Great job...you make this look easy

 

Tom, where did you get your PVC sheets from? Is it easy to contour and work with? The ABS I have is really tough to form! Plus it is $$$...

 

Well, I learned a couple of things today........
#1- I HATE PLASTIC!!
#2- Unlike metal, plastic breaks easily
#3- See #1
I had got some 1/8" ABS from the upholsterer, he said it works great for making custom panels..just use a heat gun and bend it any way you want
Well I had some extra time today, so I thought I would try to bend up an ABS panel.....
So I tried the heat gun, without result....then I tried the propane torch, hmmm, open flame is a no-no. So I strapped the piece over a pipe and set the heat lamp on it for a couple of hours...finally got hot enough to bend. I bent it past where it needed to go because I knew it would relax after the pressure was off...



Even so, it relaxed way more than I figured, but I still tried to install it....was getting kinda pissed at this point......so of course I broke it.

I don't think this is going to work.....tomorrow I am going to look for some sheet aluminum. Any ideas are welcome......

 

how about some bathroom plastic wall ...i dont recall what is called but it might work

 

I got an idea. Take that piece of crap ABS back to the upholsterer and show it to him. Then ask him to bend one for you to see if he can do it without breaking it.

 

Smart Man!

 

I know what yer talking about, pretty thin, like maybe 1/16th thick, flexible, and only comes in white?

(not the same as melamine board)

 

its called FRP... Fiber Reinforced Polymer...

 

Yeah, I'd like to break it over his head.......I think it's time to get a new upholsterer. Problem is, the piece is about 3 feet long, so it's hard to heat evenly.

I think I'll try aluminum or sheet metal....I'm a little better at working with that.....thanks to everyone for their input, and stay tuned

 

I like the kind with the dots, trip to junkyard and get all you want. Got
mine from a crashed Dodge Van. And I like I think they use it in
freezers grained one side and plane on the other this of course is white
but this can be bent and really bent and wont break Home depot or
lowes.

 

Bought the PVC from a sign company supplier. Forming the inner firewall cover was no problem using heat gun, but smaller surface area.

If you're using pipe to bend the contour, could you heat the length of pipe somehow (steam, hot water, hot air )? for a more even heat, supplimented with heat gun ?

I haven't tried to make my panels yet. I was going to go with the stock format, where the side panels are "attached" to the roof section. This is PVC like material, so PVC cement over pliable material (canvas) was what I was thinking of using to join the top and sides.

If I wait long enough, you'll have done all the experimenting! Keep at it !

Tom

 

Do you know anyone with a large oven that you could heat it in? That would heat it evenly. Place it on some Masonite to put it in and out of the oven like you would a pizza pan.

 

how about some rubbing alcohol let it get hot but bot dont let it burn..

 

This is great, I agree it really needs to be a sticky. I plan on removing the head liner and side panels from my interior as I want to add better insulation than what the PO used. I really dont know what is up there but the rest of the truck i.e floors and doors was really lacking anything good, plus it's the only part of the truck I have never taken apart and I just want to know, you know ??? . When I do take it apart i'll make patterns and have them available to any of you who need them. But my truck is a 1955 so its different than what is being worked on here.

Rick

 

I wasn't able to get much done this week....between customers cars, snowstorms, etc.

I did manage to pick up some .050 aluminum and make some new corner panels. Sure worked better than the plastic.....
This is all trial and error, mostly error. I'll know what not to do next time.

I also ordered the headliner material and vinyl....should be here next week.

Also I plan on insulating behind the panels, more on that later....

Here are a couple pics, first one is new corner panels



I wanted to finish the area next to the tank on each side, so I bent up some sheet metal.....this stuff is from an old refrigerator door. It has a "texture", and should match the vinyl when painted black.....