[deadbodyman]

Originally Posted by hotwheels1

schweet guys, your opinions mean a bunch to me, so i know i am headed in the right direction. I started on the other side, but ran out of time to keep going but here are some pics.

OMG, weve been snookerd....Stop playin wit us....This aint your first chop job....This guys Chip foose just havin a little fun..What a prankster...

[hotwheels1]

LMAO.......thanks for the kind words on my skillz. Chip foose, i could only wish man, i wouldn't work shiftwork if that were the case. I would be building people wicked rides. Most of the chop coming together is thanks to you guys taking your time and looking at my pictures, sharing your honest thoughts, and then i try to put the thoughts into my top....As someone stated earlier, it's just metal and we can shape it to what ever form we need.......and that is a true statement.

[hotwheels1]

here are both side pillars complete. I am fairly happy with the end results and when i put the rubber molding in place, it looks like it supposed to be there.

First picture is passenger side, Second picture is drivers side.

[MARTINSR]

You have some of that 1947 Ford truck-n-a-can on order right? That is all it will take now.
Brian

[shine]

my first chop was a 49 merc. done at an early age with hack saws and gas welding with cloths hangars. thank god there were no pics. you've done well pilgrim . trick is to always center your cuts. best chance of them lining back up.

[NEW INTERIORS]

Originally Posted by shine

my first chop was a 49 merc. done at an early age with hack saws and gas welding with cloths hangars. thank god there were no pics. you've done well pilgrim . trick is to always center your cuts. best chance of them lining back up.

I remember my cloths hangar days.. This is a shot of me doing my first chop and tacking it up with the good old cloths hangar..

[MARTINSR]

And the rusty old beat goes on. Here I am with a borrowed torch at 16 years old. I thought you would get a kick out of the last one with my version of the skin holding that you did so much better.

In the first photo I am brazing the seam up in the inner panel. All the other welds were done with the good old coat hangers. The first time I bought real welding rod I felt like a seasoned pro going all out.

Notice the "Z" cut in the roof so keep it together so you don't need a support.

Soon after I bought a Craftsmen torch that I still use. It's butt is made of aluminum and I personally like it MUCH better than a Victor.

Brian

[deadbodyman]

Look at the hair.....
Randy ,we look like we learned the same way as far as protection goes, I wish we could see the flipflop welding shoes.
Thank god I dont have any pictures, psychedelic bellbottoms and butt length hair might have been pretty cool back then but not grandpas style any more....
Wheres my dang Jimi Hendrix 8-track.

[MARTINSR]

LOLOL, bellbottoms, I had the bell bottoms on. I just noticed your short pants! LOLOLOL

Brian

[hotwheels1]

dang guys, i just couldn't imagine doing sheetmetal work with a torch. I worry enough about warping metal with a mig welder, let alone pure fire. And those pic's are great guys......hehehehe

[NEW INTERIORS]

Brian... I know your picture was taken waaaaayyyyyy before mine.. I did wear my bell-bottoms.. I think what happen when I took that picture,, I was gone some wheres that day.. And happen to walk out to the shop.. To take another look at what I have done to my truck.. And for some reason.. That torch jumped off that table into my hand.. And I just had to lite it up.. Thinking I had a little time to spare.. Waiting on my wife to get ready... (We all know how long that can take..) Oh!!!! Hey Honey !!! Didn't see you standing behind me.. HEY THAT HURT !!!! Well to make a long store short.. She came out,And caught me in the act.. No safety stuff on..And in my shorts.. I tried to get out of it.. But she had the camera...BUSTED !!!

[NEW INTERIORS]

Originally Posted by hotwheels1

dang guys, i just couldn't imagine doing sheetmetal work with a torch. I worry enough about warping metal with a mig welder, let alone pure fire. And those pic's are great guys......hehehehe

If you learn with a torch.. You can weld that sheet metal with anything...

[adantessr]

Originally Posted by hotwheels1

dang guys, i just couldn't imagine doing sheetmetal work with a torch. I worry enough about warping metal with a mig welder, let alone pure fire. And those pic's are great guys......hehehehe

Oh yeah . It kept a guy on his toes . Somewhere I have a full set of pictures of when I replaced the rusted out sides on our Dodge church van back in '82 using 22 gauge body metal sheets and brazing in the metal . This was in Michgan's Upper Peninsula and some of those (patches) were 12" wide by 6 feet long with no way to hammer and dolly them . Braze , quench , repeat . Long days . LOL . I must say it looked good when I was done .

[deadbodyman]

the standerd welding uniform was shorts tee shirt and flip flops.the cool guys always wore shades..I learned some of my best dancing moves from welding with flip flops...

[adantessr]

Originally Posted by deadbodyman

the standerd welding uniform was shorts tee shirt and flip flops.the cool guys always wore shades..I learned some of my best dancing moves from welding with flip flops...

How about sitting on the floor welding in rocker panels . I learned some of my best hip action that way . LOL . I could say more , but we need to keep it clean .