72 replies to this topic

[Bart]

Hi guys and girls
Its been a while and I have been a little busy!
I decided some time ago, a few years ago I wanted to get into the panel fabrication line of work, at least as a hobby. At the moment it is a hobby I enjoy doing very much so here it goes!
 
This is the rear panel I am copying off an LX Hatchback at the moment, its made from zincanneal and is just over 1mm thick. A little harder grade than the original Torana steel grade which is an improvement I think but not a major improvement really.
This panel I'm making still needs tweaking and checking but its almost there. Number plate recess hasent been stamped in yet. Looks kind of cleaner without the number plate recess.

Edited by Bart, 17 January 2016 - 08:31 PM.

[Ice]

Wow thats impressive Bart

[N/A-PWR]

Excellent work Bart,

 

 not many people able to do this kind of work.

 

 

Can imagine you doing well with other panels.   

[BIG KEV]

Looks like you might have to quit your day job and start making replacement panels ...top job

[Bart]

Thanks guys. Appreciate your feedback/comments!
I'm happy to say this is only the beginning, I have been slowly working towards this, heaps of up hill battle last year, and like most things I realised I need more tooling (which I make myself), can never have enough tooling, tooling, tooling, tooling, especially when working alone and going after a "quality finish". The rear beaver panel in the pics isn't finished so it will be smoother once finished, tweaked and checked for fit/contour. (Remembering there are variations from one Torana to another) so it will be checked against my test mule Hatch! There have been preliminary checks but checking at the end ensures its correct.
Next is the roof, but ill be spending quite a bit of time on tooling before I start the roof, I noticed some guys are getting rid of the "1980's" sun roofs so this is my next target.
Then who knows, Ill start on quarters but I'm trying to make tooling to do a production run of these things not just one offs!
So I may end up with enough panels to make my own LX Hatch lol, it is my dream after all. The black Hatch from Street Machine years ago which had massive rear tires and flared motivates me. Wish I had that magazine.

Edited by Bart, 17 January 2016 - 10:20 PM.

[308 Sunbird]

Go Bart Go!

Put me down for 1 x roof and 2x quarters- your work looks awesome and sounds like

you are a perfectionist- which is great news for us. 

[cameron]

WOW you have wicked skills. Nice work

 

 

Cameron

[Bart]

Ill update this page with other panels as I go, I really should make up more tooling, panel gauges and buy off the shelf tools also in the coming weeks. So watch this space as they say

I wasn't sure where else to post this page, so if anyone has any suggestion where I should post this please let me know. I just thought "fabrication" is ok to post as the other guys have.

 

Thanks again guys.

[dattoman]

Heres fine Bart

 

Keep the pics and info coming

[TerrA LX]

Awesome work bart, I wish I was still in a shop.

[Bart]

Thanks guys. Thats the idea to make them to exact spec.
There are a couple of things i would do a little different but generally im happy with how it came out even though its not finished yet, just waiting on a couple of tools and materials to arrive and make a couple more tools and i should be right for a while

[Bart]

What shop did u have TerrA LX?

[Torananut]

Great work Bart. From the photos that you put up it looks like the quality of your work is top notch. I've been trying to make a rear panel myself and the two areas that I have had trouble with area the centre number plate area, and to get the gentle curve in the panel while keeping the other lines straight. It sounds like you have more machinery than I have as I have to do almost everything by hand but pressing them would save so much time. Keep up the good work.

 

Cheers, Grant

[Bart]

Thanks Grant.
Yes doing things by hand is great but sometimes theres limitations but then again I've seen guys doing by hand awesome work too

[Bart]

Maybe if we lived closer we could have teamed up! Who knows maybe we can still work something out in the future to progress more complex sheet metal fab?

[wot179]

What gear are you using, Bart?

 

A jenny?

 

Or have you got your hands on a Pullmax?

Edited by wot179, 19 January 2016 - 12:55 PM.

[TerrA LX]

What shop did u have TerrA LX?

Mostly just worked for someone but I did run a shop in ingleburn.

[Bart]

Cool

[Bart]

Just in order to get the beaver spot on I invested in getting the rear 3D scanned. This will be used as a guide to make sure the new beaver panels are correct to factory spec. Or close as possible.

Edited by Bart, 05 March 2016 - 02:58 PM.

[Bart]

Test fit bumper. Thanks to Tom for loaning me the bumper

[TerrA LX]

Awesome.

[Bart]

So Ive been doing more "testing" of tooling.
Basically made up some prototype tooling to test how it would work on a prototype beaver panel, seems to work ok. Now time to do some proper machining of the form to get the part to a higher quality, "press form quality"
Back of panel

Edited by Bart, 03 April 2016 - 06:23 PM.

[Heath]

Fantastic work Bart!

 

What a skill, and it'll only get better too.

[Bart]

Thanks mate. Its full on at the moment as the next panel is for a customer and this is the prototype and had to prove the number plate form worked. So far so good.