Oldsmobile Fenderpalooza

(ANNOUNCER)>> TODAY ON MUSCLE CAR WE PACK UP OUR METAL MILITIA AND HEAD TO FENDERPALOOZA TO REWORK OUR '69 OLDS CUTLASS RESTO MOD'S FENDERS BOTH INSIDE AND OUT. SEE HOW A SET OF CUSTOM INNER FENDERS CAN TAKE YOUR ENGINE BAY UP TO THE NEXT LEVEL. AND LEARN ABOUT REPAIRING YOUR FACTORY FENDERS' INNER AND OUTER STRUCTURE.

(MANK)>> WELL GUYS, IT'S BEEN A WHILE SINCE YOU LAID EYES ON THIS OLD GIRL, BUT HERE SHE IS. TODAY WE'RE GONNA GET BACK TO WORK ON OUR '69 OLDS RESTO MOD. THIS CAR STARTED AS A TYPICAL '69 CUTLASS. ONCE WE GOT IT TORN DOWN WE BEGAN THE REBUILDING PROCESS WITH A TOP OF THE LINE ART MORRISON GT CHASSIS. THE BODY HAS SEEN PILES OF CUSTOM METAL MODS, INCLUDING A ONE OFF SPOILER, BUMPER MODS, AND A CUSTOM FIREWALL.

(TOMMY)>> FOR A POWER PLANT WE'RE GONNA ROCK THIS LSX 454 WITH AN OVER THE TOP CARBON XR INTAKE. WHEN IT'S ALL SAID AND DONE THE IDEA BEHIND THIS CAR IS A MOD'ED OUT CUSTOM TRIBUTE TO THE

CLASSIC HURST OLDSMOBILES. NOW YOU GUYS MIGHT REMEMBER BACK WHEN WE WAS PUTTING THE FIREWALL IN THIS CAR, WE BROUGHT IN AN UP AND COMING SHEET METAL GUY IN THE INDUSTRY, MISTER BRAD STARKS WITH BRAD STARKS ROD AND CUSTOM OUT OF PADUCAH, KENTUCKY. TODAY WE'RE GONNA CONTINUE THAT CUSTOM METAL THEME BY

FABBING UP SOME INNER FENDERS FOR THIS THING. BUT THE FIRST THING WE HAVE TO DO IS FIGURE OUT WHAT THE HECK WE WANT THEM THINGS TO LOOK LIKE. NOW WE WENT AHEAD AND DROPPED THE RADIATOR IN

PLACE BECAUSE WHENEVER YOU'RE GONNA DESIGN SOMETHING LIKE WE ARE, YOU NEED TO KNOW WHERE ALL THE COMPONENTS ARE GOING TO BE. NOW THIS INNER FENDER'S GONNA HAVE TO SERVE TWO DIFFERENT ROLES, FORM AND FUNCTION, CAUSE WE WANT IT TO LOOK SLEEK AND AT THE SAME TIME PROTECT CERTAIN COMPONENTS. NOW WHAT WE'RE THINKING WE'RE GONNA TAKE A PANEL AND ATTACH IT TO THE BOTTOM OF THE FENDER AND TRIM OFF THIS TO DRESS UP THAT LIP. AND THEN HAVE IT COME OUT AND BREAK OVER.

BY DOING IT THAT WAY IT LEAVES ACCESS TO THE HOOD

HINGE AND IT ALSO, WHEN WE COME FORWARD IT'S GONNA DIVE DOWN. THAT'LL KEEP WATER FROM GETTING UP INTO HERE, SCREWING WITH THE HEADLIGHTS.

(MANK)>> BRAD'S GOING TO MEASURE OUT THE ROUGH DIMENSIONS FOR THE METAL THAT WE'RE GONNA BE USING. THEN THOSE MEASUREMENTS WILL BE TRANSFERRED OVER TO THE SHEET METAL THAT'S DESTINE TO BECOME OUR INNER FENDERS. BRINGING OUR MEASUREMENTS OVER TO THE METAL IS A CRITICAL STEP IN THE PROCESS. FOR A BEGINNER IT MIGHT BE A GOOD IDEA TO BUILD IN SOME EXTRA ON THE EDGES SO THAT YOU HAVE A LITTLE

BIT OF BREATHING ROOM. ANOTHER GOOD IDEA, GET YOURSELF SOME THIN CARDBOARD AND MAKE A TEMPLATE. I USE THEM ALL THE TIME BECAUSE CARDBOARD IS CHEAPER THAN WASTING SHEET METAL.

(BRAD)>> NOW A LOT OF YOU GUYS OUT THERE MIGHT THINK YOU NEED TO HAVE A PLASMA CUTTER TO DO THIS KIND OF

SHEET METAL WORK WHEN ACTUALLY YOU CAN DO A WHOLE LOT CLEANER, MORE ACCURATE WORK USING ONE OF THESE MORE AFFORDABLE ELECTRIC SHEARS. THE PROBLEM WITH USING A PLASMA CUTTER IS DUE TO THE EXCESSIVE HEAT YOU GET WARPAGE IN YOUR PANEL, YOU HAVE SLAG BUILD UP ON THE EDGE THAT YOU HAVE TO SPEND THE TIME TO COME BACK AND GRIND IT OFF, AND YOU DON'T GET AS ACCURATE OF A PANEL FITMENT TO DO A NICER WELD.

(MANK)>> THIS IS WHERE THE ACTUAL SHAPE OF THE PANEL WILL START COMING INTO PLAY. MEASUREMENTS THAT BRAD MADE EARLIER WILL TELL HIM HOW

WIDE TO MAKE THE TOP AND HOW TALL THE SIDES NEED TO BE. HE'S GOING TO BE DOING ONE INCH BENDS. SO WITH HALF AN INCH ON EITHER SIDE OF THE CENTER OF THE BEND SHOWS US WHERE THE ENDS OF IT WILL NEED TO BE.

(BRAD)>> NOW THAT WE'VE GOT OUR MARKS LAID OUT TO PUT IN THE BREAK TO ROLL OUR RADIUS ON OUR PANEL, WE'RE GONNA LAY OUT THE FLANGE AND A NOTCH WHERE THE RADIUS WILL BE, WHICH WILL ALLOW THE FLANGE TO HAVE THE BEND IN IT. THAT WILL ALLOW US TO BOLT THE PANEL TO THE FIREWALL.

(MANK)>> THESE ANGLES WILL BECOME RELIEF CUTS THAT WILL ALLOW THE METAL TO BEND WITHOUT INTERFERING WITH ITSELF AND GETTING WRINKLED UP. NO NEED FOR FANCY STUFF HERE. A SET OF TIN SNIPS WILL DO THE JOB. SOME TIMES THE SNIPS CAN CHEW UP THE EDGES A LITTLE BIT. SO SOME QUICK ATTENTION WITH THE BODY HAMMER AND A DOLLY WILL HELP FLATTEN THAT OUT.

THE SHEET METAL BREAK WILL MAKE THE 90 DEGREE BEND THAT BUTTS UP AGAINST THE FIREWALL AT THE REAR OF THE INNER FENDER. THEN THIS LITTLE HOMEMADE RADIUS BAR WILL HELP TO MAKE THE GRADUAL BEND INSTEAD OF A STRAIGHT 90. YOU CAN DO THE LAST BIT OF THE BEND BY HAND AND THERE

YOU GO, WORKS LIKE A CHARM.

(BRAD)>> OKAY!

(ANNOUNCER)>> STILL AHEAD, WE FINISH THE CUSTOM INNERS, THEN MOVE OVER TO THE OUTER FENDERS AND UNDO SO WELL MEANING ABUSE.

(TOMMY)>> WELL ALRIGHT GUYS, WE'RE WELL ON OUR WAY OF FABBING UP SOME INNER FENDERS FOR OUR OLDSMOBILE PROJECT. WE'VE GOT THE REAR PIECE MADE. ALSO THE FRONT PIECE THAT'S GONNA BOLT TO THE CORE SUPPORT, AND THEN OUR MID PIECE THAT WE'RE GONNA SET INTO PLACE THAT CONNECT ALL THREE OF THEM TOGETHER.

(MANK)>> IF YOU CAN PULL IT OFF, TIG WELDING IS DEFINITELY THE CLEANEST AND NICEST WAY TO WELD UP CUSTOM PANELS LIKE THESE.

(BRAD)>> NOW THAT WE HAVE OUR FENDER WELL MOCKED UP, WE STILL HAVE ONE MORE PIECE TO MAKE FOR A TRANSITION IN THIS CURVE. WE WANT TO TRY TO MAKE IT FOLLOW THE CURVATURE OF THE FRAME. SO WHAT WE'RE GONNA START WITH IS JUST A ROUGH CUT TRIANGLE AND WE'LL USE THIS SLIP ROLL AND PROBABLY A BEAD ROLLER TO PUT A LITTLE BEVEL ON THE EDGES TO TRY TO GET MORE OF A FINISHED PRODUCT LIKE THIS.

(MANK)>> EACH ONE OF THESE BENDS OR MODIFICATIONS TO THE METAL CAN BE DONE USING HAND TOOLS LIKE THE HAMMER AND THE VICE. IT TAKES MORE TIME AND YOU REALLY HAVE TO BE PATIENT SO YOU DON'T SET YOURSELF BACK. BUT THERE'S REALLY NO BETTER WAY TO LEARN SHEET METAL SHAPING THAN DOING IT BY HAND. ALL THE WELDING THAT IS HAPPENING RIGHT NOW IS STRICTLY FOR MOCK UP BECAUSE IT WILL HAVE TO BLOWN APART IN A LITTLE BIT TO PUT SOME BEAD ROLLS ON THE EDGES. WHEN ANY OF US BUY METAL TO WORK ON OUR CAR'S WIDTH, THEY USUALLY COME WITH OIL ON THEM TO PROTECT THEM FROM CORROSION. AND WHAT'S THE FIRST THING WE DO, CAUSE IT WORKS REALLY, REALLY WELL? WE ALL GRAB A CAN OF BRAKE CLEAN TO WIPE THEM DOWN

WITH AND CLEAN THEM. BUT WHEN YOU HAVE CHLORINE RESIDUE ON THE METAL FROM BRAKE CLEANER AND THEN STRIKE AN ARC ON IT, THE ARGON FROM THE WELDER COMBINED WITH THE U/V RAYS CREATES PHOSGENE GAS. PHOSGENE GAS IS BAD NEWS FOLKS. IT WAS USED AS A CHEMICAL AGENT IN WORLD WARS ONE AND TWO WHERE IT GAINED NOTORIETY FOR HAVING THE SMELL OF MUSTY HAY OR FRESHLY CUT GRASS. SO GUYS, IF YOU'RE GONNA BE DOING SOME WELDING AND YOU NEED TO CLEAN THE METAL, USE ACETONE. IT'S NOT WORTH THE RISK. TOO MANY GUYS INCLUDING CAR BUILDERS AND WELDERS HAVE HAD PERMANENT DISABILITIES AND/OR DIED FROM THIS. IT'S NOT WORTH IT. WITH THE INNER FENDER BLOWN APART INTO ITS PIECES, BRAD IS GOING TO BEAD ROLL AN EDGE ONTO THE METAL TO GIVE IT A NICE, FINISHED LOOK, AND TO MAKE IT A WHOLE LOT STRONGER.

NOW FOR ANOTHER COOL TRICK. WE'RE GONNA CONTINUE THE BODY LINES THROUGH THE FIREWALL AND THE FENDER INTO THE FENDER WELLS USING A BEAD ROLLER. THIS IS THE KIND OF THING THAT REALLY BRINGS THIS

STUFF UP TO THE NEXT LEVEL. THAT IS THE MINOR DETAILS.

A STEP DYE IS WHAT WE'LL USE TO MAKE THIS PARTICULAR

EFFECT, BUT THERE ARE A TON OF COMBINATIONS THAT YOU CAN TRY OUT FOR DIFFERENT LOOKS ON THE METAL. IT'S JUST A MATTER OF SWAPPING OUT THE DYES.

NOW THE PIECES CAN GET TIG'ED BACK TOGETHER, THIS TIME FOR GOOD.

(TOMMY)>> WELL THERE WE GOT TWO OF THEM SITTING IN PLACE AND THIS ONE I KNOW NEEDS TO HAVE SOME BEADS ROLLED IN IT, BUT THAT ONE LOOKS PRETTY NICE. SO I HAVE TO SAY THANK YOU FOR COMING AND HELPING US OUT AGAIN MAN.

(BRAD)>> WELL A LITTLE BIT OF FINISH WELDING ON THIS ONE AND IT'S GONNA TIGHTEN UP PRETTY GOOD, AND THEY'RE

GONNA LOOK REALLY GOOD. BUT YOU'VE GOT A LOT OF WORK AHEAD OF YOU MAKING THE REST OF THESE PIECES. BUT YOU KNOW, IF YOU NEED TO, WE CAN PROBABLY COME BACK.

(TOMMY)>> ALRIGHT BROTHER, APPRECIATE IT.

(ANNOUNCER)>> SOMETIMES THE SOLUTION CAN BE WORSE THAN THE PROBLEM. COMING UP WE'LL SHOW YOU HOW TO FIX A LESS THAN STELLAR

REPAIR JOB ON YOUR RIDE'S SHEET METAL.

(MANK)>> HEY GUYS, WELCOME BACK. WE'RE STILL IN SHEET METAL MODE, AND WHILE TOMMY'S

DOING THE FINISHING WELDING ON THE INNER PARTS, WE'RE GONNA GO AHEAD AND GET STARTED

ON THE FRONT FENDERS. IF YOU GUYS TAKE A LOOK AT THE BOTTOM OF THIS FENDER, YOU CAN SEE WHAT MIGHT BE CATEGORIZED AS A REPAIR TO SOME DEGREE, BUT OBVIOUSLY WITH THE CALIBER OF THE CAR WE'RE BUILDING WE NEED SOMETHING A LITTLE BETTER. SO WE'RE GONNA GO AHEAD AND CUT ALL OF THIS OUT, PROBABLY EVEN UP TO THIS RANGE. GET RID OF SOME OF THESE CREASES AND REPAIR THE WHOLE BOTTOM HALF OF THE FENDER. IT'S A LOT EASIER TO DO THIS REPAIR WITH THE FENDER OFF OF THE CAR. SO WE'RE GONNA GO AHEAD AND PULL IT OFF. OKAY, NOW THAT WE'VE GOT OUR FENDER UP ON THE TABLE, HERE'S BASICALLY WHERE WE'RE GONNA START. WE'RE LUCKY ENOUGH THAT THESE CARS ARE GOING TO BE SO POPULAR THAT YEAR ONE OFFERS A PATCH PANEL FOR THE FRONT FENDER. NOW AS YOU CAN SEE IT'S A PRETTY GOOD SIZE, WHICH IS GONNA REALLY BE GOOD FOR AS MUCH OF THE AREA AS WE HAVE TO COVER. NOW WHEN YOU PUT THIS ON, YOU CAN SEE HOW MUCH OF THE FENDER IT WILL ACTUALLY COVER, BUT YOU DON'T HAVE TO USE THE WHOLE PANEL.

WITH SO MUCH OF THE REST OF THE FENDER IN GOOD SHAPE, DON'T BE AFRAID TO TAKE THIS PANEL AND TRIM IT DOWN AND CUT TO USE AS LITTLE AS POSSIBLE, MAINTAIN THE ORIGINAL SHEET METAL AND BODY LINES ON THE CAR. YOU DO NOT TO USE THE FULL PANEL AND THE BIG SIZE. WE ARE GONNA USE A LOT OF THE WHOLE PANEL BECAUSE OF THE SEVERE DAMAGE SO FAR UP INTO OUR FENDER. BUT WHAT I'M GOING TO DO IS I'M GONNA TRIM IT UP HERE AND LEAVE THE REVEAL AT THE LIP OF THE FENDER HERE. BECAUSE IT IS A NICE, SHARP LINE, WE WANT TO LEAVE IT SO

WE DON'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT BLENDING IT HERE LATER. WE'LL CUT IT DOWN THE INSIDE OF IT AND BRING IT OUT TO THE FENDER TO MATCH, THEREFORE ELIMINATING ALL OF THIS OUT HERE.

NOW THAT WE'VE GOT THE PANEL CLAMPED ON THERE'S A COUPLE OF THINGS I WANT TO SHOW YOU GUYS. SO I'LL DRAW A LINE WITH THE MARKER, AND THEN I'LL TAKE A CUT OFF WHEEL AND CUT ALONG THAT. AND WHAT THAT'LL GIVE ME, EVEN IF I HAVE TO CURVE IT JUST A LITTLE BIT AND UNIFORM CUT ON THE NEW PIECE THAT'S GOING TO BUTT UP THE ORIGINAL FENDER. TO MAKE THIS CORNER CUT, I'M GOING TO USE A BODY SAW INSTEAD OF A CUTTING WHEEL.

AND AS FOR THIS EDGE THAT MATES UP TO THE DOOR, I HAD

TO MAKE SURE THAT I KEEP THE CUT REALLY SHALLOW SO THAT I DON'T CUT INTO THE ORIGINAL EDGE AND INNER STRUCTURE, WHICH WILL MAINTAIN OUR ORIGINAL DOOR GAP. THIS IS THE PIECE THAT WE WERE TRYING TO SAVE AND HERE'S WHY. EVEN THOUGH THE OTHER SKINS ARE AVAILABLE IN PATCH PANELS, MUCH OF THE INNER STRUCTURE IS NOT. IF YOU HAVE A PANEL THAT HAS THE INNER STRUCTURE IN GOOD SHAPE IT CAN SAVE YOU A LOT OF WORK IN THE FABRICATION DEPARTMENT LATER ON BECAUSE THOSE DO NEED TO BE THERE TO MAINTAIN THE STRENGTH OF THE PANEL. BEFORE I INSTALL THE NEW SKIN, I'M GOING TO USE SOME EXTEND FROM LOCTITE TO PREVENT ANY FURTHER CORROSION TO OUR INNER STRUCTURE. THEN A QUICK PASS WITH A GRINDER WILL PREPARE OUR WELDING SURFACE ON BOTH PIECES.

EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE YOU GUYS HAVE HEARD ME TALK ABOUT WHAT I LIKE TO CALL LABOR SAVING DEVICES, AND

THIS IS ONE OF THEM. IT'S A LITTLE MAGNETIC CLAMP MADE BY MATCO, WHICH IS GONNA BE GREAT FOR WELDING OUR SHEET METAL. LET ME SHOW YOU. WHAT I'M GOING TO DO IS CLAMP THE MAGNETIC SIDE TO ONE END AND USE THE ADJUSTABLE COPPER PAD ON THE

OTHER TO PULL THE TWO PIECES OF SHEET METAL TOGETHER TO MAKE IT EVEN TO WELD. REMEMBER TO AVOID WELDING TOO MUCH IN ONE AREA OF THE REPAIR AT ONE TIME TO MINIMIZE THE WARPAGE FROM THE HEAT OF THE WELDER. THEN I'LL CHASE DOWN THE WELD WITH A GRINDER AND THAT

WILL COMPLETE THIS STEP.

I HAD TO MAKE AN ADDITIONAL PATCH PIECE FOR THIS SPOT, BUT I JUST USED SOME TIN SNIPS AND A BIT OF SCRAP. WELL GUYS, THERE YOU GO. I THINK IT LOOKS JUST A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT. HOPEFULLY I GOT YOU A COUPLE OF GOOD TECH TIPS YOU CAN

USE, A LITTLE BIT ON SHEET METAL REPAIR. UNFORTUNATELY FOR ME I'VE GOT TO GO DO ONE ON THE OTHER SIDE. SO I'M GONNA GET STARTED.

(ANNOUNCER)>> COMING UP, LEARN HOW TO RECREATE THE STRUCTURAL COMPONENTS OF YOUR BODY PANELS TO KEEP THEM NICE AND RIGID.

(MANK)>> OKAY GUYS, NOW THAT THE FENDER REPAIRS ARE DONE, WE'RE GONNA MOVE INTO THE INNER STRUCTURE AND REPLACE

THIS PANEL THAT WAS MISSING WHEN WE PUT IN OUR PATCH. AND ALL I'M GONNA DO IS GET OUT SOME BASIC SHEET METAL TOOLS THAT WE DON'T GET TO USE MUCH AROUND HERE SO THAT I CAN CUT THIS CHANNEL IN AND MAKE THIS LIP TO GET THE STRENGTH BACK WE NEED IN THE FENDER. BECAUSE THE OTHER FENDER'S GONNA BE BASICALLY THE SAME

TYPE OF REPAIR, WHAT WE'RE GONNA DO IS MAKE ONE LONG PIECE OUT OF THIS HUNK OF METAL AND CUT OFF WHAT

WE NEED TO FIT INTO EACH FENDER. THESE MARKS REPRESENT WHERE I'M GOING TO MAKE THE BEND IN THE METAL TO CREATE THE CHANNEL WE NEED

FOR OUR OUTER LIP. ONE THING I WANT TO MENTION TO YOU GUYS.

IF YOU HAVE A PIECE OF FLAT SHEET METAL AND YOU'RE GOING TO PERFORM MORE THAN ONE OPERATION ON IT, YOU NEED TO THINK ABOUT THE SEQUENCE IN WHICH YOU'RE GOING TO DO THEM BECAUSE ONCE YOU GO THROUGH ONE OPERATION YOU MAY NOT BE ABLE TO BACK UP AND DO THE OTHER. SO JUST MAKE SURE YOU THINK ABOUT IT A LITTLE BIT SO YOU

CAN GET ALL THE WAY THROUGH WHATEVER NUMBER YOU'RE GONNA GET TO AND FINISH THE PIECE. WE'RE GONNA START BY USING THE SLIP ROLLER TO PUT A SLIGHT ARC IN THE METAL, WHICH WILL MATCH THE CURVE OF THE FENDER. IT'S A GOOD IDEA TO LEAVE THE ROLLERS OPEN BECAUSE IT'S EASIER TO PUT A LITTLE BIT OF CURVE IN IT AT A TIME THAN HAVE TO TAKE IT BACK OUT.

THEN THE SHEET METAL BREAK WILL PROVIDE THE LIP THAT RUNS ALONG THE EDGE OF THE FENDER.

OKAY GUYS, WHAT WE'RE GONNA DO NEXT IS WE'RE GONNA TAKE THESE TWO SIMPLE TOOLS THAT WE HAVE HERE THAT WE DON'T USE THAT OFTEN, OUR SHRINKER AND OUR STRETCHER. AND WHAT IT'S GOING TO ALLOW US TO DO IS PUT SOME OF OUR ARC BACK IN THAT I'VE TAKEN OUT ON THE SHEET METAL BREAK. THE WAY THIS WORKS IS IF YOU LOOK AT THE JAWS, YOU CAN SEE THAT BOTH VERTICALLY AND HORIZONTALLY THEY START SEPARATED AND THEY CLOSE, SHRINKING THE METAL AND DRAWING IT TOGETHER. AND WITH THE STRETCHER IT'S THE SAME CONCEPT BUT YOU NOTICE WHEN WE CLOSE THE JAWS IT SPREADS THEM APART STRETCHING THE METAL. IF YOU GUYS ARE WATCHING YOU CAN SEE I'M NOT REALLY PUTTING MUCH PRESSURE ON THE HANDLE, AND IT DOESN'T TAKE A LOT BECAUSE OVER THIS LONG PIECE EACH STEP WILL ACTUALLY GIVE IT QUITE A BIT OF THE ARC BACK. THAT'S BASICALLY ALL I'M AFTER. THEN I'M GOING TO BREAK OUT ANOTHER TOOL THAT WE DON'T GET TO USE MUCH AROUND HERE, OUR DAKE POWER HAMMER. THIS WILL PROVIDE A BEAD, WHICH WILL RUN ALONG BOTH OUTER EDGES OF OUR PIECE.

I'LL PREP OUR WELDING EDGE WITH A GRINDER REAL QUICK LIKE AND THEN PUNCH SOME HOLES IN FOR THE SPOT WELD, WHICH WILL HOLD OUR REPAIR PIECE IN PLACE. A LITTLE MORE GRINDER LOVE AND THAT'S JUST ABOUT ALL THERE IS TO IT. WELL GUYS, THERE YOU GO. IT'S A PRETTY BASIC REPAIR DONE INSIDE. AND EVEN IF YOU DON'T HAVE THE EQUIPMENT LIKE WE HAVE HERE, YOU CAN DO IT WITH BASIC HAND TOOLS AT HOME. SAY THIS BEND HERE WITH JUST A HAMMER AND BENCH VICE. IF YOU'VE GOT ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT ANYTHING YOU SAW ON THE SHOW TODAY.

(TOMMY)>> GO OVER TO POWERBLOCK TV.COM