So here is the deal. I need to do some rust repair on my inner deck lid for my 27 T coupe. There are some spots where a quarter shapped patch will do and then there are some areas that will need more extensive work.
I just uploaded 9 photos of the damage to the inner structure. These photos are located in my project journal. It pretty much shows all the areas that needs attention.
Should I look to replace larger amounts of structure and hand form new pieces of sheet metal and weld in new sections or just work with the areas are rusted through with a bunch of smaller patches and hope for enough meat left to weld to. I have to be careful here cause they don't make this part in the re pop or OEM world. To find a good inner structure you are still going to pay in blood. Used deck lids in serviceable condition are in the unobtainum price range.
The worse part of this structure is the left side left rear corner Some right side and right rear corner.
I would be open to advice on how to move forward as I am not a body man but an average hobby metal man.
I have just nibbled a bit the last couple of days. I decided I better get a table that I can lay out and jig the deck lid shell. My big table has the coupe body on it so no room there, and my workmate is to small, so I decided to build a table top to work on top of my mid rise lift. It is just setting in the middle of the floor taking up real estate. I built a 2x4 frame that sets on top and locates off the lift frame itself to stay put. Tomorrow I will lay a piece of OSB t1-11 on top and I will have a 4 x 5 foot stable solid table to set the deck lid shell on to make the repairs and keep things straight.
In the meantime I am slowly trimming my way to success with the deck lid pieces. I did a half ***** set the pieces just to see how things fit I do believe I can do this. I am having a lot of fun even if it is all left handed.
Progress has stopped temporarily on the deck lid rebuild.
I have been having trouble with the right shoulder due to a Bone disease I have. Just after the first of May It took a turn for the worse. I lost most of the use of my right arm.
Well after consulting the Experts it has been decided to rebuild me, they have the technology, They have the experts, and most important I have insurance. So the work order says right shoulder, New ball joint and tie rod ends and a steering stabilizer.
This is not how I imagined this summer would go this year! I wanted to have the TCoupe at least 80% and running but that won't happen now. So later this week I will be off line a few days. The doctor is going to do a reverse on the replacement as there is no socket left to use. They tell me at least 6 weeks in a sling. and buy September I should have some light use of the arm. I have been doing a few things one handed but it got too painful even doing that!
So they tell me 1 or 2 nites in the Hospital and then home. I will make a post when I return. I hope I return.. till then carry on everyone
Thank you all for the well wishes. The waiting is the hardest part.
Pugsy, You hit the nail on the head. The build is the most enjoyable part for me. When they are done I tend to get bored so I guess this is a good thing in a manner of speaking.
RIP,
Sorry to hear about have the shoulder work being done, but think of how good it will be after it's all healed up!
In two weeks I go to find out what they are going to do about my rotator cuff. I guess when I fell off the top of the ladders, I did damage to mine. It took 3 months to hurt, and it now hurts like hell! I don't know what to expect. I just know that the wife fell, and broke hers years ago, and after four surgeries, it's worst then before they cut on it. Hers feels & sounds like stripped gears.
I have been jamming on my porch, and coupe before I have anything done. I hurt all day long from it, but I have to get some work done on both first. Plus I have to replace my neighbors floors in his '77 Ford pickup, to make money to buy my rear axles for the coupe. I've got the steering in, and brake pedal & master cyl in. Working on the firewall now.
So here I am 19 days Post op on a total shoulder replacement and let me tell you, I feel absolute great. No post op pain no complications. I am working on light stretches and range of motion exercises to tone the muscles back to operating specs. When I saw the doc last week she just shook her head and said she was ecstatic about my recovery. She then said no weight lifting but that I can take the sling off for some relief during the day. No other restrictions other than that. A week from Wednesday I will be able to ditch the sling and start mild strength exercises.
So I have gone out to the shop several times in the last couple of weeks and today was the day to get a little something done on something.. I needed to switch the hand controller back to the right side on my power chair now that the right arm is working. That took no time so I filled in an hour or two on the deck lid project. I cleaned up the table and rounded up all the parts I have built for the drivers side repair and started a fit of the various pieces of the deck lid frame. I started checking fit with the deck lid skin and was pleased my new parts fit good.
I see a few places where some extra pushing and pulling need to be done and I have to get the corner where the two pieces meet twisted around a bit but I think I may actually be able to complete the repair.
Progress here will be slow but steady but I am tickled pink with the way this shoulder is progressing. I will say this I am not pushing the edge on this shoulder replacement as I don't want to have to do that again. However it feels so much better than before... It is going to be light duty and no brake or shear activities for a few more weeks but in the mean time I can work the details of these parts!
Here are a few recap photos for public consumption.
1.
Pic1
The side pieces for the driver’s side are now welded together and all in all it fits pretty well. I still have some trimming and the tail end to work over and some more figuring! I am getting a good handle on what needs to be done and how to go about it now,
2.
Pic2
Here the tail piece is 80% done. I still have more bending and trimming to make this corner work well .
3.
The tailpiece laying in place.
4.
The two pieces laying on the deck lid skin to check fit.
Is the bottom edge of the deck lid dead straight or is there a slight curve to it?
I ask because your dog leg piece looks brake formed and most lids have a slight curve outwards across to bottom.
If it's straight, forget I said anything, and carry on with the new improved shoulder. :thumbup:
Yes the rear edge is curved slightly. It may look like there is no curve in the replacement piece but there is a slight curve I built in. I put the curve in with the the shrinker before forming the last bend. It is going to be fun making all of this fit together. Thank goodness this is an internal part and not right out there in full view.
BTW John, All them prayers worked great!! Thank you for the good thoughts.
Sure looks to me like you've got the hang of it! Panels look good. I made a funky little wheelhouse extension patch the other day, had it about half done and realized I made it for the wrong side, lol. That would have been fine but the other side was already done. I bet there are guys out there who would like to have a patch set like you are making so don't scrap nothing. I would be tempted to scribble some templates before welding those on. Take it easy with the shoulder, it's still OK to have idle moments where you just soak up the garage smells and smile about your project. Keep us posted.
I really would not say I have the "hang of it" but I am beginning to understand how to mangle some perfectly good sheet metal. I know about building backwards. I built these pieces a total of 3 times. First time I built it backwards. Second time I destroyed it welding the two pieces together. This one I am most pleased with. Now that I know how to go about making it and it is a lot clearer in my mind.
I am thinking of jigging up the inner shell before I cut the damaged area from it and fix the measurements so when I position the new piece I will have a better set of dimensions to position the new piece to. Because this is a corner and a large piece I am going to need to be pretty accurate on positioning. I am also tempted to use the new skin to position and hold the part till I get the new piece tacked. I am going out today to weigh the options and do some work on the end piece.
I can't start on the other side for at least 2 more weeks as I can't bear any weight or strain on the new shoulder and it is a real pain trying to shear metal run through the rollers and then brake form the parts one handed. I have details to finish that doesn't require stress on the shoulder so at least I am busy. :thumbup::thumbup:
Today I worked on this decklid shell. I spent about an hour looking this whole repair and discovered I am doing this backwards in way! I have been working to make my parts fit the deck lid shell and I should have been making the parts fit the new skin. I was moving things around trying to get the parts to look as close to original shell I never thought maybe my original shell was whacked.
I brought out the new skin and laid the shell on the new skin and then it was obvious the shell fit like crap. I could see where My problems lie and that was building to the crappy shell.
So I set the shell aside and took my parts I have built to this point and started playing jigsaw games. I fit both parts into the new skin and they fit like crap. So I started working on each piece and made some small changes hear and there. Before I knew it I had both pieces fitting the skin like a fine glove. I clamped everything in place then tacked both pieces together. After it cooled I un-clamped the part and set it over the shell and it actually fit. I need to still do some trimming just to make it fit better, but I think this is going to work. This simplifies the build up of the parts significantly easier and easier means faster.. I might finish this thing by 2050!!
As usual here are the photos for your consumption..Remember there is still some work to do.
One little bit of advice Rip. Be sure and test fit it to your body frequently as you go. If it fits the lid perfectly but the lid doesn't fit the body, you're still screwed.
I am excited for you. Thanks for sharing! :thumbup:
Excellent work Rip. Your a quick study that's for sure.:thumbup::thumbup:
How many times have you thought about making the whole inner structure, funny how you were so cautious to cut a little section at the start and with what I'm seeing now you have all the confidence you need. Great job.
I pre fit the skin as close as I could early on. The problem pre fitting is that the flange edges that bend over are not allowing the lid to go fully closed and that area may need massaging some. This is my plan, I will build a little wiggle factor into the fit of the inner shell. Once I get the shell completed I will bring the flanges back to near closed so I can massage the rear of the deck lid if necessary. Once I am happy I will lock it down and finish the the edges. Hopefully I won't have any un fixable problems. The fun is back!!!
I was talking to the wife last night and told her once this part is done I will have to wait a few weeks to do the other side. I told her I can't run the shear or the brake because I can't use both arms to put my weight into my HF Shear, brake, roll. Well she said when you need the strength just call her and she will run one side and I will run the other. That is Kool so I will be starting on the other side soon. guess I will keep her around for another 42.
An interesting note on Model T's. Close on a T is like +- 1/4 inch. the standard fit called for on the deck lid sides was 1/4". I have measured the stuffins out of the opening and the new skin and unless I screw up I will be exact on for the factory.
I have been there several times on this adventure already. I build it to be right on and the body can't help being tweaked one way or another over the span of the last 90 years. I build it the other way and the body resists attempts to fit.
I have taken it easy the last couple a days as we finally got our heat wave. But I endevour to persevere. I will not give up on this "I will make this thing come out alright.
I was tempted as heck to just keep building and make a simpler deck lid shell but the rear of the shell is the scary part. it has a curved flange that needs to be put in after the shell is attached... That is going to be, shall we say interesting!
Next week early in the morning I will start the other pieces and see if it goes a lot smoother than the first.
Finally got back to building on the deck lid shell. I am feeling good and out of the sling. Although I am supposed to be non weight bearing I am getting along good!
I made it out to the shop today for a good solid 3 hrs of work! I was able to cut and bend and mangle some metal. I roughed out the parts I will be shaping for the right side of the shell. I was able to shear the parts on my shear one armed. The nice steady stand the shear is setting on was locked in position and solid as can be. It makes it nice knowing this sucker is solid!
Once I get the parts roughed together I am going to jig the shell and do one side at a time. Gonna be a lot of trimming, grinding,cutting, and fitting but with a little luck maybe next week I will get to some serious fitting with the possible end of this shell rebuild. Oh a bonus bling shot.
Well here it is almost ready to marry all these pieces to the old shell. I have the sub assemblies ready to be fit to the original shell.
I set the shell on the bench on some blocks and screwed the shell down to the bench so it won't move and is held in place so when I cut the sections out I will have fixed point of reference and can get the new pieces to fit the oem contour.
Tomorrow I will sketch up the shell and record all the measurements and then I will do the cutting to fit the parts. There will be cutting,grinding,fitting and some adult word Smithing to come but I might be seeing daylight.
I will be posting maybe 1 more time here and then moving back to my 27 TCoupe project thread. I want to show the final rough fit here and then continue the skin fitting back in my original thread. Maybe I will get this done by the coming weekend.
As daybreak arrives, I roll out on the deck for a morning cup of coffee. I begin to put today's scenario together and slowly realize, The time has come to fish or cut bait on this shell. Today is the day "To make it happen".
Its time to Mangle!!!!
Ok, today I cut the damaged pieces of the left side of the shell away and started cleaning it up and fitting the new parts. Things went pretty much to plan with only two screw ups.
The first happened a couple of days ago when I needed to cut some of the bad steel out of the way so I could take some measurements and I went a bit to far. When I went to stitch that area back up, I pulled the trigger and poof a 1/2" hole appeared. Bad steel that looked good. I have cleaned it up and will make a patch for it to plug. Oops, steep learning curve.
Screw up number 2. I cut the replacement piece 4 times and it still came out about 3/8" short. I am glad I built this thing 3 inches longer as I can take the piece I need to fill the gap out of the piece I cut off.
My plan was to do some temporary tacks on this side and when everything was tacked I was going to flip the shell over and weld the backside for a better appearing seam. That plan went down in flames after I realized I already had a lot of tacks just to get it fairly solid. Why make myself more work I will just leave it jigged up and weld the visible side.
I found the suggestion to work from the center out, worked real good in this case. I started near the center of the seam and I would clamp the panels tight together. Put a strip of aluminum under the seam and clamp it. I would have a strip about 2 or 3 inches long. I worked the panel to smooth up the seams and would put may be 2 tacks. I moved along and that piece of aluminum worked perfectly to pull enough heat away from the puddle and I would not blow through the panels. I had to pry a bit here and there but I got the seams to butt up to each other real nice. Of course I had the dimensions set from the beginning but I watched it close and I hit them buggers right on!
I have only worked the obvious problem areas as they show and I am like a long way from completely welded panel. I see a lot of Bzzzzz Zip in my future.
These photos are like in work and look pretty ugly so far but I am feeling pleased about the job in general. It was easier than I thought it would be but harder in other aspects So far the score is very enjoyable.
I haven't set the shell on the skin since I fit it before cutting. So far all of my dimensions are right on. I have fit the skin to the body and if all goes as plan it should fit like a glove.
Pugsy,
That is my problem is knowing when to stop. I think 1 more adjustment and it goes on and on.
No work today. I am going to the doc and hope to be released to normal activity today. Keeping my fingers crossed..
Aw we have No worries Mate. I saw the doc hizzelf this morning. He said all go for strength building and to work smart. I am good at that sometimes but I do something and it hurts I don't do that... It was good news. I see them in late September so from here on I judge the load myself...!
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