Cowl Patch panel with Vintage Air ????? 56 F100
#31
The original piece is double thick. I would be concerned when welding metal to extend its original size, then welding that into the cowl, there would be a chance of "ghost line" in the finish paint job. Just based on thicker metal beside thinner metal and metals contracting and shrinking at different rates. Have you painted it yet?
I hear what your saying Mad, I like the looks of the original cowl vent to. But I have three of these trucks and I am doing different things to each one. One will have the stock cowl. Im just in the process of "considering" a closed cowl.
I hear what your saying Mad, I like the looks of the original cowl vent to. But I have three of these trucks and I am doing different things to each one. One will have the stock cowl. Im just in the process of "considering" a closed cowl.
#32
If its a metallic, i only use Base/ Clear. Single stage looks kind of muddy. The metal flake cant flow and lay down properly since its much thicker.
#34
Yes. But there is a trick to any run. Single stage or clearcoat. Hold a brand new razor blade at a 90 degree angle on the center of the run. Tilt it about 10 degrees towards the direction you want it to go, and start scraping. I know it sounds crazy and scary to do this on fresh paint, but with practice, you can scrape the run right out of a panel without using sandpaper. Problem with sanding runs is the block or whatever else your using, tends to sand on the adjacent sides of the runs also. Leaving either a burn through or a ghost of where the run was. Never quite removing it 100%. The razor technique removes it 100% everytime.
#35
#38
John, when you welded in the stock panel and used a filler rod all around it, how did you close the gap below the panel in the groove? If I remember correctly, that gap you welded shut would take a pretty good size filler, like maybe 1/4" minimum? Not sure how you got it to round over the front edge and then down to the bottom of the groove.
#39
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: northwestern Ontario
Posts: 263,015
Received 4,132 Likes
on
2,656 Posts
John, when you welded in the stock panel and used a filler rod all around it, how did you close the gap below the panel in the groove? If I remember correctly, that gap you welded shut would take a pretty good size filler, like maybe 14" minimum? Not sure how you got it to round over the front edge and then down to the bottom of the groove.
Here's a link to the late Randyjack that did this mod and where I got help from.
1956 Ford F100 4x2-Body Mods
#40
There are shops that will fabricate a filler panel for your truck so that you don't have to use the original cowl vent and use a bunch of filler rod. I believe that Direct Sheetmetal is one vendor, there may be others as well. I too went the route of filling the gaps on a 54...it was tedious
#43
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: northwestern Ontario
Posts: 263,015
Received 4,132 Likes
on
2,656 Posts
#45
Well my fabrication turned out....ok, but not acceptable. It actually fit really well considering the compound curves I had to put into it. I attempted to bend the front over and include the little piece under the patch that closes the open face. I could not get a tight enough radius all the way across with the 18 guage. It was a good match on the ends, but the closer it gets to the middle, the bigger the radius. Its approximately 3/16" on both sides which is a perfect match where it meets the stock metal on both sides. But it graduates to a radius in excess of 1/4", 5/16-3/8". I dont want to use filler to bring the radius to 3/16" all the way across. I threw in the towell and took the bottom screen housing assembley off the stock cowling and welded a piece of 3/16" rod to the front of it (flushing it on the top). It makes the back fit perfect. I just need a little filler rod on both sides and maybe a quarter inch rod under the 3/16" once the patch in welded in. I like to use the rods in an application like this because you can weld in the "v" groove and grind it smooth to dissapear the welds.