CONSTRUCTION  STORY  OF
SCRATCHBUILT  STREET  ROD

Building Period: 30 March 1999 - 30 June 1999

PART   6
THE  BODY - 3


Templates for the firewall surrounding panels are traced on tracing paper.


The drawn template is cut out and tested on the body, where it is suposed to fit.


Now the same profile is carried on the metal and cut.


The metal panel is bent to profile by hand and test-fitted. The same procedure is done for both sides.


The panels are point-soldered to the body to secure in place. The main soldering will be done on the back side.


The back side is fully soldered.



The firewall is traced on paper and carried on to metal and cut in the same manners described above.


After a couple of test-fittings and necessary trimmings, the firewall is soldered into place.



Finishing is with Dremel again, but with a metal grinding tip. You have to press against solder in this situation and regular cutting tip will immediately break into pieces. You may use a thick grinding tip, but the metal tip has a flexibility so that it will not dive into metal if pressed excessively. So you can have a smoother finish.


Here the parts are finished smooth.


The two internal panels that will fit behind the door in the cockpit are prepared by paper-tracing and carrying on the metal. The bends are made by pliers.


Solder was applied at the meeting edges but the soldering iron proved to be weak for this area, so the solder was melted along the seam with the aid of a torch. Parts should be held close with some means as shown.


OOOPS !  The flame of the torch was too heavy for the poor metal. You see how the metal shrank? There are two ways to repair the situation: Either fill more solder in the cavity created, or leave it to the time of the polyester putty. I preferred the second choice.


The two internal panels are now soldered into place and ground smooth.



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