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Before the picture sequence started, the quarter panels were chemically stripped to remove all the paint, and any areas close to the heat affected zone on the back sides were sanded to remove any paint/rust etc. We decided on a 6" stretch (3" each end), so in order to insure that our scribe lines would be parallel, we had a piece of sheet metal sheared, and used it as a straightedge when we scribed the vertical lines. After the pieces were trimmed off, some time was also spent removing the remnants of the stock outer wheelhouse from the wheel opening flange. The pieces were sandblasted as required to remove any rust. |
01 -- Shows the stock
opening size, and the 3" strips already removed. The cuts were made
after marking the QP with a strip sheared to 2-15/16" (strip width
minus width of scribe lines). The cuts were made perpendicular to the
center body line, otherwise things don't line up when you slide the pieces
back to their new locations. The cuts were made just inside the scribe
lines with a sawzall, then the tin was shaved with a vixen file to get it
"on the line".
02 -- Shows just how little is left of QP after cuts are made !
03 -- Shows the two pieces after being shaved to fit, along with the
fill piece required to fill in the gap created by extending the opening by
6".
04 -- Shows the two original pieces all fitted up and cleco'd
into place, ready for the center fill piece.
05 -- Shows all the pieces (less rocker panel) ready to start
tacking things together with the TIG !
06 -- Show the vertical
seams all tacked up. I left the horizontal for last, and will start at the
front and "chase" it to the back. After I have it all under
control, then the fuel filler hole will be filled in.
07 -- Shows the whole thing all tacked up, but you may notice that
the gap on the horizontal section at top is UGLY, there are two reasons for
this:
( 1)The width of the saw cut.
( 2)The lower body lines are not parallel to the upper, so as the pieces
are slid into their new positions, their orientation to the upper portion
of the QP changes.
*This is the one thing I would do differently next time !! On the
next go-around, I would trim the two lower pieces back a half-inch or so
(on the horizontal), and then I would weld a 1" strip on and planish
the weld before trimming the pieces for a zero-gap fit to the upper portion of the
QP, this way would have been MUCH faster than fooling around filling all
those gaps between tacks, and would have made for a nicer finished product
to boot!!
08 -- Shows the QP from the backside after tack up, the tig is the
only way to fly!! :)....no more MIGs for James !!
09 -- Shows the fuel filler filler piece half welded in, and
also illustrates the gap between the lower pieces and the upper mentioned
previously.
| One thing not shown in the pictures is the flange on the wheel opening. I took vise-grips and bent the first half of the width of the flange 90 degrees, forming the flange into a "U" channel, this was done to add some strength to the opening, as this was double panel from the factory and the factory never intended it to be subjected to the abuse it will see as a racecar. |
Finish Bodywork & Primer by Bill Commet
