working om a 51 f1. somewhere i saw a patch piece for te original gas filler, but i can no longer locate it. any one know who sells this?

 

i've never seen patch panels for any year of our effies . assuming you are gonna fill the filler in ? i had a really horrible cab from one i parted {55 } and i cut peices out of the cab to use as a filler panel for mine . just an idea maybe .

 

Actually MidFifties sells them for 53-55 on pg 97 of their catalog. Looks like a weld in cab corner they say is tall enough to cover. Sorry that doesn't help your 51 I guess.

 

I used the tall patch on my 55 to cover the filler hole..

sam

 

I used 18 ga metal, formed to the contour of my cab (50 F1). I got it close enough to where I used a metal to metal filler to complete the patch. I also use seam seal on every patch I can access from the inside, to keep rust through to a minimum. I actually finished the sanding out this weekend.


Tom

 

I used a section from another cab on my 48.

 

Is it a compound curved area?

 

I believe it is a compound curve, slightly top to bottom, more so left to right


Tom

 

Shallow compound curves are not significantly difficult to form in flat sheet, nor does it require much in the way of special tools. In fact you can make the tools yourself for free or next to free depending on what common items you have around or can scrounge, like an old baseball bat and the leg from a pair of jeans.
I can walk you thru the process if you want to give it a try.

 

Can I assume you will use the jean leg to make a sand bag? I may end up doing the same thing on my 51. I just haven't got that far yet.

 

Exactly, a sand or shot bag. The end of the baseball bat is made into a forming hammer, The rest can be used for bending curves over or to make other sized hammers. Circle track racers have historically kept a baseball bat in their pit cart it makes quick work of rolling a pushed in fender away from the tire.

 

I've used the old pants leg trick before. Cut off the leg below the knee, sew up one end, fill with clean sand, sew up other end and there you have it. Sometimes it helps to moisten it a bit.

You could also go by your local outdoorsman store or gun and ammo store and pick up a bag of shot. You have your choice of sizes ranging from buck shot down to field shot. It usually comes in a heavy canvass bag, not quite as nice as a cool leather shot bag but alot cheaper.

Bobby

 

I'm using a bag of bird shot currently, just be sure you get lead shot not steel shot. If you do, or make your own shot or sand bag, removes about 1/4 of the shot before sealing the bag back up. You want some room for give, like a kid's beanbag. If you beat on it with your fist it should readily form a depression but it should not have enough room to beat down completely flat in the center. If you aren't into sewing, just wrap a couple turns of stovepipe wire around the pantsleg and twist the ends tightly together like tieing a balloon with string, Not as "pretty" as a sewn bag but just as serviceable.
You don't need a sewing machine to sew the pantsleg either you can do it by hand with a large needle and heavy duty thread (sometimes called "carpet thread" in the sewing supplies. Look for the larger sized spools of heavier shiny thread). Fold the end over a couple times and do a whip stitch, put the needle thru the fabric bottom to top next to the fold, bring the needle around the fold and back thru the fabric bottom to top again about an 1/8" from the previous stitch, The stitches should wrap around and tie the fold permanently closed and not leak when it's hammered on.

 

"Circle track racers have historically kept a baseball bat in their pit cart it makes quick work of rolling a pushed in fender away from the tire"

Not to mention the fact that it can be used to calm another racer that you have just bent his fender. hehehe

 

This would be a good project for an english wheel.....................I wonder if I can justify the cost . -- Chuck