Started the interior sheet metal.
 

With copywrite approval from Shannon, I formed the torque tube tunnel. I will build and install new floorboards and firewall in a couple of weeks.

Re: Started the interior sheet metal.
 

A couple more and I bought a new rad.

Re: Started the interior sheet metal.
 

Chevette, Boy, it is about time. Tunnel looks great. I also love the dimpled holes on the cross brace. I need to make some dimple dies at work. They look great too. It has been so long not seeing your truck, you have to post more pictures. Great job.

Shannon

Re: Started the interior sheet metal.
 

Very nice.
Kim

Re: Started the interior sheet metal.
 

Thanks Shannon. I bought the dimple dies on eBay. They are from a company in Texas. If I remember correctly, it was Kim that put me onto them. They are well made and the price was decent.

Thanks Kim. BTW, my chassis will be ready for brake lines in about a month. Let me know if you have time......Hahaha!

Re: Started the interior sheet metal.
 

I bought the same ones. Barbed wire off road. Their product is usually on top on a camouflaged background. Very nice to work with and a very good product.

Re: Started the interior sheet metal.
 

Very nice! Looks very precise and well fit. Hope to use a similar style of channel to reinforce our hood.
Fab1

Re: Started the interior sheet metal.
 

Just bring to my garage and it's no problem.
Kim

Re: Started the interior sheet metal.
 

Nice fab work! Real nice! What thickness of material are you using if you don't mind me asking?

Re: Started the interior sheet metal.
 

Thank You FarmerSid. It's 18G.

Re: Started the interior sheet metal.
 

Thanks Chevette. I have tons of old shelving unit shelves that I plan on using for my 52 rebuild. They measure 0.043" which is between 18 and 19 gauge. There are factory 90 degree bends on them that I cut off the perimeter so all I am left with is a flat sheet about 32"X20". I bought a shrinker stretcher and tried to shrink a piece of the 90 deg cut offs. It's almost like the metal I'm using is too thick for the shrinker. I'm afraid I'm going to break it with the amount of force I am applying. The metal is barely shrinking and I only inserted the metal about half way into the jaws.

Re: Started the interior sheet metal.
 

Must be a harder steel. I have a shrinker/stretcher and it shrinks 18G with no problems. I set up the jaws as per Lazze. See video:

Re: Started the interior sheet metal.
 

This is some 16 gauge that I did with the cheap Harbor Freight shrinker/stretcher. One inside curve and one outside then welded together.
Kim

Re: Started the interior sheet metal.
 

Kim: You can achieve the same thing with a single piece if you shrink one side then stretch the other. Shrink a few times on one side the stretch a few times on the other....back and forth....back and forth. I have done it with 18G. and it worked great. I don't know how well it would work on 16G though.

Re: Started the interior sheet metal.
 

Sometimes if it does not seem like it is moving I only insert into the stretcher or shrinker half of the way. I do it a few times and then go back in to the full depth. Also if it seems like it is not moving I clean the dies.

Shannon
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Re: Started the interior sheet metal.
 

I'm new at this part of fabbing things up. That was the first time I used the tool. I'll have to experiment with it when I get back to the body work.
Kim

Re: Started the interior sheet metal.
 

Thanks Chevette! I have watched that video as well many others by Lazze. I have done to my shrinker/stretcher as he recommends. It is now apparent that I need to come up with a foot operated stand. The shrinker/stretcher I have is from Woodward Fab.

Re: Started the interior sheet metal.
 

Chevette looking good! Making mine look like more like a turd every day.:lol: I am getting restarted next week. My dad has had the shop tied up with his 1940s Peterbilt pickup project.

Re: Started the interior sheet metal.
 

Good to see you're getting back at it. I look forward to the next plasma cutting tutorial. Tell you're father to get his truck out of there.:lol: BTW, there are no turds.

Re: Started the interior sheet metal.
 

that my friend, is some fancy tin bashing. Nice job!!

Re: Started the interior sheet metal.
 

Nice job on the sheetmetal work on the floor! You nailed the shape and the fit perfectly. The use of the slip roll and the dimple dies looks awesome. It would almost be a shame to cover it all with carpet!

Re: Started the interior sheet metal.
 

Thanks for the kind words, Chevyrestoguy.

I got a little more done today (but not much).

Re: Started the interior sheet metal.
 

Great looking fab work. I love me some dimple dies!

Re: Started the interior sheet metal.
 

How did u do the dimples in the curved piece? Dimples first then rolled it?

Re: Started the interior sheet metal.
 

I drilled the holes, then rolled it, then dimpled the holes. I used a narrow anvil to sit the lower die on in the press, that way the there was plenty of clearance so the piece didn't bind against anything that would cause it to straighten out. Hope that makes sense. :lol: