[TurboS10]

Need some help guys. I just finished my custom cowl hood for the s-10 and have some warpage. I am wondering if any of you have tryed to correct this with a torch. I have heard it can be done, but I am not sure of the techique. I am thinking that heating the low spots so they will come up to flush will help, but I am just not sure. Any help would be appriciated.

I can just float it with filler, but I thought I might try to correct some of it first.

chris

 

[Halloweenking]

Using a torch to correct warpage is indeed the way to go, but it is deffinatly not for the weekend body guy. It takes a long time to get the process perfected and during that time you can burn through sheetmetal left and right. Any of these guys will tell you the same thing. Go the safer route, use a dimpling/shrinking hammer and a light coat of filler to smooth it out.
The torch method unless you've done it before shouldn't be attenpted on a peice of metal you need. Heat the high areas to a pale orange hot and the rate which it cools will shrink the metal, fast rate of cooling (using cold water) will shrink more, slower cooling less shrinkage. It is VERY easy to burn through so be careful if you try this.

HK

 

[TurboS10]

I think I might try it. If I burn it, then I'll just have to get another hood. I only did this to see if I could make it look good enough that I would not have to spend the money on a new cowl hood. Plus I was able to make the cowl a bit wider than if I bought a hood. Kindof adds personality when things arnt run of the mill.

Thanks HK,

Chris

 

[deuce_454]

you can also buy a carbon tip for your CO2 welder, it screws into the thread where copper wire nozle fits, you simply remove the tension on the wirefeed wheel. take the gas cup and wire nozle off and screw in the grafite tip. That way you can adjust the heat going into the panel on the amp regulator on the welder. you simply depress the trigger (remember the ground..)and work your way inwards in a spiral starting in a 2 inch circle. and when the panel is pale orange/cherry red you cool the spot with a wet rag. iv etried it and it worked ok, but i havent dared do it on the roof of my 65 mustang yet... ill leave that one to a pro...

 

[spankyway]

If you have a stud gun you can get a shrinking electrode for it and heat it in various places and quench it like all the other techniques. I have tried this and it works real well.

 

[Gearhead forever]

I can't remember the name of the system, but it consists of a large rippled steel disk that you use on a grinder. You pass the disc over the high spots and it heats up and shrinks. Its supposed to be a safer way on larger panels. It also doesn't remove any material. Must be god-awfull noisy. As soon as I see it again I'll add it to this thread. Seems to me I read it in Streetrod builder or Street Rodder mag. Good luck.

 

[big/blocken]

If youyve never used this technic dont try it if your drag racen a nice shrinking hammer and some kitty hare will do the job if you want it straight for show take it to your leading body shop let them do the finishing touches

 

[onebadmerc]

I completely agree with Halloweenking if you haven't done this before go a different route, you can actually make it alot worse.

 

[collins motors co.]

I have used heat to lift hail dents many times the older cars with milder steel it worked pretty well. In 1998 we had a big hail storm and I tried it on newer cars, the metal is harder and thinner and more brittle I had bad results on hoods ok results on roofs. Warpage is different on metal than a dent I,ve never tried that on a hood but I think heat will give you the opposite results of what you are looking for. But if you are experimenting I,d hope you will post your results.