Pounding Aluminum

[bomelia]

I was thinking today about a friend of mine who has built an experimental (kit) airplane (RV-9.) Its aluminium. Why is there no way to do this for cobras?

I mean, if a guy can build an aluminium aircraft, surely one can build an aluminium car!

Mike

[tcrist]

Mike,
Sure there is. All you need is an English wheel, one of those hammer machines, an air hand shearing tool, a 4ft pan brake and one of those metal shrinker/stretcher tools. Oh yea, and a lot of patience.

Terry

[Rick Parker]

And a lot of skill!

[tcrist]

Originally Posted by Rick Parker

And a lot of skill!

Oh yea, I forgot the most important part.

Terry

[bomelia]

Yeah yeah, but molds would help. If one can build a plane, why not a car?

Mike

[Tom Kirkham]

Originally Posted by bomelia

If one can build a plane, why not a car? Mike

If my memory serves me, The RV series of aircraft do not require forming compound curves, aluminum welding, wrapping aluminum around the tubes, body working the shaped panels after welding, etc.

Having said that, there is a friend of ours who built a Daytona coupe who taught himself all of these things. His car turned out very nice.

You should try it!

[LMH]

Anyone seen that Discovery Channel show a few years ago about Jessie James of West Coast Choppers? It was before he was mainstream famous. In that show, he took a sheet of aluminum, pounded it out, wheeled it and made a gas tank. It was really impressive to watch. That kind of metal work is something I would love to do!
Larry

[Doug I]

Originally Posted by bomelia

.... surely one can build an aluminum car!

Mike

I think I've heard rumors that this has been done - and some of the more fanciful rumors say that the aluminum can even be polished - but I don't believe that.

[jberg]

About a year a go I made a plug for glass mold using plywood "sections" for star point. During that I sent some pictures to this forum and few people then ask those plywood drawings for bodybuck purpose.

So I made a set of drawings for that purpose. So I know that there is at least few people who have plans to build alu-body. But sofar I haven't hear that anyone of those have realy build a buck or body. I think that there is more of those who like (including me) to build that those who can build, but hopefylly someday sombody come to show one.

I haven't try (yet) to build alu-body and I know that it isn't easy but it is posible if you have enough time to try&learn. There is also some people (e.g. Lazze, use google. I think that he have build some cobra's...) who can teach how to use e-wheel etc tools so those people can help a lot if you realy like to build one (and if you have money/time to go those trainings).

[mickmate]

I've been working here http://www.panel-craft.com My glass 4000 body is looking more and more like a buck............ Don't get too hung up on big dollar tools like wheels and hammers. Most of the work Joe does is from a small table full of hammers, dollies and spoons. Read up some stuff on Kent White's website http://www.tinmantech.com/html/articles.php get a hammer and dolly (or bag or stump) and start pounding. We are making some aluminum doors for a couple of Cobras right now. We'll post some pictures soon. Marcel DeLey made a wheel cos he needed one for a job, very crude and a lot of historical cars later he still uses it on most jobs. The most important tool is a good set of hands!

[bomelia]

Originally Posted by Tom Kirkham

If my memory serves me, The RV series of aircraft do not require forming compound curves, aluminum welding, wrapping aluminum around the tubes, body working the shaped panels after welding, etc.

Having said that, there is a friend of ours who built a Daytona coupe who taught himself all of these things. His car turned out very nice.

You should try it!

That is correct (about the compound curves).

Here is the problem. In building a "kit" car, there is an enormous price step from getting the engine to getting the body. There is no way (currently) to do this incrementally (spread the cost out over time). There should be a way, and thus there is a small scratch build forum... I am just searching for ideas. Has anybody ever "laser scanned" a body, then corrected it for symmetry?

[Jac Mac]

First you have to build a buck, no small challenge in itself, then you have to either learn or pay someone with the necessary skills to make & stitch the panels together, have a look in my gallery, then ask how long I have been doing it, I am apparently a very patient man!! [[At least thats what everyone tells me, I am beginning to think its the lack of patience & $$$ on the part of others that is the problem ]]

[Mark IV]

Originally Posted by bomelia

Has anybody ever "laser scanned" a body, then corrected it for symmetry?

Yeah,

That's what the Kirkhams did.

There is great variance in the side-to-side symmetry of an original AC. I had a customer who made wheel opening templates for his AC MK IV and then called me and complained that the left and right wheel openings were as much as 1/2" off in size. I told him that was what "hand made" meant and why he paid more for it than for a fiberglass kit car...................

[bulletbrown]

Jay Leno,s Cobra was hand made in Wisconsin , look at Leno Garage web site

[mickmate]

Hey Jac you gonna use them bucks for some ally? The Kirkhams used a CMM, Coordinate Measuring Machine I believe. Took the best looking side and numerically mirror imaged it. That was used to make a solid wood car for a buck. Must be getting a little beaten up by now. Most of the top notch guys that do this that I've talked to actually prefer a birdcage to work over than a buck.

[Jac Mac]

Mick, Both!! Want to finish the bucks to take female molds from first so I can make mold for glass body & then use the wooden one for reference while forming alloy for my own cars--that way they wont be a total loss!! Sorta had to do it this way with my limited resources to prove out the shape. Roof has been changed about three times so far on the coupe.

Need more 'spare' time!!

[Tinker51]

Originally Posted by bomelia

I was thinking today about a friend of mine who has built an experimental (kit) airplane (RV-9.) Its aluminium. Why is there no way to do this for cobras?

I mean, if a guy can build an aluminium aircraft, surely one can build an aluminium car!

Mike

Because the RV series is mostly flat sheet cut to shape with minor bends. The few pieces with sharp or compound bends are stamped.

As for doing it yourself, it can be done. A member of the local club scratch built an aluminum Daytona Coupe.
As others have stated, english wheel+planishing hammer+tons of practice=Daytona Coupe.

[bomelia]

Fine. Its all about the bucks. (literally and figuratively)

After all this time, nobody has a 3d cad model? On what do you base the bucks?

To build an RV aircraft, at least there is a set of plans.

Mike

[Jim Werth]

Didn't Jesse James say the english wheel is a good way to get blood to squirt out from under your finger nails? I tried forming sheet metal once, just once. Jim

[mickmate]

There are some 3D models available to build the bucks. The best buck I've seen is a 4000glass body (pulled off Carrolls car) reinforced underneath to hold the shape.