Author Topic: J's Rat rod has inspired me... (Read 1132 times)

lethal289 · « **Reply #25 on:** March, 25, 2010, 11:00:38 AM »

you could always screw the latch, and pin it. Since admittedly you like the easiest way, the easiest looks to section it just in front of the hood hinges. Cut it right through the under structure and fill in / grind away to make the taper work. Then forget the latch and pin it.

If you just section the nose, i think you have a lot of fab work to make a suitable understructure to handle force against the nose. Just another thought.

70_Fastback · « **Reply #26 on:** March, 25, 2010, 11:25:09 AM »

Quote from: tarafied1 on March, 25, 2010, 10:32:24 AM

Pete and J,
The radiator support doesn't move or is in the same location on Shelby's and Mustangs so adding to the rear would mean a lot of mods to the inner/under structure to move the latch back. I was hoping to only add a section ahead or forward of the latch area. The hood also get narrower as it moves forward so I would have a bigger/longer section to take out if I moved more of the hood forward.

Good point Craig2. I was only thinking sheet metal deep - aka 2D. Not the entire cross section effort.

tarafied1 · « **Reply #27 on:** March, 25, 2010, 06:55:16 PM »

Jake,
Look back at the pics of the car with an E nose and stock hood. The front "as is" will need a lot of work anyway because the stock hood curves down so much more that the Shelby/Eleanor hood. As long as I have to cut and section the nose anyway, why mess with the part of the hood that already fits perfect also? The hood only begins to be different from the ends of the fender forward, along the fenders it is the factory relationship hood to fender. No need to cut anything back there. Plus as I mentioned before the hood is narrower at the front so any part that I move forward I will have to narrow as well, it just doesn't make sense to me to mess with any part of the hood in the back. That's my logic anyway, I'm not trying to disrespect your opinion. You have proven your skills with hood fabrication. I'm just not seeing why I would want to do anything to the part of the hood that already fits perfect. What am I missing?
Now the strength issue shouldn't come into play either IMO because I don't intend to do anything to the under structure which provides the integrity to the hood. I may have to abandon the idea of using a doner hood and just fab something but I think my best bet is to only worry about the the hood from the end of the fenders forward. As they say, no need to re-invent the wheel. I am listening but not convinced. Thanks for the thoughts and input, this shouldn't be so hard but yet it doesn't seam as easy as I thought originally either.
Thanks again J, Pete, Jake, and everyone else. Maybe I should just forget about it...

70_Fastback · « **Reply #28 on:** March, 26, 2010, 05:25:08 AM »

The hardest part is making that first cut... after that is just "fixing" it. Because you have no choice then!

Go for it. It will be a great project. And a rewarding finish.

apollard · « **Reply #29 on:** March, 26, 2010, 06:00:42 AM »

Quote from: 70_Fastback on March, 26, 2010, 05:25:08 AM

The hardest part is making that first cut... after that is just "fixing" it. Because you have no choice then!

True - after lots of thinking about it and wondering how I was ever going to do it, I finally took the grinder and cut up a my headers - now in the fixin' it stage. Obligatory pics when done.

Grab that grinder Craig II - those hoods are just cluttering up the place now-

70_Fastback · « **Reply #30 on:** March, 26, 2010, 08:51:37 AM »

Quote from: apollard on March, 26, 2010, 06:00:42 AM

True - after lots of thinking about it and wondering how I was ever going to do it, I finally took the grinder and cut up a my headers - now in the fixin' it stage. Obligatory pics when done.

Grab that grinder Craig II - those hoods are just cluttering up the place now-

:wstup

SELLERSRODSHOP · « **Reply #31 on:** March, 26, 2010, 09:11:32 AM »

another reason to do the work on the front & not in the middle is heat warpage from the welding. a curved area has more strength & is less prone to warp when welding, especially a hood where there is not much reinforcement. you cut that sucker in the middle & its wavy as all get out. i'm currently grafting original vents into some flat hoodsides on a 39 chev & keeping the metal in shape while welding the pieces in is a nightmare...

70_Fastback · « **Reply #32 on:** March, 26, 2010, 09:13:57 AM »

Quote from: SELLERSRODSHOP on March, 26, 2010, 09:11:32 AM

i'm currently grafting original vents into some flat hoodsides on a 39 chev & keeping the metal in shape while welding the pieces in is a nightmare...

:WOP

apollard · « **Reply #33 on:** March, 26, 2010, 09:42:41 AM »

Quote from: SELLERSRODSHOP on March, 26, 2010, 09:11:32 AM

another reason to do the work on the front & not in the middle is heat warpage from the welding. a curved area has more strength & is less prone to warp when welding, especially a hood where there is not much reinforcement. you cut that sucker in the middle & its wavy as all get out. i'm currently grafting original vents into some flat hoodsides on a 39 chev & keeping the metal in shape while welding the pieces in is a nightmare...

So, would TIG reduce the warping? I've always heard that, and I know a couple of guys here that use TIG for body panels - they say it takes longer, but is easier to work, can be hammered, etc. Probably not good for a production shop, but wondering what your view is-

+1 on the pics. Car work porn is always good :ecit

SELLERSRODSHOP · « **Reply #34 on:** March, 26, 2010, 07:38:04 PM »

tig produces a "prettier" weld & probably does use less heat, but no matter the process, floppy sheetmetal is hard to do anything with & get right.

gratuitous pics:

also had to move the tailights from the pan up to the original area:

also have to fix the doors so they will close due to poor top chop. the doors weren't cut as deep as the a piilars & they were binding bad: