Building a Special Body

[Ian Williams]

Today I decided to fit the radiator support/bonnet gutter, and work out where I wanted my Rist horn mounted, to make it work I needed a new bracket for the Horn. So out with the kelloggs CAD program, transfer this onto metal to produce two opposite handed steel plates, a couple of spot welds joined them, a quick blast of self etch primer and trial fit to see if it worked. 


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Suitably pleased with efforts, open beer fridge and relax 

[Ian Williams]

A bit more progress and time to rivet the fire wall bulkhead together, I am using AN470 rivets which are set using a pneumatic rivet gun with a bucking bar held behind. It is a comparatively easy process, but you must ensure you keep everything square and don't over clench the rivets, there is plenty of information online for those keen to give it a go. I would stress that when first attempting this I purchased a cheap air chisel but found it unsatisfactory for the job, I then purchased a proper 3X rivet gun from a retired Aircraft engineer which gave excellent results. I have found that the grade of aluminium the rivets are made from is also important, you need to match your rivet to your body material, most aircraft panels are made from a quite hard Alloy and the commonly used rivets are correspondingly quite hard, car body panels are made from a softer grade aluminium and so need soft rivets for a good result.

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The firewall was then reassembled for checking and adjustments, I also could not resist having a play with the CAD to template a blank for the bonnet panel.

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[Erich]

I quite like seeing the progress, Ian. I wish Boeing Surplus was still in business here in Seattle. Likely there would be rivet guns available. Are those Lodge plugs you use?

Erich

[Duncan Grimmond]

I want one of those riveters too! The one thing that puts me off is the weight. Can't find one less than 1.5 kg and though that is not heavy, in constant use it seems to put on weight!

[Ian Williams]

Duncan, the 3X Rivet gun is pretty much the industry standard and 1.5kg or so seems about average for one, the Boeing mechanics must just eat more Weetabix than you. Lol

Erich, yes Lodge plugs........just because they look a little more period that NGK

[Duncan Grimmond]

It's not the weetabix,it's the arthritis...

[Ian Williams]

Ahh yes years of metal bashing will do that to you, my mate Joss is now in a really bad way for the same reason, in the winter he is unable to do very much work with hammer and dolly.

[Erich]

Ian, what size rivets are those? I've been looking at rivet guns online. The more expensive seem to have a variety of rivets they'll drive. No Weetabix here. I'm about a mile from the Lazy B Ranch in Everett and I see some of mechanics at the local cafe in the morning, pancakes, bacon and coffee.

Erich

[Ian Williams]

Erich, Rivet guns are rated 2X, 3X, AND 4X, the smaller guns have a short stroke and only intended to set rivets up to 1/8" the 4X guns have a longer stroke and are intended to set up to 1/4" rivets, typically I use 1/8" rivets for 18g and 5/32" rivets for 16g.

PS there is nothing to stop you setting the rivets by hand with a traditional snap, it is just a much more laborious process.

[Timothy P]

Brilliant Ian, it's great to see the photos of each process.
Are you planning on painting the body, or leaving it bare metal?