Ax, FatFenders, and others have done extensive modifcations to their bodies, bending sheetmetal as needed to meet compound curves. Others have made their own rust repair panels. When finished it looks as if their work was stamped out at the factory - you can not tell where the factory metal stops and their pieces start.

How do you guys do this? How do you bend sheetmetal to match the curves of a dash?

FatFenders was telling about using a 2X4 block to help form his scoop - do you heat the metal to get the correct roll for a piece 12 inches long? What sort of tools do you have in your shop?

 

i made a planishing hammer, got about 40 bucks in it. thing works great to form sheetmetal. that combined with a sandbag and mallet, you can do wonders.

 

There are a few books out there that will give you the general technique on how to form your own metal. One that I found particularly useful was "Sheet Metal Handbook" by Ron Fournier. Do a search on Barnes and Noble, or Amazon and you can find it cheap. I know there are other books out there as well. This will give you a basic starting point on how to make your own parts/patches.

 

Thanks, I ordered the book, maybe it will explain what a "planishing" hammer is.

 

I have a couple of basic body hammers and a couple of dollies. I also made a sheet metal brake out of 3" X 4" angle iron. I also use a piece of rail road rail as an anvil to hammer sheet metal using either the flat bottom or curved top. Basically, I use whatever I have to bend the sheet metal.

Another tool that comes in real handy is a hand held power shears. A torch is nice to have around to persuade the metal to make some of the more intricate shapes that you can't do by just hammering.

 

patience and creativity are useful tools too. And are cheaper than an English wheel.

 

I find that I can do quite a bit with an air nibbler and bead roller. After looking at the cost of patch panels, it is possible to recoup the cost of the tools rather quickly. I also use a set of hammers and dollies. Next on my list is a brake (I'm using angle iron at the moment). A wheel would be nice, but I don't have room for something like that.

 

What happened to my post?
Anyhow get Ron Covell's video or CD "Beginning metalworking techniques". Best educational $ you can spend. He shows you how to form a number of intricate panels and make repairs with a few basic tools. It's invaluable to see and hear the hammer blows and how quickly the panels are formed. Fournier also has a video on building and using hammerforms, a good way to form precise repair panels. It helps that I'm a jeweler and form metal most every day, but it's not difficult to learn to do once you see the "tricks".

 

I have basic hammers and dollies but my most prized ''tool'' is a 36'' piece of railroad track. I creased the center of my hood scoop on it and actually rolled the sides on a tree branch and then finished it with a hammer and dolly. Tools are equally important as technique. Thanks for the kind words