Progress on 4000 Series Rebody

[ThePanelbeater]

The rough out is about 2/3rds done. Maybe by Friday we'll be looking at all of the panels being roughed into shape. Next step is to begin stepping in gutters for hood, doors, and trunk and detailing all the shapes before welding.

[ACademic]

An ambitious project. Please keep us posted! One question: How do you compensate for final panel fit using the base 'glass body as a buck? I realize we're talking millimeters here, but just curious. And what panel thickness/aluminum type are you using?

[ThePanelbeater]

The buck was generated from a female casting pulled from an original car, which then had .065 Thermal Stable wax sheets laid in to simulate the thickness of the aluminum panels. At that point, the male fiberglass plug was laid in and became the buck which you see minus the thickness of the aluminum. To date, this is the fourteenth body made from this buck.
The alloy that I am using is 1100-0 and 1100-H14 and .063 thickness.

[MAStuart]

Thanks for posting . I see I have a lot to learn yet. I have been using 3003 h14. Does 1100 work about the same as 3003? Mark

[LMH]

Originally Posted by ThePanelbeater

The buck was generated from a female casting pulled from an original car, which then had .065 Thermal Stable wax sheets laid in to simulate the thickness of the aluminum panels. At that point, the male fiberglass plug was laid in and became the buck which you see minus the thickness of the aluminum. To date, this is the fourteenth body made from this buck.
The alloy that I am using is 1100-0 and 1100-H14 and .063 thickness.

Is that plug from an original 427 or a 4000 series body?
Very nice work?
Larry

[Stentor]

What is the rough budget for a project like this (i.e., for rebodying a 4000 series car)?

[1985 CCX]

I might add Panel Craft has done fantastic job on my aluminum 289 doors, hood, boot and flares in unison with a hand laid main body. (See page 20 on my build thread linked below for ally work)

Joe is a Master and worth the investment.

[ThePanelbeater]

The 1100-H14 and 3003-H14 work very similar, however 1100 welds easier then the 3003.

The plug was pulled from an original car which came into my shop for work.

The total time necessary to complete the project will be somewhere in the vicinity of 500 hours. The current shop rate is $85 per hour. With an additional charge of approximately $1000 for materials.

[Tim Brewer]

Wow...I have a few questions; 1) If you're welding the panels together on the buck, then once you're done, how do you get the aluminum body off the buck?
2) You mentioned an approxmate price of about $43,500 for this. Well how much is a Kirkham body?

[twobjshelbys]

All I can say is holy cow!

That is going to look awesome.

[*13*]

Looks like great fun! Cool If you ever need an apprentice, let me know. I'll hop the border Seriously!

[ThePanelbeater]

The aluminum is taken off of the buck and then the pieces are welded.

[rodneym]

What an awesome undertaking.

Thanks for sharing!

[1985 CCX]

The fit and finish of this car will be great I am sure. Keep the pictures coming.

[DougD]

Your work is amazing. Please keep adding to this thread as you go.

One question - the original bodies were wrapped around tubing and pop-riveted to attach them to the frame. The CSX4000 'glas frames lack the tubes to attach the body. How do you plan to attach the body to the frame?

[1985 CCX]

Doug

He adds the necessary tubing as it is of course attachement points for ally..........

[mickmate]

The 4000's have some of the tubing in place although the rear trunk tubes are bolted in due to the one piece trunk. Joe makes any tubing he needs to original specs. That includes all the cockpit surround tubes. Assembles the birdcage on the car and wraps it all like a 3000, only nicer. Joe can talk to you and gas weld at the same time, he has some kind of talent in those fingertips. His metal shaping is difficult to capture in photographs it is so smooth and reflective. I have learned a lot and thoroughly enjoyed projects I have worked on with him.

[ThePanelbeater]

All the tubes that make up the super structure will be bent up and welded in place prior to the mounting of the body. I'll make sure that I detail this process in my postings. Stay tuned.

[ThePanelbeater]

Almost finished with the roughing out stage.

[ThePanelbeater]