[almega]

Hey guys,

You're getting way above my capabilities. I'm just learning, so not only am I not a "Metal God", I'm barely a mere metal mortal. But I am learning fast and what I have done so far is acceptable.

I don't think I'm ready to start cutting the hood apart and adding a piece into it. I think I will just add some metal to the depression, either flat stock or tubing, and then fill as needed. I will just take it slow, maybe over a weekend. Hopefully if I'm careful enough I will get good results. I just want it to be solid, durable and good looking. Another part of this whole plan is to attach the fenders and make it all into a front tilting assembly.

Thanks for all the tips so far. If you have any advise on the tilting idea, let me know.

Thanks,
Scott

[MARTINSR]

Scott, a good middle of road procedure would be to get a strip of metal the width of the indentation, just so it sets up on the edge a little high. You will probably be best with a few pieces a few feet long instead of trying one piece.

Take that piece and put a slight bend down the middle. You can do this by clamping it to the bench edge with a piece of angle iron over it with half the width hanging out. Then using another piece of angle iron laying over the half hanging out, strike the iron with a hammer down the length of the strip, sort of a home made sheet metal break.

This strip will now be a little narrower and fit into the indentation on the hood better. Tack weld the two hood halves down the center and then put these strips over that in the indentation. This leaves a nice "peak" down the hood (you can make the peak as much or as little as you want) and only needs a skim coat of filler if done correctly.

[Randy Ferguson]

Just another suggestion, since I think your plowing up a snake anyway

Instead of welding, which will cause warpage, how about applying the strip of metal with panel bonding adhesive??
No chance of warpage. It'll cure pretty quick, depending on what you use. 3M 5117 comes to mind, but it's been awhile since I've been around it.

It's for sure only a light skim coat of mud would be needed to smooth it off if you take this route. Should be just as strong as welding a strip over the seam, if not stronger.

Please note, It goes against everything I believe in to even suggest this!! And for the record, this is no doubt the way I would have done it about 5 years ago.

This metalshaping/metalfinishing is so simple it's mindboggling. But hey, as long as you guys don't learn it, I have job security!$!

Randy

[willys36@aol.com]

Randy; please realize you are extremely talented and there are many of us unwashed masses out here that have tried and woefully failed to duplicate your efforts! I feel about wood carving the same way you feel about metal finishing. I have tried to teach several people wood carving and they just don't get it!

And for the patch in the AD hood, there is enough metal mass and compound curvature that if you are careful to avoid a large heat affected zone around your spot welds, there is virtually no warpage. I still stick with my recommendation to weld in a little strip of 18 gauge.

[MARTINSR]

Randy, I think the adhesive is a great idea. I use the adhesive nearly everyday at work and forget about it for custom or restoration. There are many uses for the home hobbiest, that is for sure.

[keith1]

If you are not going to split the hood and weld a strip down the center of the hood , I would suggest you do as Randy has suggested and glue a piece in.

A group of us got together and tried to repair a hood of the same vintage that had a filler piece welded over the recessed area. What happens when this kind of repair/short cut is taken the hood warps (and it will), the HAZ area can not be stretched back out because of the double layer of metal. The same thing happens when you see patch panels lap welded together. The lap welded area can't be worked out.

I will see if I can attach a few pictures of the hood we worked on





We ended up cutting out the center of the hood and repairing the warped areas with a slapper,dolly and shrinking disc. Then we welded in a new strip. We ran out of time so I didn't get a picture of it finished. We had about 9 hrs cutting out and welding back together with about 6 of us taking turns. We first tack welded the filler piece in then finished it welding it with gas. Then went back to the slapper and dolly then shrinking disc.

Hope this helps.

Keith Daleen
Sedalia, Mo.

[Randy Ferguson]

Ahhh!!

My old buddy Keith to the rescue!!!

Thanks for posting the pics!

How ya coming with the '40 Ford???

Randy

[keith1]

Hi Randy,

Still block sanding. I am hoping to paint in about 2-3 weeks. I am going to try your suggestion on using Southern Polyurethanes for the clear coat.

On another note as soon as I finish up the last of the HOK epoxy I am going to switch to the Southern Polyurethanes primers you suggested. After using dupont for 30 years it is a new learning expierence switching to HOK. But it is for the better. Now if the Southern Polyurethanes started making paint that would be even better.

Keith

[Randy Ferguson]

Hi Keith,

I think they may have it in the works, not sure.
I'll check into it and give the full report!!

Randy

[Bill Harrison]

Hey Randy, When you put in a filler strip, how do you deal with the brace on the rear of the hood? The hood halves are sandwiched between the braces. Putting in the filler strip would eliminate this. Bill

[keith1]

Hello Bill,

On a 40 ford I removed the braces and then welded them back in after the strip was added.

I did a 51 chevy car hood last fall and removed the braces and bolted the braces back in with button head allen screws and modified the part that pinches the lip..

The chevy truck hood is pretty similar.

Keith

[Randy Ferguson]

Yeah!
What Keith said!!!

Randy

[almega]

When you cut the center of the hood out and replace it with sheet metal strips, do you do the whole thing at once or just sections? If you completely separate it, how do you keep the two halves in alignment while you are putting the new metal in place?

Thanks,
Scott

[willys36@aol.com]

Originally posted by Randy Ferguson
Yeah!
What Keith said!!!

Randy

Hold it down in there! Go back to your metal-ed!

[keith1]

Quote"When you cut the center of the hood out and replace it with sheet metal strips, do you do the whole thing at once or just sections? If you completely separate it, how do you keep the two halves in alignment while you are putting the new metal in place?"

Thanks,
Scott

Scott,

Many different ways to do this. Before I would cut the hood I would make sure all of the front sheetmetal was on and lined up to the best possible fit with nice fitting gaps. Now is he time to look at the back of the hood sides and how they line up to the cowl . If it looks good then you are ready to cut. If the hood is to narrow and doesn't fit just right you can add more material in the middle to compensate for that. If it is to wide then subtract a from the center piece you are adding. Remember these were massed produced and they were trucks, so a perfect fit was probably not there when new.

Cut some strips of metal to lay across the hood and put some witness marks on it and the hood. After you cut the hood place the strips back on and clamp or tack weld the strips on and you should have what you need. You will need some support rods,tubing ,angle iron to keep the hood together at the front and rear bottoms.You can attach these before you remove the braces.

To answer your question on how many pieces I would use 2. One piece from the back of the hood to where the hood just starts to roll over at the front. Then the second piece from that point to the bottom of the front of the hood. This would make it easier to fit and handle. Remember lots of tack welds no matter what welding method you use. Skip around a lot.

For a trick look if you wanted to louver your hood replace 4" of metal down the center of the hood and then run a roll of louvers down the middle ,then off to the sides. Most louvers that you want on a hood top are 3" wide. That is what I have on my louver machine.



Picture this with a row of louvers down the middle.

Yeah Baby!! Sweet!!

Hope this helped more than confuse.

Keith