• The Roadster Factory Recovery Fund - Friends, as you may have heard, The Roadster Factory, a respected British Car Parts business in PA, suffered a total loss in a fire on Christmas Day. Read about it, discuss or ask questions >> HERE. The Triumph Register of America is sponsoring a fund raiser to help TRF get back on their feet. If you can help, vist >> their GoFundMe page.
  • Hey there Guest!
    If you enjoy BCF and find our forum a useful resource, if you appreciate not having ads pop up all over the place and you want to ensure we can stay online - Please consider supporting with an "optional" low-cost annual subscription.
    **Upgrade Now**
    (PS: Subscribers don't see this UGLY banner)
Tips
Tips

TR2/3/3A Moving a radius on sheet metal patch

71TR6

Jedi Hopeful
Country flag
Offline
Hello- I’m restoring a 59 TR3A and am doing some major repair of the rear valence. I purchased a “rear valence repair panel” whose quality leaves a little to be desired. One of the major issues is the taillight boss is quite a bit off and I need to move the edge over about a 1/4” to be symmetrical with the boss on the left rear wing. While I have pretty good sheet metal skills, the compound radii are turning this into quite a challenge and I don’t want to bodge this. I thought about making a wood form, clamping the metal to it and working the radius over with a hammer but thought I’d post for other ideas.

Does anyone have any suggestions on how to do this?

Thanks
 
OP
71TR6

71TR6

Jedi Hopeful
Country flag
Offline
Here is the image of what I'm dealing with...
 

Attachments

  • TR3ARearLampMount.jpg
    TR3ARearLampMount.jpg
    98.5 KB · Views: 122

sp53

Yoda
Country flag
Offline
Heck the rubber pad, bezel, and light do not fit that good; you would not see that unless you knew. I had a lot of difficulty around the other edge where it goes up, out, and around maybe mostly because I was learning body work and mine was pushed is from the bumpers on both sides. But heck hey that is a difficult area.

But I guess if it is that bad why not straighten the folds cut it in and 1/8 to a ¼ and refold it to slid it over some.
 

CJD

Yoda
Country flag
Offline
I'm with Steve. They were about like you have right out of the factory. The rubber gasket hides a lot of that "over-size" you have. You can work hard to make it perfect, but realize that will actually be better than it was when original.

That said, if you want it better, I would simply heat the area and tap to shape with a properly shaped dolly behind to shape the edge. The wood form would also work, but you have to find a way to anchor the form securely as you work around it with the hammer.
 

bobhustead

Senior Member
Gold
Country flag
Offline
You'v already heard from some better body and fender guys than I am, but since you are already working with a patch I would look at removing some material from the left side of the patch to move the whole thing to the left. It would be easier to move the straight bends where the patch meets the fenders than to move that rounded contour,
Bob
 

Got_All_4

Luke Skywalker
Country flag
Offline
I'm with Bob. I had the wrong light on my 1st suggestion. Looks like you can trim off a little on the left and move it over. You could split the difference but I'd take the rubber pad and the tail light mount them both and trace the outline of the rubber pad then trim to how you want it to look. Considering that you are doing the same thing to the other side. If not then you would want to match it.
 

Frank Canale

Jedi Warrior
Silver
Country flag
Offline
Another vote for Bob's suggestion. That is a lot of metal to shrink to move the light edge 1/4". I to would cut the left edge move the patch over and work the softer curve of the patch to match the existing rear valance. once you start trying to move the hard edge of the light you will be chasing metal all over the patch. If you don't shrink the metal as you move the edge it will go where it wants to, not where you need it to go. Not impossible but slow and difficult. much easier to move the patch over.
Frank
 

LionelJrudd

Jedi Trainee
Country flag
Offline
I'm with the "define the new line with hammer and dolly and work the existing line back into the curve" camp. Had to do this with one of the tail lights on my panel. Used a sharp edged round dolly to hammer in the line first. This locks the metal somewhat and then allows you to gently work the old line back into the curve. As John says, if you have an oxy, then heat will allow the metal to move more easily. I did mine cold as I don't have oxy acetylene in the shed.
I think if you try to move the whole thing accross, as you move the middle part out, it will try to move the upper and lower section further up and down respectively.
Always more than one way to skin a cat though!
 
OP
71TR6

71TR6

Jedi Hopeful
Country flag
Offline
Well, I spent some time today and made a hammer form to move the radius. The profile matched the trunk lid perfectly and if I would have shifted it, the profile would have been off. The hammer form was the way to go. I took a piece of scrap walnut and using the taillight housing, made a line 1/8" out from the housing on the walnut. A bandsaw cut and some light sanding to put a 1/16" radius on the edges and I had a form. I screwed the patch to the form and gradually moved the existing radius over. It really wasn't that bad. I had to do a little shrinking, stretching and hammering to take care of a little warping but that was it. :encouragement:

Thanks to everyone for the suggestions.
 

Attachments

  • IMG_6545.jpg
    IMG_6545.jpg
    139 KB · Views: 87
  • IMG_6547.jpg
    IMG_6547.jpg
    142.8 KB · Views: 82
  • IMG_6548.jpg
    IMG_6548.jpg
    147.1 KB · Views: 78
  • Img6088jpg.jpg
    Img6088jpg.jpg
    143.5 KB · Views: 77
Similar threads
Thread starter Title Forum Replies Date
AngliaGT Skip Barber Racing School moving to VIR Racing 2
DugMoney Need Advice - Moving Temp Gauge Sensor 1275 Spridgets 3
V Moving into New Grage TVR 8
Jim_Gruber Bugsy -Moving forward - RF Suspension is out Spridgets 3
KLUTZ FS. My '64 B, OD, Love it but moving on... MG 7
Sopwith_Camel mg guy moving up Jaguar 31
rlich8 Timing Mark Moving Around Triumph 21
D My B is moving under it's own power MG 10
boxfullofyertoys Moving sale! No reasonable offer refused! Spridgets 2
tahoe healey Moving car with out coolant Austin Healey 5
tomshobby Moving on! Spridgets 4
apbos TR2/3/3A Ideas for moving my TR3a????? Triumph 4
J fender cover out of moving pad Austin Healey 6
T OT - I'm totally bummed. FJR moving to a new home Triumph 13
theleisure Moving North, Looking for '66 Hardtop Spridgets 7
T TR6 Moving TR6 gearbox to TR4a - any issues? Triumph 5
Tinkerman TR2/3/3A Moving & Setting Body on the Frame TR3A Lifting P Triumph 10
drooartz Moving high beam switch Spridgets 13
T The "Sock Zone" is moving into my garage.... MG 1
tahoe healey Moss moving? Austin Healey 12
eejay56 Spitfire Help moving a Spit in Salem Triumph 13
mrstinson Moving and need help Spridgets 8
Trevor Jessie Moving wiper motor Spridgets 6
tahoe healey Dixon is moving! Austin Healey 14
toysrrus toysrus [Russ] is moving to the Jaguar Section Triumph 23
beaulieu moving a car cross-country - by furniture movers? Restoration & Tools 16
I TR6 69 TR6 static vs moving timing - what is better? Triumph 6
K TR2/3/3A TR3...Moving the Coil & Petronix Wires Triumph 3
T TR6 TR6 died - moving plate earth lead fired Triumph 15
JFS Moving Tool Chest Restoration & Tools 5
kyreb1862 MGB Moving an MGB MG 26
S Car moving/transport company suggestions? Other Cars 20
drooartz Moving on to the generator Spridgets 32
zimmy car is jerky when moving Spridgets 4
soren_ak question regarding moving a car from England to DK Austin Healey 2
Stewart Moving around an MG MG 6
T GT6 moving the body on a gt6 Triumph 4
kindofblue TR5/TR250 TR250 Latest - Moving Ahead Triumph 16
T Moving Gas Tank Triumph 5
S MGB mgb roadster : sticking the hood to the rear moving bar of the cage MG 12
Jim_Gruber Removing back Radius Arm Bolt Spridgets 12
J Need dimensions for BJ8 PII radius [torque] box carpet flaps. Austin Healey 1
B Radius Arm 67 3000 Austin Healey 12
bighealeysource Increasing door opening radius on 100-4's Austin Healey 0
bugedd Rear radius arms Spridgets 4
boeingpilot GT6 Looking for a GT6 Radius Arm Bracket Triumph 5
D Removing radius arms. Austin Healey 7
BugeyeNJ58 Radius arm came out...how to put new one in? Spridgets 6
histerical radius arm bushings Spridgets 2
D Radius arm bushings Austin Healey 6

Similar threads

Top