Aluminum Cobra Nose

[Imperial Wheel]

Last year I posted photos of the Gentry 289 FIA Fiberglas body I had purchased with the goal of using it for patterns to make an aluminum bodied Cobra. A friend purchased a 427 body at the same time and came over last weekend to pick it up. While he was here four metalshaping friends came over and we spent a couple days experimenting with techniques and deciding how we would approach building the body by making a wall hanging of the nose area. The nose area is the most complex from a shape perspective.

In about 60 man hours we ended up with this:





While not finished we made a great start on a wall hanging. Actually it will be a bare metal awning over the walk in door of my shop. I'm going to put a motion light inside and let the headlights glow as well as light the door.

There is still a small panel beside the left headlight to do, the inside of the grill openings, some metalfinishing, as well as wire edging.

We used a variety of methods. One guy used almost all hand tools and my English Wheel because that is what he had at home. Another built and used a concrete hammerform to make the lower nose area. Still others used some power equiptment. The panels were TIG welded and filed down with Vixen files.

If there is interest, I can post a lot photos of the build process.

[B.M.B.C]

Nice work!!!!!!

[1985 CCX]

Kudos to you!

[LMH]

Wow! I'm impressed. I would love to see more photo's of the work.
Larry

[mickmate]

Wall hanging, that oughta be on a car! Interesting employment of the different shaping techniques. More than one way to skin a snake. Indeed feed us more pics, you're doing some good work.

[JBCOBRA]

Wow, You guys have skills!
Just keep going......and make an entire body

[Imperial Wheel]

Thanks for the kind words guys. Here is a brief review of some of the build photos we took.

We started out by making flexible shape patterns (FSP) off the fiberglass body. Here Bob Baisden is making the pattern for the right fender top:





An FSP is a 'skin' of the shape. We work the metal until the FSP fits tight all over. If it is loose in the middle you stretch the loose areas. If it's tight on the edges, you shrink it. Easy....right?



Top of the nose all taped up. The FSPs are made from a non-stick layer (in this case Glad Press N Seal) and a layer of overlapping fiberglass strapping tape. The Fiberglass tape is what holds the shape. The non-stick layer just acts as a release agent.



This is what they look like...flexible but all the surface information is there.



Bob is using an Eckold Picollo machine to shrink the fender top.



At the same time we were working on several other panels, including the nose center. The scuff marks you see in the front are from Eckold NOMAR shrinking dies. They are not really marks at all and easily wheel or sand out.



Here Bob is using my wheeling machine to stretch and smooth the fender top.



The nose center has these nasty little reverse curves at the sides. A reverse curve is a saddle shape and is the most difficult thing in metal shaping. Here I'm using a 'blodger' to persuade the aluminum to fit the correct arrangement. We worked directly on the fiberglass but were as careful as possible.



Here I'm using a larger Eckold KF460 with NOMAR shrinking dies to work the panel. You can see that I've just flipped the FSP back. I'd shrink a bit, check the progress and repeat until it fit. Then take to the wheel to smooth.



And here is the center panel, all done.



The grill opening was just gently slapped down around the fiberglass while the panel was clamped tightly to the car.



Jamey Hunter used only hand tools (hammer, beater bag, and stump) and the ewheel to make his panels because that is all he has in his home shop. There is lots of ways to shape metal. Everyone should start by mastering hand tools which can do ANYTHING that you can do with more expensive power equipment. As skills increase, power equipment can increase productivity....or, without an increase in skills, increase your scrap rate

More later......

[ACademic]

Simply impressive workmanship. Thank you for sharing.

[cdnus]

That is truly impressive work & it looks like you guy's are having fun while creating your wall art also.
What would be really neat is if you Guy's hooked up with those Red Neck rocket guy's. I can't imagine what you could come up with. L.O.L.

Craig

[Imperial Wheel]

The goal of the weekend was two fold:

1- Have some fun during the winter. We normally don't have our metalshaping get togethers (wife calls them tupperware parties) during the winter.

2- Practice various methods and which ones work or dont. Everyone that attended wants to ultimately build an scratch built aluminum Cobra.

Because I'm a fairly accomplished shaper with a lot of tools, I'll use them to spare my old worn out body. The concrete hammerform was really interesting (I'll post those photos in the next few days). I can see some good use for that approach for things like the grill.

After we committed to where we were going to divide the panels, we looked at the Kirkham build book and realized that we'd have been better off doing it as they did. More panels but smaller and simpler all welded together.

[Racer_X]

Quick question for you on metal shaping. I have some aluminum panels that were bent in an accident on this car I bought. I have the basic shape back but am wondering the best way to work the dimples out and smooth the panels overall? a novice panel beater but willing and wanting to learn.

[Imperial Wheel]

Originally Posted by Racer_X

... I have the basic shape back but am wondering the best way to work the dimples out and smooth the panels overall? a novice panel beater but willing and wanting to learn.

It has a lot to do with what alloy it is. Most the new car aluminum is tempered stuff that is nearly impossible to shape. Most all coach built cars are 3003 H14 with some 1100 on older European stuff. Some older race cars have some 5052 in like .040 or even .035 but that is minimal shape. 5052 is pretty hateful stuff to shape (stretch or shrink) 2024, 6061 and the more exotic stuff is just impossible without magic $$$ tools.

If it's 3003, I'd say basic hammer and dolly work, and ewheel, and a shrinking disk.

The best place to get metalshaping questions answered is on AllMetalShaping.com. You have to join. Not trying to promote the site here but metal shaping is what it is about.

[Imperial Wheel]

I forgot to finish posting photos of the hammerform. Johnny Moss came up to the shop a few weeks early and made some plaster of paris female molds of the front end. He then used some fiberglas reinforced (high strength sackcrete to pour male molds. The center lower nose was the most difficult panel to make so Johnny mounted that on his stretch forming fixture.



I don't have a great photo of his fixture. Basically it's a stand that the form bolts to. It also has many holes for attaching the clamps. The clamps are really, really simple. Vice grips fastened to an adjustable turnbuckle. A SIMILAR but much, MUCH more basic approach than Kirkham uses to shape their bodies. The vice grips are positioned, clamped tight, and the turnbuckles tightened to pull the metal over the form.



Once an area is pulled tight, the details are stretched in using a variety of soft faced striking instruments such as plastic hammers and wood and plastic corking tools.



When areas had excess material, they would form 'ruffles' that Johnny would carefully tap down, shrinking the metal. As you can see in the above photo, a tremendous amount of detail was created in the hammerformed panel. 90% of the shape was created by stretching. The other nice thing is that the panel is 100% in the proper arrangement. That is, everything is where it is supposed to be relative to the other features in a three dimensions. This aspect is actually a pretty big deal in metalshaping. A little bit off will lead to a good bit off as the error compounds as the panels are welded together. Having a body to use as a buck certainly helps keep everything in position.



Johnny was really happy with how it came out and I was impressed with how well a relatively inexperienced shaper could produce a complex panel with a minimum of tools.

Since that time, I've used a similar hammerform process using female molds made from short strand fiberglass reinforced body filler and steel rods to make a complex curved air tube for a customer project. The concept definitely has it's place.



A closeup of the TIG welding process. We placed a thin strip of annealed roofing copper under the seam while it was being tacked. This protects the gelcoat from the heat and the weld from contamination.



Once welded, the backside was fused with no filler and the weld was knocked down with an aluminum grinding wheel. Then it was filing time. For this panel, 90% of the file work was done with the bullnose vixen file you can see in the photo. I have lots and lots of vixen files and they all get used for various shaped welds.

That's about all for now. I'm excited that 'ThePanelbeater' (Panel-Craft) has started a gallery showing the building of an aluminum Cobra.



Should be some good stuff in that series.

[Dwight]

Kerry

I live in Florence, Alabama. We have about 30 Cobras, GT 40 and Coupes in the North Alabama area. About half in Huntsville.

Would it be possible of us to visit your shop? Not all at one time, but a few of us.

Dwight Frye algunruner@aol.com

[LMH]

Question though... To make an alloy body using a fiberglass body as a buck, is it going to fit on the chassis? Looks like it would be over sized.
Of course, if you're making a wall hanging if doesn't matter or if building your own chassis. Then the chassis could fit the body.
Larry

[migge]

But it would be only 1/8" or 3/16" at all!!!!

[GT350Mike]

I need to get out more. I only knew of one person in HSV who could work sheet metal and aluminum like you but obviously I'm wrong....you definitely know the art! There will be a car show on March 31st sponsored by The Speakerbox and there will be several Cobra guys out at the so swing by if you get a chance.

Here is the link with the info on the car show.
Speakerbox Supermeet - The Mustang Source - Ford Mustang Forums

[Imperial Wheel]

Originally Posted by Dwight

...Would it be possible of us to visit your shop? Not all at one time, but a few of us....

Sure. Contact me at Pinkertonk@yahoo.com

Yes, the body will be metal thickness larger... 1/8" wider , 1/16 taller overall... which is not enough to consider.

I'll try and get by the show. If I come, I'll bring the nose. I wasn't aware there was another shaper in North Alabama. Dan Shady can do most anything but he's more of a overall restoration guy. Who are you thinking of? I'd like to meet him.

[GT350Mike]

Originally Posted by Imperial Wheel

Sure. Contact me at Pinkertonk@yahoo.com

Yes, the body will be metal thickness larger... 1/8" wider , 1/16 taller overall... which is not enough to consider.

I'll try and get by the show. If I come, I'll bring the nose. I wasn't aware there was another shaper in North Alabama. Dan Shady can do most anything but he's more of a overall restoration guy. Who are you thinking of? I'd like to meet him.

You hit the nail on the head. I was referring to Mr. Shady. Every time I stop by their shop, I never know what they will be working on but there are two things for certain....their work is first class and the shop is always spotless.

[Dwight]

Thanks Kerry

I hope to see you at the Speakerbox show this Saturday.


Dwight