1st ever attempt at panel fabrication

[Longhorn6120]

I’m doing some restoration work on my ’57 Chevy. I took the rear window out as it needed a new rubber seal. I was expecting to see a fair bit of rust damage, and was initially pleasantly surprised by how solid it looked. That was until I hit it with a wire brush…

The worst area is actually where the C pillar meets the coupe roof between the rear door and the rear window. This didn’t look like a problem at first, but once I Started cleaning up the window aperture it became clear how bad the roof had rusted. It had been repaired at some point in the past and you can see here how much pug had been used. I couldn't see me being able to beat a panel like this so I thought I’d try to make a press.

 

[Longhorn6120]

First job was to trace the area that needed replacing using stiff greaseproof paper from the kitchen and transfer this to a stiff card.

 

[Longhorn6120]

This was then scanned into the Mac where I used Photoshop to smooth the curves a little (this wouldn’t have been necessary had I had a steadier hand when cutting).


Once scanned in I enlarged the vector image a little to allow for a positive and negative side to the final press. I also added plenty of dots for locator pin holes.

 

[Longhorn6120]

I then cut 4 pieces of 6mm MDF A4 size. These were clamped together so I could drill 4mm holes through them all together, thus ensuring the line-up holes were all in identical places.

 

[Longhorn6120]

Next job was to cut the poz and neg forms of on the middle 2 sheets of MDF and connect them to the outer 2 pieces. They were not designed to be permanently fixed to each other, just held in place with 4mm brass pins. That way I can dissemble them and reassemble them back to front to create a perfect mirror to press the same panel for the nearside (at least equally rusty, maybe more so). This image shows them after I’d done a test pressing and shows the damage that the edges of the MDF suffered.

 

[Longhorn6120]

Nevertheless I got what I consider to be something of a result, here’s the first pressing. The black Sharpie lines are where the panel will be cut prior to welding on. I got the form by putting the metal between the formers, lining it all up with the pins, and then giving it some welly in my bench vice.

I’m not sure this is the finished article. The edge radius may need to be a little sharper and the offset may be a little too deep (I think a little less than 6mm would have been better), but at least it shows proof of concept and I’m pretty happy with it.

 

[Mark 2]

I used to use the same technique in bookbinding years ago. Very decent effort Sir.

 

[Longhorn6120]

Thanks!

 

[atomant48]

Looks good to me. I did something similar with MDF for some circular indentations but not quite as successful as yours looks.

 

[RBDIVE]

Great effort, keep it up

 

[Shedendman]

nice job
@Longhorn6120 thickness of replacement steel is?

 

[ian f]

nice work i used 10mm steel to make something similar to make ford cortina mk3/4/5 seat mount repair panels

 

[Blobber]

I use all sorts of things to make shapes and contours, with the MDF some of it is right soft spongy cheap rubbish, if you can get some of the green moisture resistant stuff that seems a lot denser and wont go as fluffy and soft around the edges

 

[Burdekin]

Nice work. As there is always many ways to skin that cat you would also be able to tip the edge just with a shifting spanner or pliers and then tidy it up with a hammer and dolly.

Hammer forming is a great technique.

The best tradesman I ever worked with was this old guy who gave me some excellent advice, he said; I'm lazy so I always like for the easiest way to do a job.

I'd also recommend getting a big sand bag, surprising how much stuff you can do free hand with a hammer, chisel and a dolly and for it to turn out great.

 

[jenki]

Nice work I like the tip about using CAD to enlarge the scanned image.

 

[Morris]

Pictures of the '57 would be appreciated