Stuff my dog says; on second thought I'll just build a race car

[NashGTI]

Speaking of which...

How much of the body work is removeable? It appears to me that everything so far is welded. Isn't that going to make maintenance/repair a major headache?

Also, all the body panels are tacked at the moment. Will they be fully welded at some point?

Most of the sheet metal panels are tacked at the moment but nothing is really welded in the way of anything as of yet. There are several removable pieces in there so far and more planned. Will be removable pieces left and right side of the engine bay, the hood with it's center bar, panels behind and under the seat, above the battery and around the shifter, then will be one in front of the dash for access to the pedal assembly.
As far as more complete welding that is planned at least for all the outside stuff that is tacked in place. A couple of the interior panels still will get their seams welded but I'm not doing everything in there. I've tried to do everything with a mind to servicing all the components but it's possible I've forgotten something.

 

[NashGTI]

I feel like I ought to add that the proper way to do it would be to fully weld any panels when they're first made. I'm really gun shy about having the car where it is though and it's going to be a lot easier to find someplace to weld panels than it would be to find someplace to make panels.

 

[Downeaster]

I feel like I ought to add that the proper way to do it would be to fully weld any panels when they're first made. I'm really gun shy about having the car where it is though and it's going to be a lot easier to find someplace to weld panels than it would be to find someplace to make panels.

That makes perfect sense. I hadn't factored in your rather tenuous shop arrangement.

 

[NashGTI]

Doing things today. Realized that while the hood is 45 inches long our slip roll is 36 inches long. So my plan to rough the panels on the slip roll and the fine tune with the English wheel won't work and I'm doing the entire curve with the wheel. Not necessarily a problem, just more time consuming.
The top panel looks good tacked in place though.

 

[NashGTI]

 

[NashGTI]

 

[NashGTI]

Looking at the car yesterday evening after I got the hood fitted I found myself thinking that doing the bodywork around the driver compartment probably isn't going to work out the way I had planned. My thinking now is that the angles from the back of the car to the back edge of the interior to the dash bar and out to the front end won't look well. It can't be a smoothish looking line as there would have to be a large concave bend at the roll bar coupled with a large convex bend at the dash bar.

 

[NashGTI]

More hood work, welding grinding shaping
And a beauty shot. Makes the car look tiny.

 

[jetmechmarty]

More hood work, welding grinding shapingView attachment 225612View attachment 225613View attachment 225614
And a beauty shot. Makes the car look tiny.
View attachment 225615

I spy a 1966 Thunderbird 63D. Is it a 390 or 428 (Q) car?

 

[jetmechmarty]

Your race car is cool too!

 

[NashGTI]

390, largely a survivor but not greatly kept. Getting a new brake booster.

 

[NashGTI]

 

[NashGTI]

Feels almost like a lost weekend. A lot of work for very little visual gain.

 

[Paul Sutton]

I am very impressed! Just how does someone manage to keep a project like this going? I have the same thoughts when I see a model steam engine...

 

[NashGTI]

I am very impressed! Just how does someone manage to keep a project like this going? I have the same thoughts when I see a model steam engine...

It helps to be asocial and a bit neurotic. But really just do one thing and then do the next thing and on down the line. Based upon the beautiful Gulf colored XS you had in the calendar a couple years back I say go for it.

 

[NashGTI]

 

[NashGTI]

On to the other half of the hood this weekend. Matching the cutout from the other side for the exhaust gets you a window to the supercharger and carburetor mounting elbow on this side

 

[NashGTI]

Tons of shaping and welding left, but it's a look.

 

[NashGTI]

Four and a half hours to feel like I made things worse. Parents are on their way down to Tennessee so I can't stay, I've managed to warp the hood and create clearance issues some how. Even had to relief cut the flat side with the louvers because it bubbled.

 

[Paul Sutton]

Relief cuts or not, this is a very interesting thread!!! I am glad you keep the thread going as it is my main Sunday entertainment checking up on you