The 1947 - Present Chevrolet & GMC Truck Message Board Network - View Single Post - 55.2-59 Under dash Valence, Steel build along

MD2020 · 12-02-2022, 09:05 PM

Starting over with the .030 sheet metal.
I need to be able to clamp the sheet metal at 2 places for each side.
the first one is not fitting the curve (lower part) coming back to the door jam very well because I didn't have a way to clamp it.

So I made some wedges to get the proper clamp angle and supper glued them on.

I had a hard time shaping the top lip on this corner because the way the grain was running and it broke off making the first one so I chisel a flat spot about 1/4" deep and glued on a piece of Osage and fixed that also.

I got the new piece cut and clamped in the buck to bend the lip over 5/8" with a dead blow, air hammer to get it seated good.

Here is the finished top, I had the buck flush with the work bench and all the hammering moved back even with the clamps.

I'm going to planish the hole area at the top, ever the radius.
I have all the clamps on to hold the top against the buck and the other clamps on the wedges I made for the side

I laid out lines to help me stretch the lower part.
Before all the stretching in the picture I planished the whole top side down to where the horizontal line is. The plastic hammer would bounce off everywhere I hit it. Learning even more on this one.

I hit it with the small end of the plastic hammer a bunch, It's all air under there.

Then I hit it more all the way out to the end to stretch it to.

I started to work my way up the ramps on both sides stretching that also.
And I need to cut a good bit off the bottom of the sheet metal.

In the corners it's lifting up off the buck above the line, the plastic hammer is not bouncing up there any more so I will work that area as I'm working the bottom.

12-02-2022, 09:05 PM	#60
MD2020 Registered User Join Date: Sep 2018 Location: Batesville,MISSISSIPPI Posts: 312	Re: Under dash Valence, Steel build along Starting over with the .030 sheet metal. I need to be able to clamp the sheet metal at 2 places for each side. the first one is not fitting the curve (lower part) coming back to the door jam very well because I didn't have a way to clamp it. So I made some wedges to get the proper clamp angle and supper glued them on. I had a hard time shaping the top lip on this corner because the way the grain was running and it broke off making the first one so I chisel a flat spot about 1/4" deep and glued on a piece of Osage and fixed that also. I got the new piece cut and clamped in the buck to bend the lip over 5/8" with a dead blow, air hammer to get it seated good. Here is the finished top, I had the buck flush with the work bench and all the hammering moved back even with the clamps. I'm going to planish the hole area at the top, ever the radius. I have all the clamps on to hold the top against the buck and the other clamps on the wedges I made for the side I laid out lines to help me stretch the lower part. Before all the stretching in the picture I planished the whole top side down to where the horizontal line is. The plastic hammer would bounce off everywhere I hit it. Learning even more on this one. I hit it with the small end of the plastic hammer a bunch, It's all air under there. Then I hit it more all the way out to the end to stretch it to. I started to work my way up the ramps on both sides stretching that also. And I need to cut a good bit off the bottom of the sheet metal. In the corners it's lifting up off the buck above the line, the plastic hammer is not bouncing up there any more so I will work that area as I'm working the bottom. Last edited by MD2020; 12-02-2022 at 11:59 PM.