Call me crazy - Ranchero's (again)

[SmithKid]

For what it's worth, and I know I'm late, I like the flared look as much as the no-flare look. I was tempted to do the same on my car to get to use wider wheels, but decided against it as the square-bodies seem to have more horizontal "lines" to disrupt when the flares are completed.

[Jeff W]

Have you considered swapping sides and using the left front fender patch on the right rear quarter and vice versa?

This may give a nice symmetry to the radius. I think I have seen pictures of a sprint or outlaw race car that used a pair of round body front fenders in the rear.

[Luva65wagon]

Well that is a strange Falcon sort of thing...

I spent some time after work on what I decided to do last night while I was asleep. I think it turned out OK. Still have some more grinding and welding to do and won't do all of it (the tail) until it is one with the car. Now onto the other side to duplicate this patch.

[SmithKid]

Can't wait to see them on the car!

[Luva65wagon]

If anyone has a car together, near them, with a rear axle installed, can I get you to measure from the center-line of the rear wheel to the edge of the front wheel-well lip? I think I can just lay the front edge of the front lip over where the old edge was and the tire will fit the radii fine, but just want to double check.

[pbrown]

Sorry Roger. No axle for the moment. I could measure back from the center of the spring eye if that would help.

[SmithKid]

I'll be home tomorrow evening.

[Luva65wagon]

I think I have it figured out - cuts have been made - no turning back now. In keeping with the title of this thread... I am totally committed.

Both sides are made and the new shape actually looks pretty good. A lot better than just putting the front shape in the rear. I'll take some more pictures tomorrow and post them. Fortunately on the passenger side the rust is just around the lip - whereas on the driver side I will be replacing a lot more, but all easy patches. Can't wait to stop cutting and welding.

[SmithKid]

90.5" on a square-body Ranchero.

[Luva65wagon]

Thanks Gene - but I think we have measured the wrong thing here -- or I really messed up!

Spent a few hours out there last night and today getting the second side made and tracing the pattern on the car. The process is really pretty easy, but the execution was painful. Holding the panel in place was the hardest part. I have some of those panel jig things, but you have to be able to get to both sides and you really can't in this case. So I used them at the bottom and welded the top radii in and then removed them.

I worked though it and was in the process of welding it all in when my friend called to see if I could rescue her cat who'd locked himself in the bathroom. So I had to quit before finishing. But, as you see, it's almost done on one side. I am kind'a liking it so far. Really changes the look - that's for sure.

[Luva65wagon]

More welding to come... And the piece I welded into the flare will get folded over and welded to seal it all up from underneath - which is why I had to clean up under the wheel wells. Plus, this allowed me to pound out all of dents that show in the bed.

[SmithKid]

I wondered about the measurement I took. Couldn't figure out why that was needed. Now I'm figuring you meant to the leading edge of the rear flare, and I interpreted that you wanted the trailing edge of the front flare. I'm kinda easily confused, I guess! Sorry, but from the pics, it looks like you don't need anymore measurements. It's looking great. Can't wait to see it.

[doghows]

I like the way that is starting to look. To bad your garage is not bigger I would like to see it from a distance to get an idea of the whole side "look" of the car.
If I new you were this good a sheet metal work I would have recruited you to help me a long time ago... But I guess I learned by fire.
Keep it up and you will have it back on the road this summer..

[Luva65wagon]

Without wheels and front fenders, it is what you see. I will take some pictures from a couple other angles now that is is more welded in place. Welding is not 100% done yet - I was running out of shield gas for the welder and didn't want to run out this weekend. Turns out the driver side is going to need a lot of patching in/out/under - so I only got 80% of it cut out yesterday and nothing welded in. It's easier to do all the under-patching with nice big openings - so that will come tonight, most likely.

As for sheet metal work... I'm a hack. I'd need far more tools than I have to really be any good at it. I get by though.

I'm getting there - but it is taking more time than I thought. Probably more my problem than the cars though. I am my own worst enemy.

[Luva65wagon]

So, here I am now, on the drivers side. Out comes the cut-off wheel. Cut, cut cut. Hum, there is a lot of Bondo over here. Hum, where is the metal.

That's how it went. As you can see the whole bottom on this side didn't really exist. So I trimmed up to the good metal and am now slowly patching.

Steve - all I have to say... it is a good thing you brought those fenders over. I am whiddling them down to nothing making patch panels.

Probably won't get much further than this over this weekend because of the swap meet, but we'll see.