[Malibulvr]

71 Malibu:
I have two flat Chevelle hoods whos bracing is rotting out in some places. I know no body would want them, can I use the hood steel to patch my floors? I was thinking of buying a roll groover but I wasn't sure if the hood steel was thick enough to use on my floors.

Thanks,
Mike

 

[BUBBA2711]

I think it is the same thickness and composition.

 

[huffhuff]

if i'm not doing an extensive restoration i use fiberglas to fill holes. clean the rust as best you can. support wax paper covered cardboard against the underside of the floor. lay in several layers of fiberglas cloth (not mat) with resin. it will take on the shape of the floor panel closely and harden very quickly. drop down the cardboard and undercoat the underside of the finished floor. primer and paint the upper side and put carpet in place. i have did several and to the unknowing it's invisible. i sold a 66 Stang years ago and the buyer inspected the floors inside and out and remarked how solid they were.

 

[67shovel]

I use sheet metal to patch the floors in my camaro back in 1983 and they "oil can" when you put your foot on them. If you can afford it you should buy weld in replacment floor pans.

 

[rubadub]

Heres this if it will help. http://www.1969supersport.com/smthoughts.html

Rob

 

[Malibulvr]

Thanks for the info. If I run some grooves in the sheet metal, will that keep it from oil canning? I had a friend that use to just ding the crap out of the sheetmetal, looked like shiat but they didnt seem to oil can. The patches hopefully are no more than 12x12.

Mike

 

[Rmchevelle]

This isn't rocket science. Before commercial patch panels were available doing what you are thinking of doing was a "no brainer". It'll be fine to use patches you cut from the hood to do small areas. I also like your idea of grooves to reduce oil canning, try to copy the originals.

 

[Raven1]

71 Malibu:
I have two flat Chevelle hoods whos bracing is rotting out in some places. I know no body would want them, can I use the hood steel to patch my floors? I was thinking of buying a roll groover but I wasn't sure if the hood steel was thick enough to use on my floors.

Thanks,
Mike

This isn't rocket science. Before commercial patch panels were available doing what you are thinking of doing was a "no brainer". It'll be fine to use patches you cut from the hood to do small areas. I also like your idea of grooves to reduce oil canning, try to copy the originals.

It's a bead roller gentlemen. I use one to make panels for various purposes. You can't duplicate the factory profile without the proper die. And the floors were stamped anyway. The dies supplied with the base models are various semi-elliptical sizes. If identical duplication is not required a bead will suffice for your purpose.

 

[Malibulvr]

Roll Groover, Bead Roller, I was close, LOL. Sounds like a plan. Thanks!

 

[rubadub]

TRUNK PANEL

HOME
This will make some grooves, after i did it you can't tell the home made grooves from the factory ones.

This is a piece of original trunk panel, with a solid steel bar. Goodmark front panels don't line up with the factory groove. This works really good and it's fast. Picture number 2, open the vise about that much. Lay the flat bar in as far as you want the groove, and hit it pretty hard. Those Goodmark panels are pretty easy to groove. Picture number 3 shows the groove about 5-6 inches long.

HOME

 

[Raven1]

Very nice Rob. Don't forget boys: The panel dimension decreases as you form it so compensate for that when measuring your overall dim. It would be a drag to do that nice forming and wind up short.

 

[sevt_chevelle]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IGElSHzm0q8

This guy offers a DVD on making patch panels using NOTHING but hand tools. The video had rave reviews on www.metalmeet.com so I bought the video as well and must say its one of the best videos Ive seen.

One portion he makes a floor board using only dollies and cauking irons.

 

[cromedss]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IGElSHzm0q8

This guy offers a DVD on making patch panels using NOTHING but hand tools. The video had rave reviews on www.metalmeet.com so I bought the video as well and must say its one of the best videos Ive seen.

One portion he makes a floor board using only dollies and cauking irons.

Just when I think I am getting pretty good at this stuff you throw this log on the fire.....Pretty amazing....

 

[Raven1]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IGElSHzm0q8

This guy offers a DVD on making patch panels using NOTHING but hand tools. The video had rave reviews on www.metalmeet.com so I bought the video as well and must say its one of the best videos Ive seen.

One portion he makes a floor board using only dollies and cauking irons.

Just when I think I am getting pretty good at this stuff you throw this log on the fire.....Pretty amazing....

I'm not saying automotive or bike related metalwork is trivial; but sword, Katana or other edged weapon making is by far the ultimate in fabrication, and an art. So if you think your getting pretty good watch one of those people at work. Got an extra 10K of more for one?

 

[davewho1]

Heres this if it will help. http://www.1969supersport.com/smthoughts.html

Rob

How's that car coming along anyway, Rob?

 

[rubadub]

How's that car coming along anyway, Rob?

I haven't touched it in what three years, and every week I say I will work on it.

A lot of things to do around here, but I'm lazy and thats the big picture.