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First post/question for the old school metal shapers.... and confession...

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Cuda416

New Member
Joined
Sep 5, 2020
Messages
3
Ok, first the confession. I don't see myself building an airplane any time soon. Would I like to? Hell yes, but I have way too may projects and a touch of ... ooh squirrel! Oh wait...

Now, primarily I'm a car guy and i don't have just any old project, it's a rather rare car. A 1970 Barracuda convertible. Why am I posting on a homebuilt aircraft site? Because who better to ask than people who by necessity have to form metal for lack of commercially available parts.

My car was found in a little tiny garage where it sat for 34 years and rusted half away. My problem is obviously one of rust. Most of the body sheet metal can be purchased, BUT, the windshield frame is NOT reproduced for lack of a market. As an insurance policy, I was able to find a rust free one, but it's 90% complete. My first go will be to reconstruct the existing one.

When I first signed up here, I found a thread were a guy showed how he made progressive HDPE (I think) forms and using a press of some sort, was able to make the top section of what I am assuming was the windshield opening for an aircraft.

If anyone is familiar with that level of construction, I would be very interesting in learning about the process. Since this part is the only structural part of the car above the dash, I want it to be as contiguous as possible and avoid too much welding etc.

Any help would be greatly appreciated. If this is just way too off topic, I apologize, I figure metal is metal and there is definitely some talent here.

Thanks in advance.


Corey
 
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