to prepare metal surfaces properly and how to apply primers and paints.

Since your author is only a novice painter himself (this being his first base coat/clear coat paint job) this chapter will contain very little in the way of detailed "instructional" material. It is not intended as a painting or body work tutorial.

Instead, this chapter will provide a photojournal of the preparation and painting experience, as seen through the eyes of a beginner. Along the way, a few tips, tricks and shadetree tools will be offered up, but they are intended only to show how this one novice struggled through the painting process.

As any professional painter will quickly tell you, a quality paint job is 95 percent preparation. What goes on prior to applying the color is far more important than spraying the paint itself. All told, what you are about to see required over 1600 hours to complete. However, less than 1 percent of that time was spent spraying color or clear.

While a skilled and experienced paint and body technician can achieve much more in far less time, the amateur backyard painter must somehow compensate for his or her personal lack of skill and experience. That compensation almost always comes through a heavy investment in time and effort.

These are the basic rules that were followed during the preparation and painting of this project:

Avoid short cuts. Read product labels and abide by the manufacturers' recommendations. Go the extra mile. Don't rush the process. Keep at it even when progress seems painfully slow. Guide coats are your friend. Use them.

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Blow everything up

The very first step to putting color on your car is to blow the whole thing up. Well, almost. What you need to do is tear apart everything you have just built up. It can be very disheartening to see your "almost completed" hot rod stripped down and totally disassembled, but this is an essential on the road to a nice paint job. The car must be dismantled so that every part and every piece can be properly prepared and painted.

Bust the rust

Nearly every part of a scratch-built car that comes from a donor vehicle is going to be covered with years of rust and corrosion. Media blasting equipment is essential for getting your parts cleaned up for painting or powder coating (or chroming, for those with a large checkbook).

For this project, two different blasters were used. A stationary cabinet blaster is the tool of choice, because it is cleaner and more efficient to use. For parts that were too large to fit in the cabinet, a portable "pressure pot" blaster was used. The majority of the blasting was done using glass bead as the blasting media. Photo 14-1 The visible Photo 14-2 The rear end results of media blasting. Large parts, like the rear end and front axles, were done outdoors on large tarps. The after being media blasted. Photo attribution tarps allow the user to collect a decent percentage of the media and to use it again. Photo attribution Photo 14-1 shows the results of using the portable blaster. It is quite obvious which axle has been blasted. Photo 14-2 shows the rear end after being blasted.

Literally hundreds of parts, from bolt heads to oil pans, were blasted for this project. It is a time-consuming and rather mundane task, but well worth the effort.

Powder coating

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An entry-level Eastwood powder coating gun and a used $50 electric oven were used to powder coat the chassis parts on the project. Anything that could fit in the oven and withstand the 450 degree temperatures required for the coating process became a candidate for coating. Photos 14-3 and 14-4 show just some of the many pieces that were powder coated. Items that could not be powder coated were painted with spray can aluminum (metallic) paint. These parts will have to be repainted from time to time to retain their finish and to protect the metal.

Photo 14-3 A few of the Photo 14-4 Powder coated parts that were powder leaf springs. Photo coated using an Eastwood attribution gun and a secondhand electric oven. Photo attribution

Header paint

The headers and side exhaust were painted with 1200 degree aluminum paint (Photo 14-5).

Photo 14-5 The headers and side exhaust after painting. Photo attribution

Frame prep and painting

The first step to prepare the frame for painting is to grind and sand smooth every weld holding the frame together, as well as every weld on every bracket that is attached to the frame. This is done with a combination of burrs, grinding wheels and sanding wheels. This is a long, tedious and boring process that takes many days to do right. In addition, the entire frame is sanded or wire-brushed and then wiped down numerous times with wax and grease remover to get rid of any possible surface rust or coatings applied by the manufacturer. This process also cleans off the cheap spray

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can primer that was used throughout the fabrication process to prevent rusting of the newly-welded areas.

The frame was then shot with a coat of Dupont Nason epoxy using a Harbor Freight purple gun. After letting the epoxy coat dry two hours, as recommended, three coats of Kustom Shop Polyester High Build Primer were applied. The frame was suspended on chains and hooks while it was being painted, so that it could be rotated for painting on all sides (Photo 14-6 and 14-7).

After drying overnight, the frame was set down flat on supports, and the long and tedious task of feather filling and sanding all the welds and joints was begun. This step is necessary to eliminate any grinding or sanding scratches left after smoothing the welds (Photo 14-8).

Photo 14-6 The frame after Photo 14-7 Another view Photo 14-8 Feather filling a coat of epoxy and three after application of high- and sanding all of the weld coats of high-build primer. build primer. Photo joints. Photo attribution Photo attribution attribution The next step is to block sand each of the four surfaces of the rectangular frame rails all the way around the chassis. Although it is not readily apparent to the naked eye, rectangular tubing is not flat on every side. In fact, every side of the tubing is slightly concave. I suspect this is due to the pressure exerted by the rollers that are used to shape and form the tubing. Whatever the cause, if you want your frame rails to be absolutely straight and flat, each surface, top, bottom and both sides, must be skim coated with filler and then block sanded level. When the block sanding is completed, the entire frame was shot once again with a coat of epoxy. This is to assure that any "sand throughs" are covered. Then, two more coats of urethane primer are applied and the entire frame is Photo 14-9 Frame after Photo 14-10 Another view block sanded with 400 grit paper (Photo 14-9 and 14-10). urethane primer coats and of the frame after block block sanding. Photo sanding. Photo attribution attribution

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After a complete wipe down with wax and grease remover, and a once over with a tack cloth, the Restoration Shop Firethorn Red Pearl base coat is applied using a Devilbiss Finish Line 3 gun equipped with a 1.3 mm tip (Photos 14-11 and 14-12).

Photo 14-11 Frame painted Photo 14-12 Frame painted with base coat. Photo with base coat. Photo attribution attribution After waiting the recommended dry time and wiping down the frame with a tack cloth, three coats of Kustom Shop clear were applied (Photos 14-13 and 14-14).

Photo 14-13 Frame after Photo 14-14 Frame after clear coating. Photo clear coating. Photo attribution attribution The clear was later color sanded (wet) by first cutting down the orange peel with 800 grit paper and then smoothing everything out with 1500 grit. The clear was then buffed with Meguiar's "Speed-Cut" #95 (Photos 14-15 through 14-18).

Photo 14-15 Frame after Photo 14-16 Frame after color sanding and buffing. color sanding and buffing. Photo attribution Photo attribution

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Photo 14-17 Frame after Photo 14-18 Frame after color sanding and buffing. color sanding and buffing. Photo attribution Photo attribution

The finished rolling chassis

At long last, the fully painted rolling chassis can be reassembled. Here is a gallery of the finished product from various angles and viewpoints (Photo 14-19 through 14-27).

Photo 14-19 The completed Photo 14-20 The completed Photo 14-21 The completed rolling chassis. Photo rolling chassis. Photo rolling chassis. Photo attribution attribution attribution

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Photo 14-22 The completed Photo 14-23 The completed Photo 14-24 The completed rolling chassis. Photo rolling chassis. Photo rolling chassis. Photo attribution attribution attribution

Photo 14-25 The completed Photo 14-26 The completed Photo 14-27 The completed rolling chassis. Photo rolling chassis. Photo rolling chassis. Photo attribution attribution attribution

Body prep

Weld-n-grind

At the end of our chapter on body fabrication, we left off with the sheet metal panels simply tack welded to the skeleton. To proceed, all of those seams and edges must now be welded up tight and all the beads ground smooth. No earth-shattering techniques are involved here, just lots of time and hard work. Photos 14-28 and 14-29 show the "weld- n-grind" in progress.

14-28 Body panels being 14-29 Body panels being welded and ground smooth. welded and ground smooth. Photo attribution Photo attribution

Seam fill

Once all the welds are stitched up and ground smooth, they will still be quite rough and uneven. Evercoat "Everglass" is applied to every weld seam

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on the car (Photo 14-30). This is a body filler that contains short strands of fiberglass material mixed in with the resin and putty. The short-strand filler will help reduce the potential for hairline cracks developing at the welded seams in the future.

Once the Everglass has cured, it is sanded with 80 grit (or coarser) paper to remove the major rough spots and create a fairly level working surface. Then, Evercoat Rage Gold is applied to smooth the body panels and welded areas, and to begin the initial straightening of all the body panels (Photo 14-31 and 14-32).

Photo 14-30 A short-strand Photo 14-31 Rage Gold is Photo 14-32 Rage Gold is body filler is applied to applied to begin the applied to begin the each weld seam. Photo straightening process. Photo straightening process. Photo attribution attribution attribution

Accent lines

One of the most frequently asked questions by those seeing this car and discovering it was scratch-built is, "How did you make the belt line and accent lines?" It is no wonder they ask this question; accent lines would normally require high-end tooling and pressure bending, or a massive amount of hammering over a wooden buck.

Since the builder had no access to those tools and did not possess the necessary metalworking skills to shape the metal by hand, a much different approach was taken to create accent lines: garden hose. Or, to be more precise: sprinkler hose. You can find this hose at any hardware store or garden center (Photo 14-33). It's flat, rather than rounded, giving it a natural shape very close to the shape of a traditional accent line.

To begin, the accent lines are drawn on the body wherever they are desired. In this case, a basic belt line, and then a line that will define the rear window panel typical of the sedan/delivery body style (Photo 14-34). The lines are drawn to the exact width of the hose, and then masking tape is laid on each side of the line. The tape prevents the adhesive from getting into the body filler anywhere except under the hose (Photo 14-35).

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Photo 14-33 Sprinkler Photo 14-34 Lines are Photo 14-35 The lines are garden hose is used to drawn on the body masked off to allow easy create the body accent lines. wherever an accent line is application of the adhesive. Photo attribution wanted. Photo attribution Photo attribution

The hose sections are cut to length (one for the cowl, one for the door, and one to run from the back of the door to the rear hatch) and ground down on each end to create about a 45-degree angle. This allows the accent lines to better blend into the body panels wherever they start and stop (Photo 14-36).

The adhesive is common contact cement available at any hardware store. DAP Weldwood was used here. It is brushed onto the masked area and to the back side of the hose sections, and allowed to dry as directed (Photo 14-37). Each section is then carefully aligned and firmly pressed in place (14-38). Once contact cement "grabs", it grabs. And, under normal circumstances, the glued parts cannot be maneuvered around or repositioned. So, make sure it is exactly where you want it before you allow the two surfaces to come in contact.

Photo 14-36 The hose is cut Photo 14-37 Contact Photo 14-38 Each section is to length and ground off at a cement is applied to the carefully aligned and 45-degree angle on each body, and to the back side pressed into place. Photo end. Photo attribution of the hose sections. Photo attribution attribution

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Photo 14-39 shows the complete belt line glued in place.

The line that will define the window panel requires a bit of additional work, due to the two curved corners (Photo 14-40). To form the hose to fit these curves, it must be sliced around the inside radius of the curve (Photo 14-41). These slices were made using a cutting blade on a 4 1/2" grinder, while the hose was held in a vice. After the initial cuts are completed, a second pass is made with the cutting wheel, to remove additional material at the tips of each cut, creating something of a pie shape. You'll know you've removed enough material when the hose can easily be bent to conform with the line of the curve, without any kinking or bulging.

Photo 14-39 The belt line Photo 14-40 The hose must Photo 14-41 The hose is slit glued in place. Photo be fit around these corners. and trimmed so that it will attribution Photo attribution easily bend around the window curves. Photo attribution The window accent line is glued to the body in the same manner as the belt line (Photo 14-42). Photo 14-43 shows all of the accent lines glued in place. Evercoat short-strand fiberglass filler is applied to fill all the gaps at the top and bottom edges of the hose pieces, to fill the cut ends of the hose, to fill in where the triangular corner pieces were added, and to fill in the multiple cuts made to form the top curves of the panel accent. This is done primarily to reduce the potential for air bubbles and voids forming when fiberglass cloth is applied in the next step. Photo 14-42 The window accent line is glued to the Photo 14-43 All accent body. Photo attribution lines glued in place. Photo attribution

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After sanding down the Evercoat filler, the accent lines are covered with two layers of resin-soaked fiberglass cloth, and allowed to cure (Photo 14-44). The fiberglass cloth should extend about 2" beyond each edge of the accent line. Although it can not be seen clearly in this photo, triangular sections of hose were cut, shaped and fitted into each lower corner (arrows) of the window panel prior to applying the fiberglass cloth. Once glued in place, these sections were further shaped and rounded using a small drum sander mounted on a Dremel tool. The corner pieces are intended to provide a nice curved transition from the belt line to the window accent line.

The cured fiberglass is sanded down to remove the major bumps and imperfections, and then body filler is applied and sanded smooth (Photo 14-45). Photo 14-46 provides another view of the finished accent lines.

Photo 14-44 The accent Photo 14-45 Body filler is Photo 14-46 Body filler is lines are covered with two applied to the accents and applied to the accents and layers of fiberglass. Photo sanded smooth. Photo sanded smooth. Photo attribution attribution attribution

Body straightening

Filling and block sanding are boring to do, and even more boring to photograph. Instead, what this section will concentrate on are a few tools and tips this novice discovered along the way. While the pros will have much better ways to accomplish these ends, these are just a few solutions that worked while preparing this car for paint.

Because of the way this body is fabricated, the "straightening" process is more demanding than a typical car with factory-made panels. One of the most challenging areas of the car is the back end of the body, with its big sweeping curve, its compound- complex corners, and the tricky "corner-cap" at the very top of the curve. To get these curves straight it is not only essential to block sand them well, but also to apply the body filler effectively. This requires flexible applicators that are much longer than those normally found at the auto parts store. Two long applicators were particularly helpful. The first was cut from 3/16" Plexiglas (Photo 14-47), and is shown being used in Photo 14-48. Photo 14-47 A long filler Photo 14-48 The applicator

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applicator is made from works well on large Plexiglas. Photo attribution sweeping curves. Photo attribution The other very effective applicator was no more than a section of galvanized roof flashing (Photo 14-49), which did a particularly good job on tighter corners and the sweeping rear corner curve (Photo 14-50).

Photo 14-49 Galvanized Photo 14-50 The galvanized roof flashing makes for an applicator is effective on effective filler applicator. tighter curves and corners. Photo attribution Photo attribution

Long block sanding tools are also critical for effective block sanding. This one (Photo 14-51) is a Plexiglas strip with discarded 35mm film canisters epoxied to the back side as hand-holds. Adhesive-backed sandpaper is mounted on the "block" (Photo 14-52) and the block can then be formed around the curved panel to produce a uniform and level surface (Photo 14-53).

Photo 14-51 Plexiglas is Photo 14-52 Adhesive- Photo 14-53 The board used to make this flexible backed sandpaper is applied conforms well to gentle long board sander. Photo to the board. Photo sweeping curves. Photo attribution attribution attribution

Although not homemade, another very effective sanding tool for curves is this one from Dura-Block (Photo 14-54). The paper is wrapped loosely around the block (Photo 14-55), so that it can be formed to fit the curve being sanded without creasing the paper (Photo 14-56).

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Photo 14-54 The Dura- Photo 14-55 For sanding Photo 14-56 The Dura- Block flexible board is very tight curves, adhesive paper Block board sanding a tight effective. Photo attribution will not bend well. The curve. Photo attribution paper must instead be held loosely at the ends. Photo attribution Other more typical sanders were used at various points during the straightening process, including an air-driven "long board", rotary sander and orbital sander. Also, an air-driven "jitterbug" was used. However, the control paddle which sets the jitterbug's speed can be very difficult to regulate, and if over-revved, the machine can do major damage to the sanding surface. To solve this problem, the jitterbug can be upgraded with this "governor". The governor is nothing more than a bolt through the paddle, with a couple of locking nuts that limit the top speed when the paddle is depressed (Photo 14-57 and 14-58). Photo 14-57 This bolt and Photo 14-58 Another view lock nut provides an of the speed control. Photo adjustable "governor" to attribution control jitterbug speed. Photo attribution

Photos 14-59 through 14-61 are progress shots taken during the straightening process and body filler work.

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Photo 14-59 Progress shot Photo 14-60 Progress shot Photo 14-61 Progress shot of filler and sanding work. of filler and sanding work. of filler and sanding work. Photo attribution Photo attribution Photo attribution As mentioned when the body was being fabricated, the car was originally designed and built with an opening rear hatch. However, with the addition of a pickup bed at the rear of the car, it was difficult to operate this hatch, and even more difficult to reach into the car to store any cargo behind the seats. Also, the large rear window in the hatch did not seem to fit the overall design of the car. As a result, the window was downsized and made more rectangular (Photo 14-62). In addition, the hatch was permanently set in position and welded in place so that it no longer opens (Photo 14-63).

Photo 14-62 A smaller, Photo 14-63 The hatch is more rectangular rear welded in the closed window is made for the position. Photo attribution hatch. Photo attribution

Fill primer

As the fill-and-sand straightening process progresses, we need to achieve greater and greater precision in straightening the panels. To do this, three coats of Evercoat Slick Sand are sprayed on the body using a Devilbiss Finish Line 3 gun with a 2.2 mm tip installed (Photo 14-64, 14-65, and 14-66). This fill primer is block sanded using 3M's dry guide coat to find any high and low areas still remaining. After trying both inexpensive spray paint and 3M's product as the guide coat, the 3M product seemed far easier to use, and more effective to boot. It may be a bit more expensive than buying spray cans, but the dry guide coat seemed to be a far more useful product.

If there are areas too low to be sanded out, they are either skim coated with body "icing", or shot with more primer to build up the area. It is then a back-and-forth process of block sanding-primering-block sanding until the dry guide coat no longer reveals any low spots or high spots, and the body panels are perfectly straight.

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Photo 14-64 High-build Photo 14-65 High-build Photo 14-66 High-build "Slick Sand" is sprayed on "Slick Sand" is sprayed on "Slick Sand" is sprayed on the body. Photo attribution the body. Photo attribution the body. Photo attribution

Epoxy coat

There are differing opinions on when the epoxy primer should be applied. Some painting experts say it is best to lay down the epoxy at the very beginning, directly over the bare metal. Others say it is best to wait until the body straightening work is complete so that there are no "bald spots" where the epoxy is sanded through to bare metal. And a third group says it is fine to do it either way...just so long as a coat of epoxy is applied.

For this project, the epoxy coat is being applied near the tail end of the body straightening process. Photos 14-67 to 14-69 were taken just after application of the Dupont epoxy coat.

Photo 14-67 After block Photo 14-68 After block Photo 14-69 After block sanding the high-build sanding the high-build sanding the high-build primer, a coat of epoxy is primer, a coat of epoxy is primer, a coat of epoxy is applied. Photo attribution applied. Photo attribution applied. Photo attribution

Final primer

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As a final step before shooting color, two more coats of urethane primer are shot over the epoxy, and are very carefully block sanded (wet) with 600 grit paper using 3M dry guide coat. Whatever imperfections remain in the primer after this final block sanding will be magnified about 100% when the color and clear are shot over the top.

Photos 14-70 to 14-75 provide various views and close-ups showing this final primer coat during block sanding. It is finally ready for some color.

Photo 14-70 The final Photo 14-71 The final Photo 14-72 The final primer coat. Photo primer coat. Photo primer coat. Photo attribution attribution attribution

Photo 14-73 The final Photo 14-74 The final Photo 14-75 The final primer coat. Photo primer coat. Photo primer coat. Photo attribution attribution attribution

Base coat clear coat

Remote pot paint gun

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Before we begin, here's a tool worth mentioning. It was actually fabricated and used for shooting the very first coat of primer on the car but deserves mentioning here because it is really critical for shooting the base and clear.

On almost any hot rod, there will be locations that are very difficult to paint, particularly if your siphon or HVLP gun is not equipped to shoot upside-down or in tight quarters. You can get away with shooting primer at odd angles because the overspray and orange peel can easily be sanded away. But when shooting base and/or clear, you want the paint to lay down as smooth as possible right out of the gun, which usually means shooting at a right angle to the painting surface.

The solution used for this project was to modify an old siphon-type detail gun and turn it into a "remote pot" gun. Arrow "A" in Photo 14-76 shows where the siphon cup originally attached to the gun at arrow "B". The hose is approximately 5' long, and came from an old portable air pump. The important part is that the hose had threaded fittings on each end, which happened to button up perfectly with our old gun parts. Photo 14-77 shows the changes made on the gun. A 1" long threaded pipe fitting ("A") is used to attach the hose to the gun. The fitting on the gun had limited threads and a somewhat specialized end, so an O-ring was inserted to ensure a tight fit where the black pipe fitting meets the gun. To conserve space and cut down the length of the gun, a street Photo 14-77 A pipe coupler Photo 14-76 The original elbow ("B") is used for attaching the air hose. ("A") now connects the siphon gun was attached at hose to the gun and a street points "A" and "B". Photo elbow ("B") is used to attribution shorten the total gun length. Photo attribution Photo 14-78 shows the "remote cup", which required no modifications. The threaded fitting on the hose was just the right size to attach directly to the cup. After just one test run, it was quickly apparent that the remote pot, even when full of paint, was very light and unstable. Any movement of the gun and hose would cause it to tip over. So this very high tech "Polyethylene Paint Cup Stabilizer" (a plastic coffee can filled with sand and a peanut butter jar stuffed into the center) was invented (Photo 14-79).

Photo 14-78 The cup threads fit the hose threads Photo 14-79 A coffee can without any alterations. full of sand will hold the Photo attribution "remote pot". Photo attribution

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To clean things up a bit, a hole was cut in the can lid and snapped back in place. It's not billet...but it serves its purpose (Photo 14-80). Photo 14-81 demonstrates how handy this remote pot sprayer can be. The area under the visor was simply unreachable with my HVLP gun. The remote gun worked like a charm for primer, base and clear coat.

Photo 14-80 The paint cup Photo 14-81 The gun is is now prevented from used in tight confines and tipping over during use. for shooting upside-down. Photo attribution Photo attribution

Paint booth

Paint booths should accomplish two major goals. First, they should keep the painting area isolated from dust, dirt or airborne debris. Second, they should provide a means of ventilating the painting area and removing the cloud of overspray that inevitably results when using a spray gun. You don't want dried or drying paint mist landing on the paint surface as it flows out; a good paint booth forces as much of that mist as possible out of the immediate area.

Paint booths can range from six-figure professional setups to $10 booths constructed of Visqueen and box fans.

The "booth" used for this project was created with standard plastic tarps found at hardware stores and farm centers. These tarps have holes and grommets every three feet, which makes hanging them an easy task. To make this booth reusable, 1x2 wood cleats were fastened to the ceiling around the perimeter of the 24x28 shop. Small hooks were screwed into the cleats to match the spacing of tarp holes, so that the tarps can be easily hung or taken down.

The tarps were cut to make openings around the two windows in the shop. One window serves as the intake, and the other serves as the exhaust. A box fan is placed in each window, one pulling air in and the other pushing air out. In addition, an overhead JET air cleaner is run at full speed during the painting process to help remove the paint mist.

Details first

To get acclimated to the base coat/clear coat spraying routine, and to ensure the gun is set up properly to achieve a nice finish, the car's "parts and pieces" are painted first (Photo 14-82). Then the hard-to-get-at detailed areas of the car are painted (Photo 14-83 to 14-86).

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Photo 14-82 The "parts and Photo 14-83 The inside Photo 14-84 The area under pieces" are painted first. panels of the pickup bed are the visor is painted. Photo Photo attribution shot next. Photo attribution attribution

Photo 14-85 The door Photo 14-86 The rear jambs are cut in and the window framing is painted. windshield framing is Photo attribution painted. Photo attribution

The BIG shoot

The base coat and clear coat were both shot with a Devilbiss Finish Line 3 paint gun using a 1.3 tip. The color is Restoration Shop Firethorn Pearl Red and the clear is Kustom Shop (all products available online from TCP Global).

Three coats of base were shot, tacking down between each coat to remove any paint "dust" that may have settled on the car. Then, three coats of clear were shot over the top.

The results of this first-time effort at shooting base coat/clear coat are shown in Photos 14-87 to 14-92, which were taken immediately after the

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painting session.

Photo 14-87 Clear coat Photo 14-88 Clear coat Photo 14-89 Clear coat immediately after shooting. immediately after shooting. immediately after shooting. Photo attribution Photo attribution Photo attribution

Photo 14-90 Clear coat Photo 14-91 Clear coat Photo 14-92 Clear coat immediately after shooting. immediately after shooting. immediately after shooting. Photo attribution Photo attribution Photo attribution

After waiting the recommended time period for the clear to dry, the pieces of the car were individually color sanded and buffed. They were then reassembled and a final buffing was completed with the car intact.

The results are shown in Photos 14-93 to 14-100.

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Photo 14-94 The finished Photo 14-93 The finished paint after color sanding Photo 14-95 The finished paint after color sanding and buffing. Photo paint after color sanding and buffing. Photo attribution and buffing. Photo attribution attribution

Photo 14-97 The finished Photo 14-96 The finished paint after color sanding Photo 14-98 The finished paint after color sanding and buffing. Photo paint after color sanding and buffing. Photo attribution and buffing. Photo attribution attribution

Photo 14-99 The finished Photo 14-100 The finished paint after color sanding paint after color sanding and buffing. Photo and buffing. Photo attribution attribution

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Chapters

Introduction 1. Design, Donor and Tools of the Trade 2. Frame Fabrication 3. Chassis: Front Suspension 4. Chassis: Motor and Transmission Mounting 5. Chassis: Rear Suspension 6. Body: An Introduction to Scratch Building 7. Body: A Gallery of Scratch-Built Cars 8. Body: Fabricating the Skeleton 9. Body: Applying the Skin 10. Body: Pickup Bed 11. Body: Fenders and Running Boards 12. Mechanicals 13. Interior Fittings 14. Body Preparation and Painting 15. Upholstery: Seats

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16. Upholstery: Interior Panels 17. Upholstery: Consoles, Carpets and Trims 18. Engine 19. Finishing Touches and the Completed Car About the Author

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Chapter 15: Upholstery - Seats

(Note to readers: This is a very streamlined version of the seat upholstery process. For more details on how this upholstery was done you can go here. For more information, consult the many automotive upholstery books written by professionals, and search out the many tutorials available on the internet.)

The donor seats

The original bucket seats for this project were salvaged from a wrecked Subaru (Photo 15-1). After taking a number of pictures of the seat for reference purposes, the upholstery is removed from the seat, and all of the panels are separated at the seams using a razor, small shears, or a "seam splitter", which is a handy tool you can find in the upholstery section of variety or fabric stores.

Photo 15-1 The original Subaru bucket seat. Photo attribution

Panel patterns

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Photo 15-2 shows the separated panels for just ONE seat. The panels are marked with various notes and registration marks to keep track of how the new panels will go back together. Don't trust your memory, make notes on the panels and take digital pictures. Also, only do one seat at a time. This allows you to use the second "original" seat as a reference while putting the new seat back together.

The original panels are ironed or pressed flat, and are then used as patterns to cut out all the new upholstery pieces (Photo 15-3).

Photo 15-2 These are the The fabric used for this project is Burch Fabrics's "Magnificent" in caramel color. This is Photo 15-3 Using the upholstery pieces contained a 100% polyurethane-faced fabric with a polyester and cotton backing. The feel and look originals as patterns, the in just one seat cover. Photo match the Ultraleather upholstery in my '32 pickup. pieces are cut out of the attribution new fabric. Photo attribution

Rolled and pleated panels

As you will note in the picture of the original seat, the center section of the seat and the back are pleated. We will do the same with the new seat covering but we want to create a more traditional "rolled and pleated" look for the center sections.

To do this, a piece of fabric is cut to the width of our pattern piece, but about an inch longer than the pattern piece to allow for shrinkage when the pleats are sewn in. Lines are drawn on the fabric representing whatever width you want the pleats to be. For this project, we spaced our pleats at every two inches.

Next, a piece of 1/2" sew foam is cut slightly larger than our piece of fabric. Sew foam is made specifically for upholstery work. It's a lightweight foam with a special backing attached on one side so that you can sew it without the stitches pulling through the foam.

Photo 15-4 Sew foam is The sew foam is lightly glued to the fabric using 3M 77 adhesive (Photo 15-4) . The Photo 15-5 The pleats are glued to the fabric. Photo "77" adhesive is not recommended for permanent gluing, but all we want to do here is stitched and a seam is sewn attribution hold the fabric in place while it is being sewn. Using the guide lines we drew earlier, the around the perimeter of the fabric is sewn to the sew foam, creating a pleated effect across the panel. panel. Photo attribution

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Begin with the center pleat, and then work your way to each end. The perimeter of the panel is stitched up using our original as a pattern for the stitching location (Photo 15-5). For these seats, all of the perimeter stitching is spaced 1/4" in from the edge of the fabric. This was the spacing on our original seats, and to keep the patterns correct, it is the spacing used on our new panels. The panel is then trimmed to match the original pattern (Photo 15-6). A pleated panel for the back of the seat is made the same way using the pattern for that section (Photo 15-7).

Photo 15-6 The original Photo 15-7 A pleated panel pattern is used to trim the for the seat back is made panel to size. Photo the same way. Photo attribution attribution

The flat panels

Looking again at our original seat (Photo 15-2), we see that the pleated center panels are surrounded by flat or "plain" panels. Although these panels are fairly simple, they all have foam backing. Photo 15-8 shows the sew foam attached to the back side of one of the panels. Photo 15-9 shows the fabric side of the same panel. Photo 15-10 shows the balance of the panels with the foam sewn in place.

Photo 15-8 Sew foam is Photo 15-9 The foam is Photo 15-10 The flat panels glued to the back of a flat sewn around the perimeter with foam sewn to the back panel. Photo attribution of the panel. Photo of each. Photo attribution attribution

Welting

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Before we begin sewing the panel sections together, we need to show one other key element: the welting. Welting can be purchased pre-made, but it is rather expensive. To make your own, you begin with welting cord. Welting cord comes in various diameters; we are using 1/8" cord for this project (Photo 15-11). Fabric strips are cut approximately 1 3/8" wide (Photo 15-12). If you prefer, this fabric can be an accent color, or it can be the same color fabric you use on your seats.

Photo 15-11 A spool of 1/8" Photo 15-12 Strips are cut welting cord. Photo from the upholstery fabric attribution to create welting. Photo attribution

To sew the fabric around the cord, your machine should be equipped with a "welting foot". This is a special foot with a concave bottom, which holds the fabric tightly around the cord while sewing (Photo 15-13). The fabric is folded over the cord and sewn as shown in Photo 15-14. Photo 15-15 shows a strip of welting ready for installation.

Photo 15-13 Note the Photo 15-14 The fabric is Photo 15-15 A finished concave "welting foot" folded over the cord and fed strip of welting. Photo which holds the cord tight into the sewing machine. attribution to the needle. Photo Photo attribution attribution

Sewing the panels together

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To assemble the panels, we begin by sewing a flat wing section onto each side of the pleated center panel, with a strip of welting sandwiched between the two sections (Photo 15-16). From the back side, you can see how the seams are created (Photo 15-17). The black strips are Velcro, which attach to matching Velcro strips embedded in the seat foam at the factory. The Velcro pulls and holds the seat cover as it wraps around the sculptured foam seat.

Photo 15-16 The "wing" Photo 15-17 The backside panels are sewn to the view of the panel. Photo pleated center panel with attribution welting between them. Photo attribution Next, side panels (arrows) are sewn to the "wings" (Photo 15-18). This seam is also sewn with welting between the two panels. The last panels to go on (arrows) are the two bottom sections (Photo 15-19), which are sewn without welting.

Photo 15-18 Side panels Photo 15-19 Bottom panels (arrows) are then sewn to (arrows) are sewn to the the wings. Photo attribution side panels. Photo attribution Turned "right-side-out", the cushion cover now looks like this (Photo 15-20). The cover is pulled tightly over the foam seat base and attached using the original attachment points (Photo 15-21). (Note: many times seat covers are pulled tight and held with hog rings. This seat was designed to hold the cover with wires sewn into the cover which attach to small clips on the bottom of the seat. Every brand of seat will be a little different. Just put yours back together the same way it was originally made.)

Photo 15-20 At this Photo 15-21 The cover is juncture, the cover is turned stretched over the seat foam right-side-out. Photo and attached to the base.

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attribution Photo attribution

The completed covers

The seat back is sewn in the same way, and then the seat and back are reassembled (Photo 15-22). The second seat is completed using the same steps (Photo 15-23).

Photo 15-23 Both seat covers are completed. Photo attribution

Photo 15-22 The seat back is completed and joined to the base cushion. Photo attribution

Headrests

Although our original Subaru seats came at a very good price ($5), they did not have the headrests included. So, the headrests had to be made from scratch using 8" x 7/16" bolts with the heads cut off. The bolts are spaced so that they will slide into the original mounting holes on the seat, and they are welded to a 1/8" flat stock panel. The bolts have "notches" welded on the bottom end, which allow them to be adjusted up and down using the original seat adjustment mechanism (Photo 15-24).

Photo 15-24 Headrest Photo 15-25 A wood

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structure was made from backing is screwed onto the 7/16" bolts and 1/8" flat back of the framework. stock. Photo attribution Photo attribution

A wood backing is then added to create a "box" around the framing (Photo 15-25) and the box is covered with 1/4" closed-cell foam (Photo 15-26). A pleated front panel is sewn and a "skirting" is attached around the perimeter of the front panel (Photo 15-27). Photo 15-28 shows the sewn cover from the front side.

Photo 15-26 The headrest is Photo 15-27 A pleated Photo 15-28 The headrest covered with closed-cell "face" is sewn to a side cover before being foam. Photo attribution panel. Photo attribution installed. Photo attribution

The cover is pulled over the headrest and glued to the back side of the "box" (Photo 15-29). A wood trim is cut, polyurethaned and screwed to the back of the box (Photo 15-30). The completed and installed headrest is shown in Photo 15-31.

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Photo 15-29 The cover is Photo 15-30 A wood trim stretched over the foam and piece is screwed to the back glued on the back side. of the headrest. Photo Photo attribution attribution

Photo 15-31 The completed headrest and seat. Photo attribution

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Chapters

Introduction 1. Design, Donor and Tools of the Trade 2. Frame Fabrication 3. Chassis: Front Suspension 4. Chassis: Motor and Transmission Mounting 5. Chassis: Rear Suspension 6. Body: An Introduction to Scratch Building 7. Body: A Gallery of Scratch-Built Cars 8. Body: Fabricating the Skeleton 9. Body: Applying the Skin 10. Body: Pickup Bed 11. Body: Fenders and Running Boards 12. Mechanicals 13. Interior Fittings 14. Body Preparation and Painting 15. Upholstery: Seats 16. Upholstery: Interior Panels 17. Upholstery: Consoles, Carpets and Trims 18. Engine 19. Finishing Touches and the Completed Car About the Author

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Chapter 16: Upholstery - Interior Panels

Like the chapter on painting, the sections on upholstery and interior work are not intended as tutorials or "how-to" guides for upholstering a hot rod. This is the first full interior ever attempted by the builder, so there are far better sources to rely upon if you want the nitty-gritty for stitching up your interior.

The fact is that some of the techniques and materials you will see in this particular chapter might even be scoffed at by purists and high-end upholstery shops. But, this is hot rodding, and hot rodders tend to bend the rules here and there to get the results they want at a price they can afford. That's what this book is all about.

The techniques and materials used here worked for the builder. However, no claim is made that they are perfect or that they should be substituted for more tried-and-true alternatives; they are presented only to stimulate your own thinking and ideas. Backer panels

Flat panels

The interior "skin" of the car can be considered much like the exterior skin. And like the exterior, the interior consists of a number of large, flat panels connected together by a series of curved panels, which hopefully provide an aesthetically pleasing transition from one flat panel to the next.

The flat panels are relatively easy to fabricate. Most can be cut simply by measuring the width and length of the area to be covered. Others, like this oddly-shaped side panel, are made by first creating a paper pattern and then tracing it onto the backer board (Photo 16-1). Photo 16-2 All of the flat Photo 16-2 shows all of the flat panels cut and installed in the car. panel backer boards installed. Photo attribution

Photo 16-1 Backer boards

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such as this are cut for all the flat interior panels. Photo attribution

Panel material

The panels shown here are cut from 1/8" Masonite. Later during the interior fabrication, some of the panels were done over to repair some damaged foam. The newer panels were made using 1/8" Luan-type plywood. Backer panels can also be made using waterproof panelboard (available through upholstery shops and on the internet), ABS plastic, and PVC foam board. Each panel material has its pros and cons and each builder should do his own research on all of them before selecting which material he wants to use.

Panel attachment

There are many ways to attach your panels to the body structure. Most often, hidden clips are used, which slip onto the panel and then friction-fit into holes drilled in the body substructure. Some of these clips are metal and some are the plastic "Christmas tree" type of fasteners.

For this particular interior, a different type of attachment method is used: the "button head stud screw". Unlike clips, button head screws are visible once the interior is done. Photo 16-3 shows how button head screws appear on another interior, the roof panel of my '32 pickup.

The stud screws are capped with the male portion of a snap (Photo 16-4). If longer screws are required, they can be made up by using a common screw inserted through a snap head as shown in Photo 16-5.

Photo 16-3 Button head Photo 16-4 The snap head Photo 16-5 An alternative is stud screws look like this on of a stud screw. Photo to use common screws with a finished interior. Photo attribution a snap head. Photo attribution attribution

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The button heads themselves are made using the same upholstery material as used elsewhere in the interior (or an accent color if desired). A hand-operated press (Photo 16-6) is used to cut small circles in the upholstery (Photo 16-7). The circle is placed over a plastic button form (Photo 16-8) and a plastic snap ring (Photo 16-9) is placed in the press, where the pieces are joined together to form a button, as shown in Photo 16-10.

Photo 16-7 The press cuts perfect circles from your fabric. Photo attribution

Photo 16-6 A button press will cost around $140. Photo attribution

Photo 16-8 The circle of Photo 16-9 A plastic snap Photo 16-10 A quick pump fabric is placed over a ring is also loaded in the on the press handle and a plastic button shell and press. Photo attribution button like this is formed. loaded in the press. Photo Photo attribution attribution Photo 16-11 shows the underside of the button, which snaps onto the head of the screw stud. If the panel needs to be removed, the button head can be popped off and the stud unscrewed. Photo 16-12 shows just some of the button heads made for this project.

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Photo 16-11 This view of Photo 16-12 Dozens of the button bottom shows the button heads were required plastic ring that snaps onto for this interior. Photo the stud screw head. Photo attribution attribution

Curved panels

After trying and rejecting a number of different ideas for building the curved backer panels, an article from an old issue of Rod and Custom provided the solution. The piece showed how Carson tops were formed using 1/2" square hardware cloth (wire mesh screen). A lightbulb went off immediately, and after a bit of experimentation, the panel building was under way.

Photo 16-13 shows a close-up of how the wire screen is formed to fit into the corner curve, and Photo 16-14 shows the full corner with wire backing in place. The wire is folded over the body skeleton, and screws are used to hold the sections in place (Photo 16-15).

Photo 16-13 "Hardware Photo 16-15 The screen is cloth" is shaped to fit the held in place with self- corner curves. Photo tapping screws. Photo attribution attribution

Photo 16-14 The wire screen is fitted to the rear corner curve. Photo attribution

After all of the curved wire pieces are formed and in place, the flat panels are all re-installed (Photo 16-16).

Obviously, we cannot apply upholstery directly over the wire mesh; we need to create a smooth and solid surface for our base. To do this, we use a

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fiberglass mesh material...commonly known as "drywall tape" (a roll of it is on the left in Photo 16-17). This is the fine mesh perforated tape that is sticky on one side. Drywall tape is available at any hardware store. Do NOT use paper tape; the fiberglass mesh tape is designed to prevent any potential cracking or flaking of the backer once it is cured.

To do this job, you need to get a little messy, since the best way to apply the drywall compound is by just using your hands. The fiberglass tape is cut to manageable lengths and held against the wire mesh with one hand, while smearing drywall compound with the other. The drywall compound is lightly pressed through the mesh tape and through the wire screen. The compound has a natural tendency to wrap itself around the back side of the wire screen, which holds it firmly in place once dry. Gently smooth this first layer using your hands or a Bondo applicator ( Photo 16-18).

Photo 16-16 The flat panels Photo 16-17 Fiberglass are re-installed. Photo drywall tape is used to build attribution the surface of the panel. Photo attribution

Photo 16-18 The first layer of fiberglass and compound is applied to the wire mesh. Photo attribution

To make them removable and easier to handle, the wire mesh and drywall tape are separated into individual panels. To keep the sections separated, 1/8" plastic welting cord (Photo 16-19) is inserted between all the "joints" (arrows) where the backer sections will be separated (Photo 16-20). When the entire backer panel is finished and dry, the welting cord is pulled away, and the backer sections will separate from one another. The welting cord will also create a 1/8" space between all of the panel sections. This space is necessary so that the upholstery material can be wrapped around to cover the edge of each panel. When competed, the panels should butt up to each other without any gaps showing.

When the first layer of mesh and compound has dried (which usually takes overnight), it is sanded to knock off any big lumps or imperfections, and a second layer of fiberglass mesh is laid on in the opposite direction of the first layer. Drywall compound is once again forced into the mesh, bonding the second layer of mesh to the first.

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This process is repeated for a total of four layers of fiberglass mesh, allowing each layer to dry before going on to the next. After the final layer is completely dry, the welting cords are pulled out, all the flat panels are removed, and the curved panels are sanded smooth. After blowing the panels clean and wiping them down, two coats of water-based polyurethane are applied to seal the joint compound and to reduce any future effects from humidity (Photo16-21).

Photo 16-19 Welting cord is Photo 16-20 Welting cord Photo 16-21 Water-based used to keep the curved inserted between the panels. polyurethane is used to seal panels separate while the Photo attribution the surface of the curved fiberglass is laid up. Photo panels. Photo attribution attribution

Foaming

All the panels, whether curved or flat, are covered with 1/4" closed-cell foam. The foam is glued on with an adhesive, which is sprayed with an inexpensive paint gun or sprayer made for this specific purpose. DAP Landau Top and Trim Contact Adhesive was used for this project.

When spraying glue on foam or panels, it is advantageous to have lots and lots of paper (or newspaper) on hand to cover your work table. Spraying adhesive can get messy, and glue can get into some very unwanted places. So, change your paper often and keep your work table as clean as possible.

A second general rule is that all foam must be sanded wherever adhesive is going to be applied (Photo 16-22). This Photo 16-22 Closed-cell opens up the "cells" of the foam so that the adhesive can gain a grip. A Scotch-Brite pad can be used for the sanding. foam must be sanded

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wherever it will be glued to another material. Photo attribution

Inserts and accents

Most panels seen on custom cars will have some sort of insert or accent. The accent might be done with different-colored upholstery, a different texture, such as rolls and pleats, or a different material such as metal or plastic. These accents are often created with a separate "backer", and then the foam on the base panel is cut away so that the accent panel can be "inserted" into the base panel. The following roof panel fabrication will be shown in some detail here, since it includes nearly every step used during production of all the other panels on this car.

The roof panel

The roof panel fabrication will be shown in full detail, since it demonstrates almost all of the techniques used during fabrication of the other interior panels on this project. This panel will have two rectangular rolled and pleated "inserts" surrounded by a plain fabric border.

The inserts

After deciding on the approximate size for the inserts, the rectangles are cut from black waterproof backer board. To round the corners of the backer board, simply trace around any appropriately-sized circle and make the cuts (Photo 16-23). Clamp the two backer boards together, use an air sander to clean up the edges, and make sure the two backers match one another (Photo 16-24). The finished backer boards are shown in Photo 16-25.

Photo 16-23 Corner curves Photo 16-24 Backer boards Photo 16-25 The finished are traced around any round are clamped together, and backer boards. Photo object of a suitable size. the edges cleaned up with attribution Photo attribution an air sander. Photo attribution

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A piece of sew foam is cut to the exact width of the backer board, but two inches are added to the length to allow for shrinkage when the pleats are sewn (Photo 16-26 ). Also note in this photo that holes have been drilled in the backer board to accommodate #10789 panel clips. The holes and clips can be seen more clearly in later photos. The fabric is cut with an excess of 2" on all sides (Photo 16-27).

The fabric is marked on the face side with lines 2" apart to guide the sewing of the pleats. The fabric is then glued to the sew foam with the centerline of the foam matching the centerline of the fabric (Photo 16-28).

Photo 16-26 Sew foam is Photo 16-27 Fabric is cut Photo 16-28 The sew foam cut for making the pleated with a 2" allowance on each is lightly glued to the fabric, insert. Photo attribution side. Photo attribution to keep it positioned while sewing the pleats. Photo attribution

Starting from the center and moving toward each end, the pleats are sewn following the lines drawn on the fabric (Photo 16-29). Photo 16-30 shows how the panel now looks from the back side.

Photo 16-29 The pleats are Photo 16-30 The backside Photo 16-31 The backer sewn beginning in the view of the pleats. Photo panel is used as a pattern to center and moving toward attribution trim the excess foam from the ends of the panel. Photo each end. Photo attribution

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attribution

The backer panel is laid on the sew foam and lines are drawn to trace each end of the backer onto the foam (Photo 16-31). The excess foam is then trimmed away so that the panel now looks like this (Photo 16-32). This photo shows more clearly the holes drilled for mounting the insert to the roof panel. The clips used are shown in Photo 16-33.

The fabric is then pulled firmly over the edges of the backer board and glued to the back side using DAP adhesive sprayed on both the backer board and the fabric. The finished insert is shown in Photo 16-34. The second insert is made following the same steps.

Photo 16-32 The panel after Photo 16-33 Example of Photo 16-34 The completed excess foam is trimmed. clip used to hold the accent insert. Photo attribution Photo attribution panel to the roof panel. Photo attribution

The flat surround

The roof panel "surround" is cut to fit the entire flat section of the headliner. The position of the two "inserts" is marked on the panel, and stick-on shelf liner is cut to the exact size of the insert panels and attached to the roof panel (Photo 16-35). When the foam is glued to the panel, we do not want the foam to stick in the area of the inserts. This would require a good deal of work to remove the foam residue from the panel. The shelf liner basically acts as masking paper, which can be easily pulled off when the foam sections are cut and removed to allow for placement of the inserts.

To "foam" the roof panel, a piece of 1/4" closed-cell foam is cut with about an inch of excess on each side. The foam is sanded on both sides (since both sides will eventually be glued) and then positioned on the roof panel. Clamps are used to hold one end of the foam in position (16-36). The "loose" end of the foam is lifted up, and DAP adhesive is sprayed on both the panel and the foam (16-37).

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Photo 16-35 The roof panel Photo 16-36 One end of the Photo 16-37 Contact with the insert sections foam is held with clamps to adhesive is sprayed on the covered with adhesive keep it correctly positioned. panel and the foam. Photo paper to mask it from glue. Photo attribution attribution Photo attribution After the adhesive has been allowed to tack up, the foam is slowly and carefully laid back on the panel, working from the center to the outside edges of the panel. Panel adhesive is a "contact" glue. Once the two surfaces make contact, it may be difficult to separate or move them without damaging the foam. With the foam glued on one end, you can then move to the other end of the panel to lift the foam and apply the adhesive in the same way (16-38). With the foam glued to the panel, mark off the location of the inserts, and then lay the insert backer boards in position and trace around the perimeter of each (Photo 16-39). Before cutting the foam, however, we must take into consideration the width of the upholstery material which we will be wrapping around the Photo 16-38 After gluing Photo 16-39 The foam is edges of the insert and around the edge of the surrounding foam. This material takes up one end, the clamps are marked for cutting out the space. We want the insert to fit within its opening without distorting the fabric or removed and the other end areas for the inserts. Photo creating wrinkles or creases, and we also don't want huge gaps between the insert and is glued. Photo attribution attribution the surround. So, this part is a little bit of guesswork. Based on some practice panels that were created, a margin of about 1/8" all around the insert was found to work out well. To create that margin on our foam, a slightly blunted (used) Sharpie felt-tip pen was used to trace around the backer boards. The blunt Sharpie makes a line approximately 1/8" wide. By always cutting on the outside of that line, we will create our 1/8" margin. A straightedge is positioned along the outside edge of the Sharpie line and clamped in place. A razor knife is used to make the straight cuts on all four sides of the insert (Photo 16-40). The curved corners are carefully cut freehand (Photo 16-41). Photo 16-40 A straightedge Photo 16-41 The corner and razor knife are used to curves are cut freehand. cut the four sides of each Photo attribution

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insert section. Photo attribution The foam covering the insert areas can then be removed by slipping a razor knife under one corner and peeling up the shelf paper "masking" below the foam. This leaves a nice clean area of the roof panel where the inserts will be installed (Photo 16-42). Photo 16-43 shows the insert backer panel laid in the opening to demonstrate the 1/8" gap around the edge of the insert.

Photo 16-42 The foam and Photo 16-43 The backer the adhesive shelf paper are panel demonstrates the removed together, leaving a extra 1/8" of space needed clean, unglued surface for for the fabric to wrap mounting the insert. Photo around the insert. Photo attribution attribution The fabric is cut to overlap the roof panel on all sides and the holes for the inserts are cut out, leaving ample material to ensure that all of the edges will be covered. The fabric is glued to the foam in the same way the foam was glued to the backer board, securing it first on one end with clamps and then gluing the other end. Once the first end of the fabric is glued, the clamps are removed and the other end is glued. The outside edges of the fabric are pulled over the edges of the backer panel, and are glued to the back side of the panel. The insert areas are "notched" around each corner so that the material will lay down without creasing. The backer and the underside of the fabric are sprayed with adhesive, and the fabric is carefully positioned so that a nice tight edge is created around Photo 16-44 The fabric is Photo 16-45 The panel the entire perimeter of the insert opening. There should be no air bubbles between the carefully glued to create a being prepared for the fabric and the foam. (Photos 16-44 and 16-45). sharp edge around the insert inserts. Photo attribution opening. Photo attribution

Clips are then installed on the back of the pleated insert panels and the panels are snapped into place. The finished roof panel is shown in Photos 16-46 to 16-48.

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Photo 16-46 The completed Photo 16-47 The completed Photo 16-48 The completed roof panel. Photo attribution roof panel. Photo attribution roof panel. Photo attribution

The other panels

Polished aluminum insert panels

The door panels and rear side panels have polished aluminum inserts. The backer panels are made in the exact same way as the roof panel, except that aluminum inserts are screwed to the panel rather than using pleated fabric inserts.

The aluminum accent pieces were cut from a large sheet of 1/8" aluminum and were then sanded, polished and buffed (16-49). The slotted panels (Photo 16-50) were made by first cutting the panel to shape, and then drawing slots on the panel. Holes were then drilled at each end of each slot (Photo 16-51) and the material between the holes was cut out with an abrasive cutting wheel (Photo 16-52).

Photo 16-49 The aluminum Photo 16-50 This slotted Photo 16-51 The slots are insert pieces after polishing. accent is for the rear side made by first drilling holes. Photo attribution panel. Photo attribution Photo attribution

The Ford "ovals" on the door panels were created in the same way as the other inserts (Photo 16-53). The ovals were then dressed out with a vinyl graphic of the finished car (Photo 16-54).

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Photo 16-52 The material Photo 16-53 The Ford Photo 16-54 A vinyl between the holes is then "oval" for the door panel. graphic of the finished car cut away. Photo attribution Photo attribution is applied to the panel. Photo attribution

The back panel

The back panel and insert are made using the same steps as the roof panel (Photo 16-55 and 16-56)

Photo 16-55 The panel for Photo 16-56 The panel for the back curve and rear the back curve and rear window area of the car. window area of the car. Photo attribution Photo attribution

Curved panels

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All of the curved panels are also covered with foam and fabric. Photo 16-57 shows how sections of foam were cut and fitted into the compound-complex rear corner panel. Photo 16-58 shows the fabric being coaxed to fit the panel, and Photo 16-59 shows the completed corner panel. The rear top curve was also covered with foam and fabric (Photo 16-60).

Photo 16-57 Foam being Photo 16-58 Working the glued into the rear corner fabric into the rear corner curve. Photo attribution curve. Photo attribution

Photo 16-59 The completed Photo 16-60 The completed rear corner panel. Photo rear top curve. Photo attribution attribution

Stud screw supports

In certain areas of the interior, the panels must be bent to conform to the curvature of the body structure. In these areas, the stud screws must be tightened down quite firmly to bend and hold the panels in place. For these "stressed" areas, special support plugs are made to reinforce the fabric and foam. Without a plug, the stud screw head would make a deep indentation in the foam and fabric, and might even cause rips or damage.

Fortunately, there is an effective and inexpensive tool for not only creating the plugs but for cutting out the foam where the plug is inserted. This tool is a 1/2" hollow punch (Photo 16-61).

The punch is handheld to cut out the foam. It is placed over the screw hole and twisted (spun) back and forth to "drill" through the foam (Photo 16-62). These punches are very sharp, so is quite easy to cut and remove the foam (16-63).

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Photo 16-61 A "hollow Photo 16-62 The punch Photo 16-63 The hole made punch" is used to make removes a cylinder of foam for the support plug. Photo screw support plugs. Photo from around the screw hole. attribution attribution Photo attribution To make the plugs, we use the same tool. The punch is mounted in a drill press, and plugs are cut from chipboard (a heavy cardboard about the thickness of the backing on a yellow legal pad) (Photo 16-64). Chipboard can be purchased in quantity from a number of internet sources, including Amazon.com. It takes 4 chipboard disks to fill each hole and complete the plug, but 80-100 disks can be cut out in under 5 minutes (Photo 16-65).

Photo 16-64 The hollow Photo 16-65 Using the drill punch cuts chipboard disks press, disks can be cut out to make the plugs. Photo very rapidly. Photo attribution attribution Before being installed, each plug disk is given a quick swipe with Elmer's glue, and inserted into the hole (Photo 16-66). Photo 16-67 shows a series of plugs installed in the rear panel foam. Once the glue is dry, a hole is drilled through the center using the screw hole in the backer panel as our guide.

Photo 16-66 The disks are Photo 16-67 Plugs installed wiped with glue and in the rear panels. Photo inserted into the hole. Four attribution disks are required for each

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hole in 1/4" foam. Photo attribution

Insulation and sound deadener

Before doing a final installation of the finished panels, your preferred insulation and/or sound deadener should be installed. Foil-faced bubble pack is being used on this project as the insulation material. The pieces are cut so that they fit between the sections of skeleton tubing. Outdoor carpet glue is applied to the underside of the sheet metal, and the insulation pieces are pressed into place (Photo 16-68). After the glue has had sufficient time to dry, the sound deadener (in this case, carpet padding) is added. The vertical panels of padding can be friction-fit, while the overhead panels are glued with the same DAP adhesive used for gluing the interior panels (Photo 16-69).

Photo 16-68 Foil-faced Photo 16-69 Carpet padding bubble pack is glued to the is installed as a sound sheet metal for insulation. deadener. Photo attribution Photo attribution

The completed panels

Photos 16-70 to 16-75 show the completed interior panels installed in the car.

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Photo 16-70 The completed Photo 16-72 The completed interior panels. Photo interior panels. Photo attribution attribution

Photo 16-71 The completed interior panels. Photo attribution

Photo 16-73 The completed Photo 16-75 The completed interior panels. Photo interior panels. Photo attribution attribution

Photo 16-74 The completed interior panels. Photo attribution

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Chapters

Introduction 1. Design, Donor and Tools of the Trade 2. Frame Fabrication 3. Chassis: Front Suspension 4. Chassis: Motor and Transmission Mounting 5. Chassis: Rear Suspension 6. Body: An Introduction to Scratch Building 7. Body: A Gallery of Scratch-Built Cars 8. Body: Fabricating the Skeleton 9. Body: Applying the Skin 10. Body: Pickup Bed 11. Body: Fenders and Running Boards 12. Mechanicals 13. Interior Fittings 14. Body Preparation and Painting 15. Upholstery: Seats 16. Upholstery: Interior Panels 17. Upholstery: Consoles, Carpets and Trims 18. Engine

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19. Finishing Touches and the Completed Car About the Author

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Chapter 17: Upholstery - Consoles, Carpets and Trims

Consoles

There will be two consoles in the car. One console is centered over the transmission tunnel, and the other is an overhead console.

Center console

The center console begins with a simple box cut from particle board and screwed together (Photo 17-1). A front panel is marked and cut out to mount the light switch, wiper switch, wiper delay, cruise control module, electric window controls and three toggle switches (Photo 17-2). The top for the box is then cut to shape, and a hole is cut out for a storage tray. Also, a notch is cut at the rear for a wiring chase (Photo 17-3).

Photo 17-1 A particle board Photo 17-2 The front panel Photo 17-3 The top of the "box" is cut to fit around the for the box is cut out to box is cut for a storage tray transmission tunnel. Photo house various switches and in the center and a wiring attribution controls. Photo attribution chase at the rear. Photo attribution

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A framework is cut and assembled for the sides of the storage tray, and then glued to the underside of the tray opening (Photo 17-4). The top is screwed to the box so that it can be removed for access to the wiring behind the front control panel. The box and top are covered with 1/8" closed-cell foam (Photo 17-5) and fabric is sewn and glued to both the box and the top (Photo 17-6). The transmission tunnel and driveshaft tunnel are covered with 1/8" foam and then fabric. The console is screwed to the top of the transmission tunnel (Photo 17-7)

Photo 17-4 The frame for Photo 17-5 Foam is glued to the storage tray. Photo the console box and the top. attribution Photo attribution

Photo 17-6 Fabric is sewn Photo 17-7 The console is where required and glued to screwed to the transmission the foam. Photo attribution tunnel. Photo attribution

Overhead console

The overhead console consists of a front "face panel", and a bottom panel that covers the underside of the console framework.

Face panel

The face panel is cut from 1x4 pine with a hole cut to house the CD player (Photo 17-8). The back side of the panel is trimmed on a table saw so that there is a lip at the bottom edge (Photo 17-9). This lip will support and hide the front edge of the console's bottom panel. Closed-cell foam is glued to the front of the panel (Photo 17-10).

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Photo 17-8 The face of the Photo 17-9 The back is cut Photo 17-10 Foam is glued overhead console is cut with a table saw to form a to the face of the panel. from 1" pine stock. Photo lip that will support the Photo attribution attribution bottom panel. Photo attribution

Fabric is glued to the foam, and then wrapped around the edges of the panel and glued to the back side. (Photo 17-11 and 17-12). The face can then be screwed to the console framework as shown in Photo 17-13.

Photo 17-11 Fabric is glued Photo 17-12 The fabric is Photo 17-13 The console to the foam face. Photo wrapped over edges of the face screwed in place. attribution panel and glued to the back Photo attribution side. Photo attribution

Bottom panel

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The bottom panel for the overhead console is cut from 1/4" Masonite. Holes are cut on either end to house the stereo speakers (Photo 17-14). The panel cover is made by first sewing pleats at the center of the panel using fabric and sew foam. The cover is then glued to the face of the Masonite, and wrapped around the edges and again glued on the back side (17-15).

Photo 17-14 The bottom Photo 17-15 The fabric panel is cut from Masonite. cover, with pleats sewn into Photo attribution the center, is glued to the panel. Photo attribution The speaker holes are cut in the fabric, and the fabric is notched (cut into pie shapes), wrapped around the edges of the holes, and glued on the back side (Photo 17-16). The bottom panel is installed as shown in Photo 17-17.

Photo 17-16 Fabric around Photo 17-17 The bottom the speaker holes is cut and panel installed. Photo wrapped over the edge to be attribution glued on the back. Photo attribution

Carpets

The carpeting process begins by first cutting and gluing down foil-faced insulation (Photo 17-18). Then, 1/2" thick carpet padding is added as a sound deadener (Photo 17-19). Using paper patterns like this one for the passenger side (Photo 17-20), automotive-grade carpeting is marked and cut to shape.

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Photo 17-18 Foil-faced Photo 17-19 1/2" carpet pad Photo 17-20 Paper patterns insulation is glued to the is glued over the insulation. are made to cut the carpet. floor. Photo attribution Photo attribution Photo attribution

Photo 17-21 shows the raw-cut carpeting being test-fit on the driver and passenger side.

To keep the carpeting from fraying, and to create a more finished look, binding is sewn around the edges of each carpet section. The binding is cut from our upholstery fabric in strips 2 1/4" wide (Photo 17-22).

The binding strips are then placed face down on the "fuzzy" up-side of the carpet. The edge of the carpet is lined up with the edge of the fabric and then sewn around the entire perimeter 1/2" in from the edge of the carpet (Photo 17-23). If you are a newcomer to sewing, you may find it helpful to temporarily pin or staple the binding to the carpet to hold things together while sewing.

Photo 17-21 The carpet Photo 17-22 Binding strips Photo 17-23 The carpet and pieces are test-fitted. Photo must be added to the edge fabic are laid face-to-face attribution of the carpet to keep it from and sewn 1/2" in from the fraying. Photo attribution outer edge. Photo attribution

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The binding strip is then pulled over the edge of the carpeting (Photo 17-24). Some coaxing may be required to work out wrinkles and kinks. When the binding has been pulled over the edge and smoothed out all the way around the piece of carpet, it is glued to the back side of the carpet and then sewn "in the ditch" all the way around the binding. The "ditch" is indicated by the arrow in Photo 17-25. Sewing in this seam will hide the stitching from view.

The completed driver's side carpet is shown in Photo 17-26.

Photo 17-24 The binding is Photo 17-25 The binding is Photo 17-26 The driver's pulled over the outer edge glued on the back side and side carpet. Photo of the carpet. Photo then sewn "in the ditch" attribution attribution (arrow) around the perimeter of the carpet. Photo attribution

Mats

Removable mats can be made by using inexpensive rubber mats that have knobs or ribbing on the back side to prevent them from slipping around on the floor (Photo 17-27). The knobs near the edge of the mat must be ground off, so that the binding will have a flat surface for good gluing. (Photo 17-28).

Photo 17-27 Rubber mats Photo 17-28 The knobs are

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are used to create carpeted ground off around the mats. Photo attribution outside edge in order to glue the binding. Photo attribution

The carpet is cut to match the rubber mat, and the two are glued together using contact adhesive (Photo 17-29). Binding is sewn on, as we did for the larger carpet sections (Photo 17-30). The binding is then pulled over the edges of the mat and glued to the back side (Photo 17-31).

Photo 17-29 The carpet is Photo 17-30 Binding is Photo 17-31 The binding is cut and glued to the rubber sewn around the edge. pulled over the edge of the mat. Photo attribution Photo attribution rubber mat and glued on the back side. Photo attribution The finished mats are shown in Photos 17-32 and 17-33. Note that carpet does have a "direction", and if your carpet and mat pieces are not cut from the carpet roll in the same orientation, the direction of the nap will appear as a slightly different color. A good way to remember this is to always think of the leading edge of your carpet roll as pointing to the front of the car. Then, lay out all patterns for your carpet and your mats accordingly.

Photo 17-32 The mat with Photo 17-33 The mat in the binding. Photo attribution car. Photo attribution

Trims

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Foot box

The area around the foot box has a raw carpeting edge that will be covered with a wood trim piece. The trim is made from 1 1/2" x 1 1/2" corner trim, which can be found at most lumber yards and home centers. The corners are cut at 45-degree angles, and the trim pieces are clamped and glued together (Photo 17-34). To help reinforce the corners, chipboard is cut to match the corner angles (Photo 17-35) and glued into place (Photo 17-36). The finished trims (not yet polyurethaned) are shown in Photo 17-37.

Photo 17-34 Pre- Photo 17-35 Chipboard is manufactured "corner trim" cut to fit the corner. Photo is cut and glued for the foot attribution box. Photo attribution

Photo 17-36 The chipboard Photo 17-37 The completed is glued in place to foot box trim. Photo reinforce the corner joint. attribution Photo attribution

Windshield

The windshield has oak trim pieces across the top, down each side, and under each end of the overhead console. The cut and shaped trim pieces are shown in Photo 17-38. Photo 17-39 shows the trims installed, and Photo 17-40 shows an additional oak trim piece that covers the raw edge of the kick panel at the door jamb.

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Photo 17-38 Windshield Photo 17-39 The trim trim pieces are cut from oak pieces in place. Photo stock. Photo attribution attribution

Photo 17-40 A trim piece is also made to cover the edge of the kick panel at the door jamb. Photo attribution

Door windows

The trims around the door windows are made of oak, which is then covered with upholstery fabric to match the rest of the door panel. The top portion of the window trim is made from three pieces (Photo 17-41) that are joined together using a "biscuit joint" cutter (Photo 17-42). The cutter routs a slot in the two adjoining pieces and a wooden "biscuit" is glued into the slots to give the joint its strength (Photo 17-43).

Photo 17-41 Oak pieces cut Photo 17-42 Biscuit cutter Photo 17-43 The biscuit and for the top portion of the used to join the trim pieces. slots. Photo attribution

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window trim. Photo Photo attribution attribution

The corners of the frame are glued up and clamped together as shown in Photo 17-44.

The bottom rail of the window trim is cut to look like a piece of angle iron. The front face will cover the raw top edge of the door upholstery panel, while the top face will cover the bottom edge of the window opening. The front face is also shaped (arrow) so that it will fit around the door pull (Photo 17-45). Photo 17-46 shows the trim framework glued together.

Photo 17-44 The upper Photo 17-45 The lower Photo 17-46 The window frame corner after gluing. section of the trim is cut to trim glued together. Photo Photo attribution fit around the door pull attribution (arrow). Photo attribution All of the joints are filled with wood filler, and sanded to create smooth transitions (Photo 17-47). Fabric is then cut to size and glued to the trim (Photo 17-48), working the fabric slowly around all of the corners and curves so that it fits tightly, and without any creases or wrinkles (Photo 17-49). A completed window trim is shown installed in Photo 17-50.

Photo 17-47 All the joints Photo 17-48 Fabric being are filled with wood putty cut and readied for gluing. and sanded smooth. Photo Photo attribution attribution

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Photo 17-49 The window Photo 17-50 A finished trims with fabric glued on. window trim is installed. Photo attribution Photo attribution

Rear window (and homemade third brake light)

The trim for the rear window begins as a simple oak framework cut and glued so that it slips just inside the rear window opening (Photo 17-51). To create nice curved corners, a block of oak is cut with a large hole saw (Photo 17-52) to produce four sections, each with a 90-degree outside corner and an evenly-curved inside corner (Photo 17-53).

Photo 17-51 An oak Photo 17-52 Corner curves Photo 17-53 The corner framework is glued together are cut from an oak block. curve pieces. Photo to fit inside the rear window Photo attribution attribution opening. Photo attribution

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The corners are glued to the framework, and wood filler is applied to all the rough edges and sanded smooth (Photo 17-54). A front "face" or "lip" is glued to the framework, and any imperfections are filled with wood putty (Photo 17-55). The lip will surround the window opening and cover the raw edge of the rear upholstery panel where it butts up to the window opening.

Photo 17-54 The corners Photo 17-55 A front lip, glued, filled and sanded which will cover the edge smooth. Photo attribution of the rear upholstery panel, is attached. Photo attribution At this point, we take a small diversion to show the fabrication of our homemade third brake light, which will become a part of the rear window trim. The brake light began life as this aluminum tubing section from an old, discarded TV antenna (Photo 17-56). Slots are cut in the tubing with a cutting wheel (Photo 17-57) and later sanded smooth.

Photo 17-56 Tubing from a Photo 17-57 Slots are cut in discarded TV antenna is the tubing. Photo attribution used for the brake light housing. Photo attribution The lens for the light is the same "dropped ceiling" plastic material we used for the frenched tail lights shown in Chapter 10. The plastic is heated and bent around a piece of tubing (Photo 17-58). The lens is then test-fit to ensure it will slip into our aluminum housing (Photo 17-59). Note that the lens must be compressed slightly while being inserted into the tubing. Once inside, the material expands to friction-fit in position.

Photo 17-58 The plastic Photo 17-59 The lens is lens material is heated and test-fitted in the housing. shaped over a piece of Photo attribution

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tubing. Photo attribution

Wiring is soldered directly to the base of each bulb, and then the bulbs are wrapped in closed-cell foam and electrician's tape, so that they can be friction-fit in either end of the housing. The housing is then sanded and polished, and the lens is painted with candy apple red paint (Photo 17-60). Oak is cut and drilled to make "end caps" (Photo 17-61), and the end caps are glued together and slipped over the ends of the brake light housing (Photo 17-62).

Photo 17-60 The housing is Photo 17-61 Pieces for the Photo 17-62 The end caps polished and the lens is end caps. Photo attribution glued and slipped over the painted. Photo attribution ends of the housing. Photo attribution

The caps and frame are drilled so that the wiring can be fished through, and the light is test-fit on the window trim (Photo 17-63). Small screws are used to hold the brake light end caps in place. The end caps and frame are skim coated with a fine wood filler, and sanded smooth with 400 grit paper. This must be done to prevent the wood grain from showing through. The caps and trim are then sprayed with three coats of SEM interior plastic and vinyl paint.

Photo 17-64 shows the trim and brake light from the interior side, and Photo 17-65 shows how the trim and light appear from the outside of the car.

Photo 17-63 The light and Photo 17-64 The completed Photo 17-65 A view of the

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end caps being test-fit on trim and brake light from trim and light from outside the window trim. Photo inside the car. Photo the car. Photo attribution attribution attribution

Dust boots

Dust boots are needed for the shifter lever and the emergency brake lever. The shifter boot is made by sewing together four triangular-shaped pieces of upholstery fabric. Photo 17-66 shows the boot inside-out with the four sections stapled together to hold them in place during sewing. Once sewn, the staples are pulled and the boot is turned right-side-out. To hold the boot in place, a trim mount is cut from a common light switch cover (Photo 17-67). The trim is painted with SEM interior plastic and vinyl paint and the bottom edge of the boot is glued to the underside of the trim.

Photo 17-66 The dust boot Photo 17-67 The mounting is made from four pieces of trim is cut from a light fabric shown here during switch cover. Photo the sewing process. Photo attribution attribution Photo 17-68 shows the installed boot and trim. The emergency brake boot consists of two pieces of fabric glued to the underside of another light switch cover. Photo 17-69 shows the boot and trim installed.

Photo 17-68 The installed Photo 17-69 The emergency boot and trim. Photo brake boot and trim. Photo attribution attribution

Kick panels

The kick panels are made like other interior panels, only smaller. Luan plywood is cut to the shape needed (Photo 17-70). The panel is covered with foam and "plugs" are inserted for each mounting hole (Photo 17-71). The panel is then upholstered and mounted (Photo 17-72).

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Photo 17-70 A plywood Photo 17-71 Foam is glued backer is cut for the kick to the backer and plugs panel. Photo attribution installed for each mounting hole. Photo attribution

Photo 17-72 The panel is upholstered and mounted. Photo attribution

The driver's side kick panel hides the fuse box, so an access hole must be cut in the panel (Photo 17-73). A "door" is made to cover the access hole. This backside view of the door shows how strips of foam are used to create a "friction fit" to hold the door in place (Photo 17-74). The front-side view of the panel and access door are shown in Photo 17-75.

Photo 17-73 A hole is cut in Photo 17-74 A back-side Photo 17-75 Front-side the driver's side panel to view of the access door. view of the door and kick access the fuse box. Photo Photo attribution panel. Photo attribution attribution

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Toe board

The removable toe board that was fabricated in an earlier chapter is now upholstered. The panel is first covered with foam, (Photo 17-76) and then fabric is sewn together and glued to the foam (Photo 17-77). Photo 17-78 shows the upholstered toe board installed.

Photo 17-76 Foam is glued Photo 17-77 Fabric is sewn Photo 17-78 The to the toe board. Photo to fit around the upper left upholstered toe board in attribution corner, and then glued to place. Photo attribution the foam. Photo attribution

Firewall

The firewall upholstery is done by first making paper patterns, and then cutting the backer boards (Photo 17-79). Foam is glued to the front face of the backer board, and fabric is glued over the foam (Photo 17-80), pulled over the edge, and glued to the back side of the backer board. The installed firewall panels are shown in Photo 17-81.

Photo 17-79 The firewall Photo 17-80 Foam and Photo 17-81 The firewall backer must be made in two fabric are glued to the panels installed. Photo sections so that it can be backer board. Photo attribution

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installed and removed. attribution Photo attribution

Cup holder

It's a pretty minute detail, but every hot rod needs an appropriate drink holder. There's not a lot of spare space in the cockpit, but just the right spot was found at the rear of the "foot box". The cup holder is comprised of five separate pieces of 3/4" oak veneer plywood. The top two pieces have a larger-diameter hole drilled through them for larger-diameter drink cups, and the bottom two pieces have a smaller hole with the diameter of a soda can. The pieces are glued and clamped together (Photo 17-82), and when dry, the inner portion of the circle cuts are sanded smooth. This is done before gluing the top and bottom together to get better access for sanding. The top and bottom portions are then glued together (Photo 17-83); the arrow notes the smaller holder within the larger holder. Later, a bottom is glued on to finish off the holder. The exterior surfaces are then sanded smooth, and the holder is protected with two coats of polyurethane and placed in the foot box (Photo 17-84).

Photo 17-82 The cup holder Photo 17-83 After sanding, Photo 17-84 The finished has two "tiers" for holding the two differently-sized cup holder installed in the different sized containers. holes are glued together. foot box. Photo attribution Photo attribution Photo attribution

Pedal pads

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The pads on the donor pedals were badly worn and in rough shape. Rather than replace them with OEM parts, we used something a little different: flip-flops. This pair was found on sale for $0.50, but even at normal retail, they make for bargain pedal pads. The pads are cut from the flip-flops using a bandsaw (Photo 17-85), and glued to the face of the pedal with contact cement (Photo 17-86). Prior to attaching the pad, a hole was drilled through each corner of the pedal faceplate. With the pad glued in place, screws can be inserted from the back side of the faceplate to mechanically retain the pads (Photo 17-87). Matching pads are cut and attached to the brake and accelerator pedals as shown in Photo 17-88. Photo 17-85 The pads are Photo 17-86 The pad is cut out using a bandsaw. glued to the faceplate of the Photo attribution pedal. Photo attribution

Photo 17-87 Holes are Photo 17-88 Matching pads drilled and the pad screwed are made for all three to the pedal to ensure that it pedals. Photo attribution stays in place. Photo attribution

The completed interior

Here are a few shots of the completed interior (Photos 17-89 to 17-96).

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Photo 17-89 The completed Photo 17-90 The completed Photo 17-91 The completed interior. Photo attribution interior. Photo attribution interior. Photo attribution

Photo 17-92 The completed Photo 17-93 The completed Photo 17-94 The completed interior. Photo attribution interior. Photo attribution interior. Photo attribution

Photo 17-95 The completed Photo 17-96 The completed interior. Photo attribution interior. Photo attribution

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Chapters

Introduction 1. Design, Donor and Tools of the Trade 2. Frame Fabrication 3. Chassis: Front Suspension 4. Chassis: Motor and Transmission Mounting 5. Chassis: Rear Suspension 6. Body: An Introduction to Scratch Building 7. Body: A Gallery of Scratch-Built Cars 8. Body: Fabricating the Skeleton 9. Body: Applying the Skin 10. Body: Pickup Bed 11. Body: Fenders and Running Boards 12. Mechanicals 13. Interior Fittings 14. Body Preparation and Painting 15. Upholstery: Seats

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16. Upholstery: Interior Panels 17. Upholstery: Consoles, Carpets and Trims 18. Engine 19. Finishing Touches and the Completed Car About the Author

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Chapter 18: Engine

The tired 302 from the donor truck is shown in Photo 18-1. Lots of power washing, media blasting and clean-up are required for the bellhousing (Photo 18-2) and transmission.

Our goal is to build a rather mild "cruising" engine that will be dependable, and a bit easy on fuel economy. After checking the specs on the donor block, it was determined that a newly rebuilt short block might be our best and most reliable alternative. The replacement block was treated to a typical overhaul after being cleaned, magnafluxed, bored .040 over and power honed to 1/1000 of spec.

The engine has stock Ford I-beam connecting rods, Silvolite (Keith Black) pistons, Hastings rings, Federal Mogul rod and main bearings, Melling oil pump and cam bearings and Fel-Pro seals and gaskets (Photo 18-3).

Photo 18-1 The engine from Photo 18-2 The bellhousing Photo 18-3 The engine was the donor was replaced with prior to clean-up. Photo bored .040 over and got all a fresh block. Photo attribution new internal parts. Photo attribution attribution

A Comp Cams 268H cam was installed with 268/268 duration, .456/.456 lift and 110 lobe separation. Rebuilt Ford E7TE heads replaced the stock D8OE heads, and the stock valve springs were replaced with Edelbrock high performance springs (Photo 18-4). Photos 18-5 and 18-6 show the engine during assembly.

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Photo 18-4 Ford E7 heads Photo 18-5 Heads, springs Photo 18-6 The stock replaced the stock heads. and push rods are installed rocker arms are installed. Photo attribution on the block. Photo Photo attribution attribution

The top side of the engine was finished off with an Edelbrock Performer intake manifold and an Edelbrock 600 cfm carburetor (Photos 18-7 to 18-9). The stock "Duraspark" ignition system was retained. As shown in an earlier chapter, the headers are Patriot sprint-style roadster headers with Patriot side exhaust.

Photo 18-7 An Edelbrock Photo 18-8 Photo Photo 18-9 Photo Performer intake and 650 attribution attribution carburetor are installed. Photo attribution

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The intake was removed, and the clutch was bolted to the engine in preparation for installing the engine in the car (Photo 18-10). The radiator, fan and support brackets were all removed to slip the engine into position (Photo 18-11). There is not enough space to allow for the engine to be installed with the transmission attached, so the transmission and bellhousing are mated to the engine during the installation process. It can be a challenge to get everything lined up correctly, so the transmission tunnel is unbolted and lifted out of the way to facilitate the installation (18-12).

Photo 18-10 The flywheel Photo 18-11 The engine is Photo 18-12 The and clutch are installed. lifted into position. Photo transmission tunnel is Photo attribution attribution removed to mate the bellhousing and transmission to the engine. Photo attribution

Photos 18-13 to 18-15 show the completed engine installation.

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Photo 18-13 The completed Photo 18-14 The completed Photo 18-15 The completed engine installation. Photo engine installation. Photo engine installation. Photo attribution attribution attribution

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Introduction 1. Design, Donor and Tools of the Trade 2. Frame Fabrication

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3. Chassis: Front Suspension 4. Chassis: Motor and Transmission Mounting 5. Chassis: Rear Suspension 6. Body: An Introduction to Scratch Building 7. Body: A Gallery of Scratch-Built Cars 8. Body: Fabricating the Skeleton 9. Body: Applying the Skin 10. Body: Pickup Bed 11. Body: Fenders and Running Boards 12. Mechanicals 13. Interior Fittings 14. Body Preparation and Painting 15. Upholstery: Seats 16. Upholstery: Interior Panels 17. Upholstery: Consoles, Carpets and Trims 18. Engine 19. Finishing Touches and the Completed Car About the Author

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Chapter 19: Finishing Touches and the Completed Car

To wrap up the build, here are some finishing touches and miscellaneous items that did not quite fit into any of the previous chapters. At the end of the chapter is a gallery of pictures displaying the completed car. Tonneau cover

The tonneau cover design sought to achieve two goals. First, we wanted a cover that can easily swing up and lock in place for quick access to the bed. And, we wanted a cover that can easily be removed from the bed altogether whenever the need might arise.

To satisfy those two goals, "partial hinges" were fabricated (Photo 19-1). Pronged nuts were used to attach the hinges to 1/2" medium-density plywood composite, which is cut to fit the top opening of the pickup bed (Photo 19-2). The partial hinge design forms a "cup" around the front crossmember to hold the front of the tonneau cover in place (Photo 19-3). When the cover is closed, the latch and the wooden stops (arrows) prevent the rear of the cover from moving. When opened, the "partial hinges" can be pulled away from the front crossmember and completely removed from the bed.

Photo 19-1 A special Photo 19-2 Pronged nuts Photo 19-3 The partial "hinge" was fabricated, so are used to fasten the hinge, hinges "cup" around the that the tonneau cover can so that the top can later be front crossmember of the easily be removed from the upholstered. Photo bed. Photo attribution bed. Photo attribution attribution

The T-handled latch for the tonneau is a Stanley garage door part (Photo 19-4). A latching bar is welded to a nut, and the nut is slipped over the

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activation rod of the Stanley handle. The nut is secured at the appropriate height by a set screw (Photo 19-5). When the handle is turned to the closed position, the latching bar contacts a small tab welded to the rear crossmember of the bed to hold the door closed. The T-handle comes keyed, so the tonneau cover can be locked shut to protect valuables. The finished and upholstered tonneau cover is shown in Photo 19-6.

Photo 19-4 The "T" handle Photo 19-5 The latching Photo 19-6 The tonneau is originally made for a mechanism. Photo cover completed. Photo garage door, and is much attribution attribution cheaper than its automotive counterpart. Photo attribution

Bed floor

The bed floor is cut from oak veneer plywood, and has an access hole for the gas tank filler (Photo 19-7). A friction-fit door covers the access hole (Photo 19-8). Photo 19-9 shows the battery installed in the bed, as well as the electrical system shut-off key.

Photo 19-7 The bed floor is Photo 19-8 The bed floor Photo 19-9 The battery is cut with a fuel tank access installed. Photo attribution fitted in the bed. Photo hole. Photo attribution attribution

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Firewall facing

Using a paper pattern, 1/8" aluminum (3003 alloy) is cut to match the firewall (Photo 19-10). The aluminum is buffed, polished and bolted in place (Photos 19-11 and 19-12).

Photo 19-10 The firewall Photo 19-11 The facing Photo 19-12 The facing facing is cut from 1/8" polished and bolted to the polished and bolted to the aluminum. Photo attribution firewall. Photo attribution firewall. Photo attribution

Window weatherization

The movable glass in the door windows requires special seal and weatherization materials. The seal around the top and sides of the window is U-shaped. The outer surface is rubber, and the inner surface is a fuzzy fabric that seals against the window glass (Photo 19-13). The seal is friction-fit into the window channel (Photo 19-14).

Photo 19-13 The sealing Photo 19-14 The seal is strip used for the top and fitted into the window sides of the door glass. channel. Photo attribution

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Photo attribution

The seal where the glass passes down into the door is a bit different. The exterior side of the glass is sealed with tubular weatherstripping (Photo 19-15), which is available at most hardware stores. The seal is glued to the 1x1 tubing that forms the window opening Photo 19-16).

On the interior side of the glass, common 3/8" closed-cell weatherstrip is used (Photo 19-17). The purpose of this strip is primarily to keep the glass pushed up against the outer seal, so that excessive water will not run down inside the door.

Photo 19-15 Rubber Photo 19-16 The strip is Photo 19-17 Weatherization weatherstripping is used to glued to the window frame foam is attached to the seal the outside of the glass (arrow). Photo attribution inside of the window frame where it slides down into to hold the glass against the the door cavity. Photo outer seal (arrows). Photo attribution attribution

Tube grill

The "tubes" for the tube grill insert are actually not tubes at all. They are 3/8" fiberglass rods commonly used by farmers as posts for building electric fences. A bundle of twenty rods will cost less than $20 at most agricultural supply stores like Fleet Farm or Tractor Supply (Photo 19-18). These rods are ideal for this purpose because they are straight and have a very smooth finish.

The rods are cut long enough to extend just beyond the top and bottom of the grill shell opening. For this grill, the tube length was 21". The rods are then squared up in a temporary framework (Photo 19-19), and evenly arranged by inserting plastic spacers made for laying floor tile between each tube, at the top and bottom (Photo 19-20).

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Photo 19-18 The grill Photo 19-19 The rods are Photo 19-20 Floor tile "tubes" are fiberglass fence cut to length and laid out in spacers are used to keep a post rods. Photo attribution a temporary framework to uniform distance between keep everything square. the tubes. Photo attribution Photo attribution

Strips of 1/4" Plexiglas are cut and epoxied to the tubes at the top and bottom to form a solid framework (Photo 19-21). The framework is then bolted into the back side of the grill shell (Photo 19-22). The tubing was painted with metallic silver paint, and the completed grill shell and tube insert are shown in Photo 19-23.

(Note to readers: Even during fabrication of this grill insert it was unknown if the epoxy and Plexiglas would hold up under normal driving conditions. After one year on the road, the tube insert has remained solid and stable and the "experimental design" seems to function quite adequately.)

Photo 19-23 The completed Photo 19-21 A Plexiglas Photo 19-22 The framework tube grill insert. Photo frame is epoxied to the is bolted to tabs welded on attribution tubes at the top and bottom. the back side of the grill Photo attribution shell. Photo attribution

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Fuel gauge sending unit

The project has a spun aluminum fuel tank; a brief search turned up nothing regarding a fuel gauge sending unit made specifically to mount on the rounded surface of these types of tanks. So, a generic sending unit was slightly modified for the task. The basic parts for the generic sender are shown in Photo 19-24. The mounting plate is removed from the sending unit, and is bent over a section of steel well casing (Photo 19-25).

Photo 19-25 The mounting plate is bent to match the Photo 19-24 The parts curve of the fuel tank. included in a generic fuel Photo attribution sending unit. Photo attribution Holes are drilled in the tank top using the mounting plate as a guide (Photo 19-26). The sending unit can then be mounted exactly as it would be mounted on a flat-topped tank (Photo 19-27).

Photo 19-26 Holes are Photo 19-27 The sending drilled to mount the sending unit mounted on the tank. unit. Photo attribution Photo attribution

Graphics

A fairly simple graphic was created for the door panel inserts, and was shown in Chapter 16. A somewhat more complex graphic was done for the exterior of the car. Since Buster is the official "shop dog" who oversaw the fabrication of this project, it is only fitting that the car be named in his honor.

Using Photoshop, a fairly ordinary picture of Buster (Photo 19-28) and a picture of my roadster were combined and manipulated to put Buster in

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the driver's seat, paw on the wheel and ears flapping in the breeze (Photo 19-29). A logo for "Buster's Surf Shop" was added, and the digital image was taken to a local sign shop, where they printed up vinyl decals. The result is shown in Photo 19-30. And in case anyone is wondering, yes, Buster does live in Northern Wisconsin, more than 1,000 miles from anything even remotely resembling actual surf. But a dog can dream, right?

Photo 19-29 Buster gets Photo 19-28 Buster, the photoshopped into the Photo 19-30 The graphic is supervising shop dog in roadster. Photo attribution transferred to a vinyl decal charge of this project. Photo and applied to the car. attribution Photo attribution

The completed car

Here, at last, is the completed car. Approximately 3,000 hours were invested in the construction shown on these pages. However, this book has also shown dozens of other scratch-built cars that took far less time and far less work.

That's the joy of scratch building a hot rod. Builders can shoot for the stars, going for the most exotic rod they can dream up, or they can zero in on a simple, traditional body style with just the bare essentials necessary to keep it safe and fun on the highway. The choice is yours.

This just happens to be what I built. Now, it's time to see what you will build.

Photo 19-31 Photo Photo 19-32 Photo Photo 19-33 Photo attribution attribution attribution

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Photo 19-34 Photo Photo 19-35 Photo Photo 19-36 Photo attribution attribution attribution

Photo 19-37 Photo Photo 19-38 Photo Photo 19-39 Photo attribution attribution attribution

Photo 19-41 Photo Photo 19-40 Photo attribution Photo 19-42 Photo attribution attribution

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Photo 19-43 At Wisconsin Dells car show, 2010. Photo Photo 19-44 At "Back to Photo 19-45 The car and attribution the 50's", 2010 with son builder. Photo attribution Vaughn and friend Sally. Photo attribution

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Chapters

Introduction 1. Design, Donor and Tools of the Trade 2. Frame Fabrication 3. Chassis: Front Suspension 4. Chassis: Motor and Transmission Mounting 5. Chassis: Rear Suspension 6. Body: An Introduction to Scratch Building 7. Body: A Gallery of Scratch-Built Cars 8. Body: Fabricating the Skeleton 9. Body: Applying the Skin 10. Body: Pickup Bed 11. Body: Fenders and Running Boards 12. Mechanicals 13. Interior Fittings 14. Body Preparation and Painting 15. Upholstery: Seats 16. Upholstery: Interior Panels 17. Upholstery: Consoles, Carpets and Trims 18. Engine 19. Finishing Touches and the Completed Car About the Author

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About the Author

Dewey Lindstrom lives on Pokegema Lake in northern Wisconsin, and has been building and driving hot rods for over 50 years. Photos of some of his projects are shown below. Folks who visit Hotrodders.com will recognize him as "cboy" in the forums and journal section.

Lindstrom's addiction to hot rods has been made possible only through the encouragement and support of his wife, Dorothy, who puts up with a house full of Bondo tracks, metal shavings, grease smudges and the constant aroma of oil, gasoline, paint and solvents so objectionable the EPA ranks them as "Bomb Quality".

The Lindstroms have two children who long ago escaped from this car-building madness. Daughter Johnna is an RN in Brooklyn and son Vaughn is a musician in San Francisco. Shop dog Buster rules over this entire operation while his young apprentice, Louie, is clearly in need of intervention by the Dog Whisperer.

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_____

This book is dedicated to the memory of my dad, Woody, who allowed me to work by his side since the day I turned five, while he passed along his love and understanding of machines, engines, woodwork, welding, construction and virtually everything else of importance in life. He taught through example, rather than words. My hope is that this book can do the same.

Jawa 125 purchased at age 13. 1955 Plymouth purchased at Go-kart with lawnmower Did custom paint and age 15. Painted poppy red. engine and push lawnmower pinstriping. Photo attribution Photo attribution drivetrain. Built at age 10. Top speed: 6 mph. Photo attribution

1957 Ford purchased at age 16. '23 T-bucket, glass body, Buick 1952 Ford with 331 cubic inch Installed custom tube grill, Nailhead engine with rare Chrysler Hemi head engine. custom tuck-and-roll Buick 3-speed transmission. Built at age 17. Photo upholstery, painted Honduras All work by the author attribution Maroon, Thunderbird 312 including paint and upholstery. engine, California "rake" (cut Finished at age 21. Photo coils) and "Hollywoods". attribution Photo attribution

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1957 Chevy. Converted from 4-door to 2-door. 283 with NHRA C/A Chapman funny automatic. Built in 1989. Photo 1979 Mazda RX7. Swapped car chassis with steel attribution rotary for a 307 Olds with 350 Volkswagon shell, small block transmission. Built in 1990. Chevy, Olds narrowed rear, Photo attribution clutch turbo trans. Built and raced by the author during early 1970's. Photo attribution

Handmade fiberglass pickup Scratch-built 1932 Ford 1930 Ford Model A coupe with front-wheel drive Honda pickup. Purchased finished in with 396 Chevy. Purchased drivetrain. Built in 1991. Photo 2003. Photo attribution 2005. Photo attribution attribution

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1931 Ford Roaster scratch- 1929 Ford Sedan/Delivery built by the author and scratch-built by the author and completed in 2006. Photo completed in 2010. Photo attribution attribution Acknowledgments

I want to thank Jon at Hotrodders.com for his collaboration and expertise in the making of this book. He patiently guided me through all the HTML and Wiki code required to format and layout all of the photos and text. He also spent countless hours editing and improving my manuscript as well as guiding me through the labyrinth of legal and copyright requirements underlying an effort such as this.

I also want to pass along a very special thanks to the many members of Hotrodders.com who had a direct role in the design and construction of the car shown in these chapters. Almost every day during the build some insurmountable problem or task would arise. And in each and every case all I had to do was log onto the Hotrodders.com bulletin board and pose my problem or dilemma. Within minutes a flood of solutions and recommendations would begin rolling in and in short order I would be back out in the shop with my problem solved. Without this group of knowledgeable hot rodders, ready and willing to share their expertise, this car would have never seen the light of day.

One member of Hotrodders.Com, 454 Rattler (Jerry), was a particularly important contributor to this project. Jerry lives not far from me and visited my shop quite often during the fabrication process. His non-judgmental approach to design and construction issues helped me work through countless decisions that needed to be made. In addition, Jerry dug into his "parts bin" whenever the need arose and contributed many of the pieces seen on the completed car including the seats, cycle fenders, steering box and the shorty shocks. Jerry is a great hot rodder and a great friend.

And finally my greatest gratitude goes to the scratch-builders from around the globe who agreed to share their knowledge, experience and the many fine photographs shown in this book and on Hotrodders.com as well. About this book

4 of 6 10/29/2018, 23:06 About the Author - The Scratch-Built Hot Rod https://web.archive.org/web/20110925142151/http://www.hotrodders.com:80/scratch-built/Abo...

This book was edited by Hotrodders.com, one of the largest hot rod sites on the internet. Hotrodders.com features extensive photo galleries, project journals, and technical bulletin boards covering every aspect of hot rodding, for the beginner on up through the seasoned professional.

Cover design

The artwork and design for the cover of this book was created by Jonny Miles. The "drawing hand" image on the cover is courtesy of Wefunction.com.

Copyright

The text of this ebook is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported (CC BY-NC-ND 3.0) license. You can see the full legal code of the license, or a human-readable summary. The images fall under their own respective copyrights, although most of them were taken by the author, and are also licensed under a Creative Commons license.

Contribute your comments or questions here.

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5 of 6 10/29/2018, 23:06 About the Author - The Scratch-Built Hot Rod https://web.archive.org/web/20110925142151/http://www.hotrodders.com:80/scratch-built/Abo...

Chapters

Introduction 1. Design, Donor and Tools of the Trade 2. Frame Fabrication 3. Chassis: Front Suspension 4. Chassis: Motor and Transmission Mounting 5. Chassis: Rear Suspension 6. Body: An Introduction to Scratch Building 7. Body: A Gallery of Scratch-Built Cars 8. Body: Fabricating the Skeleton 9. Body: Applying the Skin 10. Body: Pickup Bed 11. Body: Fenders and Running Boards 12. Mechanicals 13. Interior Fittings 14. Body Preparation and Painting 15. Upholstery: Seats 16. Upholstery: Interior Panels 17. Upholstery: Consoles, Carpets and Trims 18. Engine 19. Finishing Touches and the Completed Car About the Author

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