Finished the second coachbuilding class in May. This class was attended by three guys ( John, Chris and Mike from US Car Tool ( www.uscartool.com) in NC and two guys from ( http://www.gabrielsportscar.com) Gabriel Sports Car in Yonkers, NY ( Frank and Javier. Frank had called me and said he would like to make new door skins for a 1963 Ferrari 250 SWB. That didn’t happen because Frank was able to straighten the original aluminum skins. John, Chris, and Mike are Mopar specialists and they were interested in learning how to make an all aluminum
( .060″ 3003) front fender for a 1967 Dodge Dart. The Dart fender was a very intriguing project. Lots of body lines and very subtle low crowns. A very complicated and difficult project. First we had to straighten their sample fender which was hit pretty good in the front section. All of the forward section body lines were mushed, we had to bring them back to life. That done we started the process of making one of my flexible shape patterns and a complete set of profile gages. If a wood buck was made it would have taken a week to make the buck. All told it was probably a 6 hr shared job to make the profile gages and flexible shape patterns. Chris was the only student that had any shaping experience, and that was limited to making small patch panels. The others had never shaped metal, ZERO experience. Frank and Javier had no project so they agreed to make panels for a 1934 Ford left rear fender. The first May coachbuilding class had made a right rear 1934 Ford fender so we had all of the gages and flexible shape patterns already completed. Frank and Javier’s project was typical of 1930 high crown panels, so they had to shrink the metal to create the high crowns. Both Frank and Javier had to leave early so they weren’t able to complete their project
( see the pictures of the completed right rear fender and the new sections that were almost finished by Frank and Javier). John Chris and Mike were able to get all of the panels made for the aluminum Dart fender but they weren’t able to get it welded, we ran out of time. Everyone did great and we all had an awesome time swapping car stories rapid fire every day. Check out the pictures, I wish I had taken more! I still have a few spots open for my June class. Wray
