1936 Packard

[zzrodder]

Time to tackle the roof. [
First 3 pics are how it looked after trimming off the nailing edge off the opening and melting off the old lead from the joints. The front lap joints were just too ugly and lumpy to leave as is so I cut them out and welded in patches. I laid the new skin on top and scribed the outline on the underside then trimmed the excess off the edges to match the opening.
To hold it up in place for final fitting, I taped 8 small strips of sheetmetal around the edges, laid the skin on top and final sanded the edges to fit. At this point, there are a couple tack welds now keeping it in place.
As I get farther along tacking and hammering the seams, I may need to trim some edges a little more as the steel has a habit of moving around when you're dealing with this size of a piece. Slow and steady....

 

[Torchie]

[cl[cl[cl[cl[[[[
Torchie.

 

[MercuryMac]

^^^^ Like Torchie said.

 

[Snake Farm]

Wow, the contour of that piece looks perfect for the Packard! Awesome work as always ZZ

 

[1952B3b23]

Looks great so far! Do you use MIG or TIG to weld all that? Just curious.

-Chris

 

[zzrodder]

Looks great so far! Do you use MIG or TIG to weld all that? Just curious.

-Chris

All MIG welded, I'm a low tech guy...

A few hundred tack welds later, the new skin is welded in, no major tragic warpage. Every time I went around the perimeter with tiny tack welds, I stopped, sanded the tacks a little and used the hammer and dolly to smooth it out. Couple relief cuts were need at the front corners but otherwise it went well. I still need to finish sanding down the weld seam then fill the inevitable pinholes which I will weld on the underside.
I've learned the hard way that rushing it and thinking that big warpage problems can be hammered out later is the road to a crappy finish.

 

[05snopro440]

All MIG welded, I'm a low tech guy...

A few hundred tack welds later, the new skin is welded in, no major tragic warpage. Every time I went around the perimeter with tiny tack welds, I stopped, sanded the tacks a little and used the hammer and dolly to smooth it out. Couple relief cuts were need at the front corners but otherwise it went well. I still need to finish sanding down the weld seam then fill the inevitable pinholes which I will weld on the underside.
I've learned the hard way that rushing it and thinking that big warpage problems can be hammered out later is the road to a crappy finish.

That looks awesome ZZ!

 

[riverrat44]

Truly an outstanding piece of workmanship ZZ.[cl[cl

 

[CORPO]

A low tec guy with outstanding skills!

Another amazing build from the prestigious ZZ.. this ones going to bring 200K !!!!

haha just playing

no matter how much i spread the tacks around and jump back and forth.. i still end up distorting the large panels.. I don't think i could tackle a whole roof section like that ...

 

[Todd]

Just proves that tools don't do it all. I've worked along time developing a passable skill I'm happier with.
Thanks for sharing ZZ.

 

[zzrodder]

. this ones going to bring 200K !!!!

haha just playing

no matter how much i spread the tacks around and jump back and forth.. i still end up distorting the large panels.. I don't think i could tackle a whole roof section like that ...

One thing about the size of this roof filler panel is that it cools off some by the time I get from one side to another. I find the toughest thing is to go slowly and resist the urge to hold the trigger a little longer and make larger tacks, that and the need to walk away now and then to let it cool.

After some more grinding, sanding and hammering, and with a few squirts of Tremclad it doesn't look too bad.

 

[Bamamav]

Looks like it was made that way from the factory! Great work ZZ!![cl

 

[cosmic12]

Beautiful, the car already has perfect lines. Classy/nasty.[cl

 

[zzrodder]

Mounted the compressor, tank, valve block and battery in the trunk. Next I'll need to make a trunk floor above them with an access hatch - it''l make for a small trunk but better than nothing. Also mounted the original trunk support arm to the new lid.

 

[zzrodder]

Have the trunk floor mostly completed except for the panel on the drivers side is not welded in until I get a gas filler door, since the filler pipe will need to run through it. I made a removable 1/2" plywood floor section for access to the various components underneath. Also made a small lever to manually operate the trunk latch from under the rear panel edge - I have trust issues with electric solonoid operated trunk latches.

 

[1952B3b23]

Looks great ZZ, i really like the roof section came out great! [cl

-Chris

 

[zzrodder]

I got my gas tank mostly built. It's built from 18ga. steel, has 2 internal baffles to control slosh, 3/8" pickup and 5/16" vent, 2" fill pipe, capacity is 20 gal. IMP or 24 gal. US. The sender hole has a dummy plate on it so I can pressurize the tank and check for leaks.

 

[GJunktionMike]

ZZ you make this stuff look way to easy.

 

[kenny c]

awesome, as usual. nice work.

 

[Torchie]

ZZ you make this stuff look way to easy.

And fast as well.

Weld on brother.[[[
Torchie.