1949 Ford bobber build

[gold03]

I've got both drip rails roughed in now.

Now for the fill strip.

 

[gold03]

Your right Torchie. I'm going to keep moving ahead. Now that I have tires and rims I want to get it rolling.

 

[GJunktionMike]

Checking in on you. Yep that roof curl is a pain to deal with. Like Torchie said about the custom stuff lots of lead/bondo.

 

[Torchie]

That Pics a familiar sight to anyone who has done a chop like this.
Looks good Gold. Keep on going....
Torchie.

 

[MercuryMac]

You're doin' fine lad, doin' fine.
I know how summers are, too, summer life cuts into your build time. The rest of your family won't always vote the same way as you.

 

[gold03]

I tacked in the filler strip tonight. Interesting procedure. I needed to leave more gap. After a few tac welds the gap closed up and my strip didn't fit any more.[S

I think I shrunk it a little. It's in though. Now to adjust the side arch a bit and fill that area.

 

[Old Iron]

I'm just now getting done finishing a chop a customers started on a 39 Ford cab.
man what a mess they made
You're doing a great job on yours [cl[P

 

[Dirtyrat]

I tacked in the filler strip tonight. Interesting procedure. I needed to leave more gap. After a few tac welds the gap closed up and my strip didn't fit any more.[S

I think I shrunk it a little. It's in though. Now to adjust the side arch a bit and fill that area.

Are you using anything to keep the gap? Also hammering the welds as you go as well...

 

[Torchie]

Are you using anything to keep the gap? Also hammering the welds as you go as well...

Agree with DR.
That's one of the reasons to use butt clamps. Gives you a gap.
I personally am not 100 percent sold on the benefits of hammering a mig weld (If that is what you are doing).
Back when I started all we did was gas welding and always hammered welded when doing sheet metal work but the welds seemed to be more malable(sp) to me then mig welds. And I believe that the metal got hotter over a bigger area.
I know that it is also done to relax the metal after shrinking from the heat. But there are lots of places on a car where you can't get a dolly in to and if you are careful these places turn out all right when welded.
Just my 2 cents .[ddd
Either way it will all turn out.
Where's the pics ??????
Torchie.

 

[Dirtyrat]

I do it mainly to flatten the two panels in relation to one another, sometimes a tack weld pushes or pulls one side up or down.

 

[gold03]

I grind of the spot weld excess metal. Then hammer and dolly to correct the shape as needed. Then all the little welds to get it solid.

I added metal to the two relief cuts at the back of the cab. Tacked it all in then did the metal shaping by hammer on dolly to stretch things to fit up. I still need to finnish wield, but this gives me the right shape and location for final welding.

HMMM. i'm missing the pictures of the drip rails? Oh well, here is the back of the cab and filler strip tacked in.

 

[Dirtyrat]

This is what I probably needed on mine, I'll remember it for the next one if I ever do a bubble top again... [S

 

[Torchie]

Looks good g03.
Your roof gap looks real good. Things are lining up nicely.
Next time i am going to wait for you to do yours first before I do mine[ddd
Great that you are able to get away with just one relief cut.
I had to use two on mine.(old pic)
Torchie.

 

[MercuryMac]

Hi Goldy, Keep up the good work. You are setting an example, so I can follow one day.
Keep on tinkering.

 

[sgtpontiac]

Looks great Gold

had to actually do a few of those small "shape to fit" cuts on the roof of the 96 to make things line up.....nice work man..

 

[gold03]

I just hung both doors and cut off the tops. They closed. Big breath.

My passenger door closed up the gap by about 1/8 of an inch. I will try shimming a hing, but I think I will need to make a cut through the pinch weld and do a door gap adjust.[S if I adjust the roof, the drip rail area will be all dunked up.

I have the back of the cab all cleco in place. Now will need to use body panel saw and make my final cut and do the butt weld.

Pictures to follow.

 

[Torchie]

I am not quite sure which gap and pinchweld you are talking about gold. But if you are refering to the gap that runs along the edge of the door by the back of the cab you could try a porta-power to do a little stretching. I had to do that on mine and I left the doors on when I chopped it.
If you are refering to the gap between the door edge and the cowl, then shim away. I had to shim the lower hinges on both sides of mine to bring the body line back where it belonged. My Hinge pins are good but I think that the weight of the doors over all the years just caused them to sag plus I believe mine sat for a while with the doors open[S
There really isn't a lot of adjustment on these hinges and doors what with the hinge being welded to the inside of the door.
Since I am going custom on mine(If I every get back to really working on it) I am thinking about shaving the hinges. Most likely will use 53-56 truck hinges. But that will entail redoing the door jamb as well......
Torchie.

 

[gold03]

Yeah, it's the rear of the door. I thought about the porta power. I don't own one.... Yet

Could be a good excuse to buy one.

The shim will help with the body line for sure. There isn't a lot of structure in the doors at the hinge location, and they sag there over time. Especially trucks that got worked hard on rough surfaces. This one hauled gravel for a while.

I'm not sure where things moved yet. It might be the back corner of the cab, bur I think it was the drip rail area. I'm tempted to cut a few spot welds loose and push with a porta power (AKA threaded rod) across the door opening. I might look at pushing from top hinge to striker plate area. [S

More thinking and looking for today[S

Thanks for the tips.

 

[bob w]

Very nice work on the chop. The pictures tell the story well too.

 

[gold03]

Poor man's Porta-Power!

Oh yeah baby!!

I've already got this gap thing fixed. Thanks for the inspiration Torchie.

That was my plan for the day.... Now I need a new plan[S