36 Ford Bobber Build

Rat Rods Rule

Help Support Rat Rods Rule:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.
Well, I worked on the door last night. Again, it's not perfect but I think its pretty darn good. I'll probably beat on it a bit more tonight but I think that I'm approaching the limit of what I can do with my current skill level and tool set.

Here are some before and afters:

photo%2B2%2B%252813%2529.JPG


photo%2B1%2B%252812%2529.JPG


photo%2B3%2B%252814%2529.JPG


photo%2B2%2B%252815%2529.JPG


photo%2B5%2B%25289%2529.JPG


photo%2B3%2B%252812%2529.JPG


photo%2B4%2B%252812%2529.JPG
 
Thanks for all the compliments!

I didn't get much photo worthy done last night but spent an hour or so with a hammer and dollies trying to straighten the door and roof a bit more. I definitely got both a bit better. Out in the middle of the flats, especially on the roof, it's got a lot of ripple but I have no idea how to do anything about that and I don't think it really matters all that much. It adds to the character I guess.

I did notice that the driver's side door is sagging a little so I need to figure out how to deal with that as there is no obvious way to adjust the doors on this thing. Time to do a bit of research and see what I can come up with. After that, it's on to bracing and laying out the chop! It's my first attempt at most of this stuff so I hope it goes well!
 
There was certainly a lot of banging, that for sure!

So a friend of a friend with a lot of experience in body work and chops came over a gave me pointers. I should share the one that saved the day on that door. I put a piece of plywood up against the wall in my garage to protect the sheetrock. I then took a long 2x4 and rounded off the corners of one end. Opened the opposite door, ran the 2x4 through the cab sitting on some roller stands (having a buddy help would work better maybe depending on the buddy), and kept the caved in door closed. The flat end of the 2x4 goes against the wall and the rounded off end is used against the door sheet metal. With the cab on casters, I could then push the whole cab against that 2x4 and even ram it a bit when and where needed. I just reached through the window and positioned the 2x4 while pushing with a leg and my other hand. Once it was pretty much pushed out, I took another wood buck and a big hammer to get other spots. Then it's down to hammer and dolly.
 
I've been making slow but steady progress, just nothing photogenic. I stripped the window channels out of the doors. I also pulled the latches out and found that the drivers side latch is pretty badly worn. Also, the inside door handle mechanism is missing and part of the latch that connects too it is gone as well. Looks like I have to break down and buy new latch mechanisms for it. Oh well, I guess that's the way it goes sometimes. At lest they are available.
 
There was certainly a lot of banging, that for sure!

So a friend of a friend with a lot of experience in body work and chops came over a gave me pointers. I should share the one that saved the day on that door. I put a piece of plywood up against the wall in my garage to protect the sheetrock. I then took a long 2x4 and rounded off the corners of one end. Opened the opposite door, ran the 2x4 through the cab sitting on some roller stands (having a buddy help would work better maybe depending on the buddy), and kept the caved in door closed. The flat end of the 2x4 goes against the wall and the rounded off end is used against the door sheet metal. With the cab on casters, I could then push the whole cab against that 2x4 and even ram it a bit when and where needed. I just reached through the window and positioned the 2x4 while pushing with a leg and my other hand. Once it was pretty much pushed out, I took another wood buck and a big hammer to get other spots. Then it's down to hammer and dolly.


That's awesome!!
 
I've been working slowly but steadily on getting things done. I welded up and ground out the section hat I cut out of the door inner. Time to start installing hard ware in the doors.

door%2Bwelds%2B1.JPG


door%2Bwelds%2B2.JPG
 
I have the new door latches and dovetails in and a few other small things done.

I've decided to go with a 5 inch chop. It's enough to give it a nice low look but not so much that you can't see out of it. At least that's my hope! Anyway, I've started laying out the cuts. It's my first go at this so any advice is appreciated. I do know a guy here that has done a lot of chops who is hopefully going to come over and look my layout over before I start cutting anything. You'll notice in the pics that the cuts on the pillars don't line up with the cuts on the doors. The idea is that I tried to find points on the pillars where the pillar widths match each other as closely as possible on both sides of the cuts and that means that the door and pillar cuts end up in different places. Also, on the back of the cab, I'm planning on taking 3.5 inches out of the rear window and 1.5 inches from under the rear window. I haven't finished laying out the cuts on the rear of the cab yet.

chop%2Blayout%2B3.JPG


chop%2Blayout%2B2.JPG


chop%2Blayout%2B1.JPG
 
You're doing a fine job! Don't know how tall you are and I hope you don't mind comments from the peanut gallery, but I would suggest finding a seat that you plan to use or atleast find some kind of support to copy the seat height you want to use and see if that chop is gonna be comfortable. I chopped mine low and to fit me but anyone taller than me is fairly uncomfortable on anything but a short ride...
 

Latest posts

Back
Top