ebinmaine 67,623 #1 Posted April 9, 2021 I see tractors that have no top cover on the hood. Along the lines of the old t-buckets or other types of hot rods where there's only a radiator grill... How is that held on to the tractor? What sort of braces are used? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Achto 27,604 #2 Posted April 9, 2021 Here is one idea for you Eric. 2 3 6 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ebinmaine 67,623 #3 Posted April 9, 2021 Just now, Achto said: Here is one Geeeez ain't that some cute!! 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
seuadr 488 #4 Posted April 9, 2021 that thing is sahweeeeet! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
305 380 #5 Posted April 9, 2021 yes , radiator support rods 4 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ebinmaine 67,623 #6 Posted April 9, 2021 1 minute ago, 305 said: yes , radiator support rods @305 @Achto That may be just what I do....with a catch. What prompted the question is how to address the hood on Colossus. I'll be measuring to plop the powerplant in place soon. The hood on that beast is most likely going to be attached and cut at the front, then also attached and cut at the rear. Because the distance is longer than normal I need to have a support mechanism in place to hold the pieces at the gap. There will be sheet metal of some sort... But it'll be basically free hanging. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ebinmaine 67,623 #8 Posted April 9, 2021 @ranger Whatcha got there? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ranger 1,750 #9 Posted April 9, 2021 (edited) 8 minutes ago, ebinmaine said: @ranger Whatcha got there? Apparently it’s a cut down glass fibre “32” Ford grill shell. A friend gave it to me early eighties for a model “A” pickup truck hot rod I was building at the time. Edited April 9, 2021 by ranger 1 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ebinmaine 67,623 #10 Posted April 9, 2021 3 minutes ago, ranger said: Apparently it’s a cut down glass fibre “32” Ford grill shell. A friend gave it to me early eighties for a model “A” pickup truck hot rod I was building at the time. Seeing stuff like that makes me wish I knew how to do body work. It isn't that I'm not willing to try it... I'm just maybe not the most patient at times. I'd love to take a C Series Hood and cut all the center bars out, widen it and make it taller. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ranger 1,750 #11 Posted April 9, 2021 (edited) 22 minutes ago, ebinmaine said: Seeing stuff like that makes me wish I knew how to do body work. It isn't that I'm not willing to try it... I'm just maybe not the most patient at times. I'd love to take a C Series Hood and cut all the center bars out, widen it and make it taller. Get two hoods, make your cut, lengthwise, offset from centre line, to gain the width you want “Piano” type hinge between the two halves, then you don’t have to worry about getting a good finish on the joint. Plus, you can then open either side for maintenance. Doug. Edited April 9, 2021 by ranger 1 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ebinmaine 67,623 #12 Posted April 9, 2021 3 minutes ago, ranger said: Get two hoods, make your cut, lengthwise, offset from centre line, to gain the width you want “Piano type hinge between the two halves, then you don’t have to worry about getting a good finish on the joint. Plus, you can then open either side for maintenance. Doug. I like that piano hinge idea quite a LOT. So that makes me feel quite a bit better about the entire top surface of the hood but the nose area... 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ranger 1,750 #13 Posted April 9, 2021 (edited) 12 minutes ago, ebinmaine said: I like that piano hinge idea quite a LOT. So that makes me feel quite a bit better about the entire top surface of the hood but the nose area... You can use the same idea for the nose cone by joining the two halves, but adjust the width to allow the hood “halves” to sit flush on “U” channel fitted to the back of the nose. Rubber seal on the channel will stop any rattles. Doug. p.s. But don’t hinge the nose / grill shell, these two halves you’ll have to weld together! Edited April 9, 2021 by ranger 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ebinmaine 67,623 #14 Posted April 9, 2021 3 minutes ago, ranger said: You can use the same idea for the nose cone by joining the two halves, but adjust the width to allow the hood “halves” to sit flush on “U” channel fitted to the back of the nose. Rubber seal on the channel will stop any rattles. Doug. Yep yep yep yep yep yep I gotcha.... Just have to figure out how to make a seam that doesn't look too awful terrible for the positions on the nose cone. Trina and I both have an extremely basic knowledge of body work but neither one of us has ever tried it. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ranger 1,750 #15 Posted April 9, 2021 (edited) 11 minutes ago, ebinmaine said: Yep yep yep yep yep yep I gotcha.... Just have to figure out how to make a seam that doesn't look too awful terrible for the positions on the nose cone. Trina and I both have an extremely basic knowledge of body work but neither one of us has ever tried it. Weld a short piece of flat bar, to compliment the hinge line, along the nose joint line, shape it to follow the shape of the nose, sand it down to nothing at the front for appearance. Rounded top edges. If you leave a small gap between the two halves before welding, you can weld the round bar to the nose from inside, so less distortion, and easier to prep for finishing. Doug. Edited April 9, 2021 by ranger 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ranger 1,750 #16 Posted April 9, 2021 If you cut each half slightly wider than you need, ie, extra to suit the width of the piano hinge leaves, bend the surplus width 90 degrees or so downwards. This will considerably stiffen the hood sides and hide the hinge fasteners. Doug. 1 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ranger 1,750 #17 Posted April 9, 2021 Thinking about it, if you bend up (or down), a strip of sheet into an inverted “U”, this will run from the hood stand to the nose cone, thus supporting the top of the nose. The width of this piece would be the dimension you want to widen the hood. Again form a flange on the cut edges of each half of the hood. Use two piano hinges, one either side of the centre piece. On the nose fit a strip of metal to widen it, fit two “Trim” strips to the nose to conceal the joins. This way you could get away with cutting up only one hood. Doug. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ebinmaine 67,623 #18 Posted April 9, 2021 31 minutes ago, ranger said: This way you could get away with cutting up only one hood I like this idea. Best of all. My (issue?) Is that Trina and I don't do sheet metal work and the front of the hood has some curl to it both around the headlamp and below that where the crops bars are. I/we have no way of duplicating those curls/bends. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ranger 1,750 #19 Posted April 9, 2021 You can form the bends using timber to produce a “hammer form”. Cut a thick piece of timber to the width you want, if you have a bandsaw cut it longways to the shape, (curve), sandwich the steel sheet between the two pieces of timber, plenty of clamps, then hammer over the pieces of metal sticking out of the sides. Gradually working your way along a bit at a time. Don’t try to bend it fully in one go, you’ll find the sides will take the shape of the form, and the metal will shrink and “gather” as you go along. Try forming a small part, say 6” long to see if will work for you. I’m sure YouTube will have lots of videos describing hammer forming. Doug. 1 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ebinmaine 67,623 #20 Posted April 9, 2021 59 minutes ago, ranger said: You can form the bends using timber to produce a “hammer form”. Cut a thick piece of timber to the width you want, if you have a bandsaw cut it longways to the shape, (curve), sandwich the steel sheet between the two pieces of timber, plenty of clamps, then hammer over the pieces of metal sticking out of the sides. Gradually working your way along a bit at a time. Don’t try to bend it fully in one go, you’ll find the sides will take the shape of the form, and the metal will shrink and “gather” as you go along. Try forming a small part, say 6” long to see if will work for you. I’m sure YouTube will have lots of videos describing hammer forming. Doug. @OldWorkHorse Read above. Looks like we got us some experiments to do sometime. 1 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
OldWorkHorse 3,045 #21 Posted April 9, 2021 Next warm day project! 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ranger 1,750 #22 Posted April 13, 2021 On 4/10/2021 at 12:06 AM, ebinmaine said: @OldWorkHorse Read above. Looks like we got us some experiments to do sometime. Have a look at WWW.metalshapingzone.com. The gentleman, David Gardiner produced a dvd on all aspects of forming panels etc, not all using special tooling. I’ve had this dvd for a few years now, I don’t think you’ll find a better one. Lots of info! Well worth it! Doug. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ebinmaine 67,623 #23 Posted April 13, 2021 9 minutes ago, ranger said: Have a look at WWW.metalshapingzone.com. The gentleman, David Gardiner produced a dvd on all aspects of forming panels etc, not all using special tooling. I’ve had this dvd for a few years now, I don’t think you’ll find a better one. Lots of info! Well worth it! Doug. VERY much appreciated Doug!! I'll see about getting a copy. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ranger 1,750 #24 Posted April 13, 2021 1 minute ago, ebinmaine said: VERY much appreciated Doug!! I'll see about getting a copy. He also has a YouTube channel: “mindover3” 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ranger 1,750 #25 Posted April 23, 2021 On 4/13/2021 at 9:02 PM, ebinmaine said: VERY much appreciated Doug!! I'll see about getting a copy. Another YouTube channel worth a look is, “Trev’s Blog”. !!!“WARNING”!!! It can be quite addictive! Doug. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites