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MP&C
06-12-2014, 08:10 AM
A few months ago, I had bought a 60" Starrett rule.

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/Metalworking/Picture636.jpg

One of the first things I checked with it was the vertical weld that joined the 4 door NOS quarter on the drivers side of the 55. Previous to this the largest rule I had was a 24", which did not show this newly found deflection as well. When the 60" rule spanned the joint, it showed a pronounced high spot at the vertical weld instead of the gradual crown that the panel should have. I'm not one to overload something with bondo to cover up something like this, so the vertical weld as well as part of the horizontal was sliced open to re-adjust the panel and get the correct contour.

After the slicing was complete, despite the panels coming together slightly, the gap was slightly wider than the first time welded. The butt weld clamps did not work all that well in keeping the panels where they needed to be, and after about the third time of the square peg falling out of the hole, I made a slight modification to better keep the peg from falling out. About one third the way down, the peg was punched on all four sides to keep from falling out.

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%204/Picture834.jpg

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%204/Picture835.jpg

Although I didn't get pictures of this part, the modified clamp worked especially well in gapping the horizontal weld joint to better fit the profile template for the crown of the panel. Basically with the peg no longer falling out, the portion of the butt weld clamp shown above was used to pull out on the panel until it filled the profile template, then the panels were tacked at that point. Move another couple inches, repeat. This got the vertical crown back where it should be. This was process was repeated for the vertical weld to correct the horizontal crown along the length of the quarter, checking across the vertical seam with the 60" rule. This picture was taken afterwards with the smaller rule so I could hold all the components and the camera, but gives an idea how the "partial clamp" was used to get the panel's crown correct.

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%204/Picture836.jpg

I don't typically used gaps in welding panels, was kinda forced into this to get the crown corrected, so I needed to make a copper backing tool. I had some rare earth magnets so I used one along with some flattened copper pipe. Note the magnet is ever so slightly raised to insure the copper is pulled good and snug to the panel..

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%204/Picture839.jpg

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%204/Picture837.jpg

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%204/Picture838.jpg

Each use will tend to leave the copper soot covered, so I used a welding brush to clean the copper between each weld.

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%204/Picture843.jpg

Welds all complete, just a few left to planish and dress, then some panel bumping and we should have one more thing crossed off the list..

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%204/Picture845.jpg

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%204/Picture844.jpg

MP&C
06-13-2014, 04:29 AM
For the finish work on the driver's quarter, we do have a few low spots to address.

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%204/Picture847.jpg

Where the wheelwell and rearward offers quite spacious accommodation for hammer work within the quarter, the window area forward of the rear wheel does not fall in the same category. So as much as it pains me, one of the Snap On body hammers was given a top chop..

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%204/Picture846.jpg

Yeah, this will do the trick...

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%204/Picture848.jpg

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%204/Picture849.jpg

For a dolly on the outside, the small shot bag is used to promote small, controllable stretches.

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%204/Picture850.jpg

After the hammer work, placing the rule at a slight angle across the seam to use as a profile gauge, the area is much better than before.

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%204/Picture853.jpg

This should hold this spot until paint. For now, another item checked off the list...

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%204/Picture860.jpg

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y167/rmccartney/1955%20Chevy%20Wagon%20Restoration%20Album%204/Picture859.jpg

carls 56 (RIP 11/24/2021)
06-13-2014, 05:48 AM
nice, thanks for sharing Robert.

JT56
06-13-2014, 06:56 AM
I always am learning new things from Robert!

567chevys
06-13-2014, 12:10 PM
Wow , That is really some neat ways of doing body work , Robert is a master !! Great stuff !!!!


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