Tiger Tamer

Not perfect yet but getting much closer. Filled the bottom of the guard. Sanded the whole panel and found the low spots and filled and sanded them back. I also made the flare shape flow into the panel which removed the line I had before. Then shot another coat of epoxy primer at it. I will need to do it again but I think it will be quite close now then I will use the 1k primer on it.

After welding in the inner guard to the outer the panel above the flare got a bit out of shape and popped in and out so I heated the panel in different spots as I have seen done on u tube but never done myself before. I did get it to not pop in and out but it was still a bit out of shape. I did try and improve it with a hammer and dolly but it made little difference, so I used some filler once I had primed it. I had to use filler to smooth out the flare anyway, so it doesn't really matter. So after spending a few hours filling and sanding and filling again I have it reasonably close to the correct shape. I gave it a coat of epoxy primer to get the whole panel the same colour which helps to see the shape I have. I can now see where I needs to correct the shape and will also be able to add a skim to the bottom of the guard. Then go through the block fill sand process to get it perfect, I hope.

I made up another small piece for the bottom of the arch flare and tack welded it in place then spent a fair bit of time getting the curvature in the rear corner of the patch panel which has turned out ok. It's welded in now apart for some welds along the bottom to attach it to the inner panel. The panel will need some filler but bending a steel ruler around the panel shows I won't need to use too much. I ended up ordering a planishing hammer. I seem to be able to bash so shape into a panel but it's not that easy to get it nice and smooth so from what I have seen a planishing hammer smooths the defects out.

I spent about 6 hrs trying to make up the replacement panels for this repair today. I managed to get the inner panel welded in and a few other internal patches done. The outer panel is a lot more difficult as it curves in three directions though not greatly. I have it getting near there, but it would be nice to have an English wheel I think. I only think it would be nice as I have never used one before. I will need to do the other side and the whole rear valance panel which is quite curvy and then there is the Cob to do as well.

I did a small correction to the shape of the arch to the top new piece I welded in as it wasn't quite right. The bottom of the guard has been replaced before and looks as though they used some quite thin panel steel over the top of the old rusty original steel. So that's rusted out now and so has the inner panel so it will need replacing as well. The whole rear of the car needs work at some stage. It seems as it may have been parked in a shed to small with it's arse hanging out for some time. Anyway, for now I have to finish the flare and finish the inner guard and need something solid to weld to. I needed more panel steel so I went into steel and tube and bought a sheet of 1mm cold rolled steel, so I shouldn't run out for a while.

Once happy with the overall shape I welded it in making a few adjustments to the amount it flared out along the way. I also made up a cardboard pattern to correct the door shape so I could see the complete shape of the flare. I am much happier with the shape of the arch now and I will try and smooth of the rear half of the flare with a hammer and dolly but it will need some filler anyway so no need to be too fussy. Once painted all the same I think it will look quite good.

So I totally fooked up the wooden buck as I needed the opposite shape, so I made up a new one the right way around. I had to make up the arch in two pieces as I didn't have a piece of panel steel big enough to do it in one. After shaping the panel to the shape of the buck I needed to put some curvature into it in two directions which I did by using an old pair of welding gloves as a cushion and hammering down on the inside of the panel which seems to have worked out ok. Then tack welded it in trimming new to old and old to new.

So back to flaring the rear guards. I flared it to (close'ish ) to the original shape of the arch. They are nowhere near symmetrical and once flared it looks crap really. So I marked the shape of the rear half of the arch and then copied it over using plycad and some cardboard cad so it was close to symmetrical. Then I bent a strip of aluminum roughly to the shape of the ply and held it in place with tape to see how it would look. I think it will look much better if I can shape some panel streel up to that shape and weld it on. My plan is. I copied the shape over to a piece a timber and I will shape the panel steel on this and hopefully it will be close. Has to work as I don't have a plan B yet. We will see tomorrow. I think the rear will sit a bit lower when everything settles after use so will work at this space for now.

I am going to change to that plan once I use this bottle. Probably only use two a year from now on. My latest statement

I have been using BOC for years sometimes without doing any welding for a long time. I have been using the MIG a lot working on the Minx lately, so I have been using a fair amount of gas. I have been paying their service fee and the price of the refill. I used a full D size bottle welding up the new chassis for the trailer. Boc price for a refill Argoshield universal size D was $183.04 plus gst. If Bunnings do it for $125.00 I think I am being shafted.

Sides and tail gate made up and the first load on is mainly from the bathroom project. The next will be the old trailer chassis to the scrappy. Man it's going to be nice to just roll around the shed floor working on a car again.

A backfire from a carb can and probably will ignite a foam air filter. When I bought the Tiger it had a burn patch on the bonnet just above the carb and Edelbrock triangular air filter on top of the carb. Obviously, they didn't learn from the first one. If it was my car I would be making up an air box to fit over the carbs intakes and have a remote filter. Nice car. Capri's are cool.

Smoothies are cool old school wheels. I was very tempted to buy some for the Minx.

You can get the smoothies in chrome then you could black out the center and leave the rim chrome and chrome hubcaps and the jobs done.

Or even the black rims you have with mag wheel centers and nuts and a wheel trim like this. I always like a bit more bling to break up the lack.