hello everyone i was thinking of making my own patch panels. i think i could make the toeboard, inner cowls and the floor panels. does anyone know if these have any compound bends or 2-bend flanges? i think i could buy an eastwood beed roller and i can make basic 90 deg. bends. i have got around 1200 pounds of 3x6 16 gauge steel. anyone else think this is a good idea. i dont mind spending the money for new stuff, but why if i could make it myself? thanks- robert
Why not Go for it, why not, not as if you are trying to make brake parts or engine parts. You can learn as you go and if you mess up then no probs just sling it in the scap bin! no harm done!
Robert, 16 gauge is fine for firewalls, running boards, and bed parts but a little thick for body parts where some multi bending and stretching will be necessary. You should be able to trade several 16g panels for some 18g ones which is very close to factory thickness and much easier to work with. Floor boards and toe boards are pretty straight forward if you don't care about the factory grooves and ribs and, since they're covered those aren't a big deal. Cab corners and cowl patches do have compound curves so forming these is going to be quite a trial for a first timer. The whole panel doesn't have to be in one piece if you have welding skills. You can form a curved part and then cut a banana shaped piece to weld on the top or bottom for the flange. Finished with an angle head grinder and a Rol-Loc disc makes it look like one piece. For panels with molding lines you can use a router to make a groove in high density fiberboard that is the same profile as the molding (like that under the rear window), lay your metal on it and then clamp a second board that has a "window" over the work area. Using a set of air hammer tools with a dense plastic tips and multiple profiles you can form the metal to the exact shape of the groove. You will find there is not wizardry or even so called art to this job as just plain hard work. Good luck.
GO For It ! Robert ; This is the first time I ever contradicted Evan but , there _is_ art involved in making body panels but if you don't try , you'll never know if you have it in you so I think you should try . I know a number of panel beaters who began as kids with an idea , not a one of them can tune up and engine but boy howdy can they ever make beautiful metal art , Kustom cars etc..... Look around for an " English Wheel " and have some fun with it .
