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djway3474
Samba Member
Joined: August 19, 2011
Posts: 2582
Location: The Real NDK So Cal
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 Posted: Sun Jun 02, 2013 9:00 pm Post subject: |
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| ThreeSpeed wrote: |
Looking great! The tach turned out really nicely!
Keep it up.
Trevor |
thanks my skills building scale models really came in handy with that one.
An update on the nose ridge. Where I could clamp in the copper backing plate in tight it worked ok. Where I could not, not so good. So now plan B. I used my nose ridge tool on some scrap and I was able to make a nice replacement ridge section to check it for look and being able to match the curvature. I am going to pick up a long piece of sheet metal and pound out an entire new ridge from the nose emblem on down. I will cut out just the ridge and weld in the new. |
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djway3474
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Joined: August 19, 2011
Posts: 2582
Location: The Real NDK So Cal
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| Posted: Mon Jun 03, 2013 8:23 pm Post subject: made a new nose ridge to replace ground away ridge |
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here is the new ridge clamped over the old. did not take long to shape it using my ridge tool held in a bench vice
here is a close up of the ridge shape
Now just need to cut out the damaged ridge and tack in the new    |
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djway3474
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Joined: August 19, 2011
Posts: 2582
Location: The Real NDK So Cal
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| Posted: Tue Jun 04, 2013 8:10 pm Post subject: |
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cut out the old crusty ground up ridge section and replaced with the one I made. massaged it in there. now just need to finish welding in in the grind it smooth 
Last edited by djway3474 on Wed Jun 05, 2013 3:33 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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Volfandt
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Joined: March 15, 2012
Posts: 500
Location: Knox County, East TN
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| Posted: Wed Jun 05, 2013 5:34 am Post subject: |
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Very nice metal work.
Your nose ridge fab is very impressive.
One day when I grow up I hope to tackle the needed metal work on my 72
Dave
_________________
1972 Karmann Ghia, the Dragon slayer.... |
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c21darrel
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Joined: January 22, 2009
Posts: 8211
Location: San Dimas
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| Posted: Wed Jun 05, 2013 10:38 am Post subject: |
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| That is coming out nice. Great progress. |
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gregmporter
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Joined: July 21, 2008
Posts: 531
Location: Colorado
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| Posted: Thu Jun 06, 2013 4:40 am Post subject: |
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Great work on the nose DJ. When you made your new section, did you bend the metal first or did you stamp the ridge into a flat piece of metal, then bend it? Just curious. I love the tack... I put one together for my 74 and the metal case threw off the reading of the tack... I'm going to take a cue from you and adapt the tach to fit rather than just dump the tach into an old can.
Thanks for the inspiration.
Gp
_________________
You Tube Channel w/vids of the car's progress
http://www.youtube.com/user/gregmporter
1974 Karmann Ghia Cabriolet
1964 356C Coupe (in progress) |
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djway3474
Samba Member
Joined: August 19, 2011
Posts: 2582
Location: The Real NDK So Cal
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| Posted: Thu Jun 06, 2013 11:13 am Post subject: |
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| gregmporter wrote: |
Great work on the nose DJ. When you made your new section, did you bend the metal first or did you stamp the ridge into a flat piece of metal, then bend it? Just curious. I love the tack... I put one together for my 74 and the metal case threw off the reading of the tack... I'm going to take a cue from you and adapt the tach to fit rather than just dump the tach into an old can.
Thanks for the inspiration.
Gp |
I tried to shape the metal first but after my first pass with the tool it flattened back out. Each pass I only made the ridge line a little deeper each time. Probably around 5 passes before it really started to shape and show the ridge. I had rounded the square bar on the tool positive section pretty good so the piece started to curve on its own. I then slid the new piece over the tool tangential to the way the tool was made, back and forth to add more curve, very gently. But to finally get it the proper curve I would slighty press about every inch. This caused waprage on the side flat sections but then I used the tool again to shirnk back to the proper shapes. The 7/16th round bar I curved slightly more than the actual curve of the nose. I could run the negative piece of the tool back and forth, end to end of the tool. That also helped bringing the shape into place. Main thing was not trying to get too much shape on each pass.
I cut the 20 gauge 2 inches wide, then drew a line down the middle to help me stay straight. I had one section that had a little curve in the line but I just kept easing it back over and all was good.
The nose of the car warped, probably from prior stresses, so that both sides of the metal did not line up after the ridge was cut out. I just kept pushing in the high sections and pulling the low and she worked back into place. I then started at the bottom and tacked it in. I would move up the clamps an inch or so and lay in another tack. All the way up. I then trimmed the free end to pop down into place and finished off the tacks. Now just to fill it in and smooth it out. I am hoping that part is easier than the first LOL. |
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gregmporter
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Joined: July 21, 2008
Posts: 531
Location: Colorado
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| Posted: Sat Jun 08, 2013 4:06 am Post subject: |
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Just go very slow with the welding (one tack at a time) and make sure the metal is always cool enough that you can rub your bare hand on the whole nose without burning yourself. I'd figure an hour to weld each side of the ridge.
Also be very careful grinding the welds down. You can do just as much warping with a grinder as you can with a welder. You don't want the metal to ever turn blue. Blue means there was too much heat. Keep the grinder moving and shave off little bits with long sweeping passes. Don't let it rest and dig in.
I hope that makes sense. You are doing great work.
_________________
You Tube Channel w/vids of the car's progress
http://www.youtube.com/user/gregmporter
1974 Karmann Ghia Cabriolet
1964 356C Coupe (in progress) |
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djway3474
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Joined: August 19, 2011
Posts: 2582
Location: The Real NDK So Cal
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| Posted: Tue Jul 02, 2013 6:29 pm Post subject: |
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Well all the MANY holes and cracks and grind trough's from past work are now welded solid. The new nose ridge does not look to bad and there is not a pinhole of light to be found.
I also welded in the antenna hole so I could move it to a spot that will allow for a hideaway antenna.
Now I am going to attempt using the stainless steel shrinking disc to see if I can get the many bumps and dips to smooth out.
Then I will spot weld the headlight buckets back in.
After that I will put the motor compartment sheet metal back in and replace the radio opening with a new piece.
Then............one step down a million to go  |
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djway3474
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Joined: August 19, 2011
Posts: 2582
Location: The Real NDK So Cal
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| Posted: Thu Jul 11, 2013 12:49 am Post subject: |
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now that all the welding is completed and the entire nose is solid again I mocked up the nose. I use the new headlight buckets I just converted to low light style and some bezels I just received but were not as good as described
here it is with the buckets just resting in place
here is the bucket after modifications. tomorrow I will install the little bits I fabricated today such as loom clasp, ground mount and drain cover. picts of that later
It was nice to see it look like a car up front again
Oh I also used a shrink disc the other day. It can actually work too good. I cant use it properly yet as the mounting bolt of the grinder sticks out too far to use it in the flat position. working on that problem. this metal work is kinda fun |
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djway3474
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Joined: August 19, 2011
Posts: 2582
Location: The Real NDK So Cal
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| Posted: Thu Jul 11, 2013 8:22 pm Post subject: |
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finished the buckets today. Welded cracks in the fan shrowd. Started on one of the A pillars.
FYI at low powers on the mig for this very thin metal of the head light buckets, weld through primer wont weld through. |
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djway3474
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Joined: August 19, 2011
Posts: 2582
Location: The Real NDK So Cal
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| Posted: Tue Jul 16, 2013 10:37 pm Post subject: |
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started on the A pillar lower sections. decided to do the harder side first, with the wire loom tube. Danny from Gab Fab made me up a new tube.
started with this mess
here is it almost finished just a little clean up and the last few welds to go
rack up the to dos and knock em down |
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djway3474
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Joined: August 19, 2011
Posts: 2582
Location: The Real NDK So Cal
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| Posted: Fri Jul 19, 2013 10:28 am Post subject: |
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finished up the drivers side A pillar and filled in the bumper mounting hole that had been badly elongated
on to the next bit of welding |
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djway3474
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Joined: August 19, 2011
Posts: 2582
Location: The Real NDK So Cal
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| Posted: Fri Jul 26, 2013 11:15 pm Post subject: |
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I used the left over fender and some sheet steel section to shape a new inner panel. There was also a very small section under the bumper mount that I replaced. You can see that in the last picture where it needed to be removed.
Once I put on some rust prevention material the fender section is ready to weld back in |
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oldbusboy
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Joined: June 25, 2006
Posts: 604
Location: Bowen Island, BC Canada
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| Posted: Sun Jul 28, 2013 5:57 pm Post subject: |
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What welding set-up are you using?
Trevor
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1968 porsche |
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djway3474
Samba Member
Joined: August 19, 2011
Posts: 2582
Location: The Real NDK So Cal
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| Posted: Sun Jul 28, 2013 9:51 pm Post subject: |
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| ThreeSpeed wrote: |
What welding set-up are you using?
Trevor |
I purchased one of the Eastwood 135 units. It is very adjustable so you can make slight changes as needed. I was even able to weld up the tool I made the nose ridge with. That was one inch square welded to a 7/16 rod.
Sheet metal is actually not that hard to weld as long as you have both pieces that are nice clean metal that has not be ground on prior or thinned from rust.
It is very satisifying to weld up holes or get another patch completed The old girl is just that much closer to completion. |
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djway3474
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Joined: August 19, 2011
Posts: 2582
Location: The Real NDK So Cal
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| Posted: Thu Aug 01, 2013 12:47 am Post subject: |
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YEA! |
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John Moxon 
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Joined: March 07, 2004
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djway3474
Samba Member
Joined: August 19, 2011
Posts: 2582
Location: The Real NDK So Cal
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| Posted: Thu Aug 01, 2013 10:51 am Post subject: |
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I think I am going to use the two part epoxy putty for the wheel after I grind out all the cracks.
John I would think you should be able to feel bad cracks even through the covering.
Or do you hold her ever so gently |
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djway3474
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Joined: August 19, 2011
Posts: 2582
Location: The Real NDK So Cal
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| Posted: Thu Aug 01, 2013 10:53 am Post subject: |
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I forgot to mention that a guy that attends our Wednesday eve gatherings just got a 58 Vert Looks good in the picts. Cant wait to see it in person. But of course now I go from the only low light to a brides maid again  LOL |
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