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1940 EL fender and gastank
- 1940 EL fender and gastank
- 1940_el_cm
- 1940 EL fender and gastank typical of most of the old stuff I'm running across. This one once stripped had a lot of hidden damage. Rot holes, leaky gas tanks and failed gas tank sealer. We also bring to the table years of experience. We noticed incorrect year parts including the rear fender wich was a 1948 with entirely different wire loom. The front fender had many holes drilled that needed to be filled, and holes filled, that needed to be re-drilled. Also the fender light was mounted in the wrong place, and the wrong year. We also put new valances front and rear. We make narrow braces front and rear. Welded up one old repair in the tank and made a tool to straighten the fuel cross-over nipple and make a new male flair. It had been cross threaded, and the flair ground off. The dash- cover had also spent most of its life outdoors, and was badly pitted. Parts that were not considered servicible 10 years ago are all we have any more. A lot come to us glued together on their last leg, and we are instructed to a quality repair indistinguishable when judged by experts. We do it well, yes, it it is time consuming.
This is the front fender, the rivit holes had been torn because of numerous accidents, out and fatigue cracked. We weld the holes up, re-drill properly after establishing the correct location. There also were many extra hols up front in the chevron area that need to be plugged and welded. The fender light was previously located and drilled in the wrong area, these also had to be plugged and welded.
Here is the center of the front fender, It had a rot hole that was filled with fiberglass. After drilling the reinforcement out the secures the rear leg of the springer, we make a patch and butt weld the patch in. The patch has to fit exact or the reinforcement will be in the way of the fender fit, and the fender will not align.
The rear fender brace mounts were also torn and cracked. The mud flap holes had been brazed shut, we re-drilled and repaired the holes. To do the correct job, fit for AMCA judging, all the holes need to be in the correct position. Also the rear had been colapsed from several accidents and we straightened it.
The unside of the front fender is ground to insure that the braces will fit, also we finish the inside to look the way it did new. It often means re welding or touching up the inside the make sure there are no see throughs.
This is a shot of the inside welded prior to sand blasting a second time. Also you can see the valances are removed and the sides are straight.
Here is the first fit of the front fender to the straight fork I keep at the shop for fitting purposes. It is off 1 half inch.
We welded and straightened the horn mount, it was also torn and collapsed. The fender side is now even to the front springer leg on each side. The height of the horn mount is also even with the top.
Same distance each side.
Here is the new valance, also the new narrow brace section, there are no holes anywhere to start, tops of fenders etc, so it is important not to drill in the wrong place and compromise a fit or have to start over. You can Never too many pairs of vice grips.
View of the right side valance. We make these out of 19 gauge steel and make sure the hem is exact.
This is how the rear starts. The fasteners are an aircraft style temporary fastener, they allow a simple tool to remove them for sizing. The part must be fit to the bottom of the fender section, and also to the fender tail section.
Here is the left side, also visible is the new fender brace we make. Its absolutly critical to fit the fender tailsection at this time to keep the radius correct. We had to use a N.O.S. hinge to make this work. At this time nothing is rivitted, all fastening is with machine screws in case we need to adjust.
Rear fender is perfect to the center line of the tire. This job can not be done withuot a straight frame, fork, wheel, axels and spacers. Several holes were welded in this rear fender section. It is a replacement. The one supplied for the job was a 1948, which can not be made to fit the 1940 wiring or tail light.
- 40_EL_Part2
- 1940 EL fender and gastank typical of most of the old stuff I'm running across. This one once stripped had a lot of hidden damage. Rot holes, leaky gas tanks and failed gas tank sealer. We also bring to the table years of experience. We noticed incorrect year parts including the rear fender wich was a 1948 with entirely different wire loom. The front fender had many holes drilled that needed to be filled, and holes filled, that needed to be re-drilled. Also the fender light was mounted in the wrong place, and the wrong year. We also put new valances front and rear. We make narrow braces front and rear. Welded up one old repair in the tank and made a tool to straighten the fuel cross-over nipple and make a new male flair. It had been cross threaded, and the flair ground off. The dash- cover had also spent most of its life outdoors, and was badly pitted. Parts that were not considered servicible 10 years ago are all we have any more. A lot come to us glued together on their last leg, and we are instructed to a quality repair indistinguishable when judged by experts. We do it well, yes, it it is time consuming.
Right tank is a mess. Three quarters of an inch of filler in this area. The fuel crossover is cross threaded, and the flair had been ground off. All of this is hidden by bondo, primer and layers of paint.
Lots more filler and primer. All has to be removed carefully to avoid damaging the tank.
This tank had spent a lot of time in the "Not worth fixing pile". A few years ago you could find better parts to work with and parts like this were not even valued enough to take up space indoors.
More large dents in the left tank. I will metal work these without making holes in the tanks. The pitting all over the tank is very deep, but not through.
If you look closely you can see a leaded area in the center of the tank. There was a old brazied repair that was leaking, we cut the old failed repair out, welded a patch in and to be safe after pressure testing the tank, put body lead over it. This work on both of these tanks was made worse by a failed coat of tank sealer. All sealer that will contaminate a weld has to come out. Of course if it's junk you can't get it out after the tank is painted. It is a very time consuming job. Don't buy a tank with soft tank sealer!
This is the nipple after straightening the threads, and making a new flair.
A picture of the right tank after all the filler has been removed. There are actually two large dents next to each other.
Another picture of the dents in the right tank.
Because this area of the tank is so strong, the only way to move the steel is to heat it cherry red, then quickly go the the tool I have in the vise, press firmly down in the correct spot and work the dent out. This take 8 or 10 trys to get it going the right way. Again there can be no sealer in the tank for this work to suceed. This tank was sealed!
The left tank after working on the dent from the inside.
Here are the fenders in their first coat of primer, which was sanded with a block and 180 grit paper.
Inside of the rear fender. All welds and dent fixed. The green primer is a Zinc Phosphate needed to provide adhesion for the Gray primer which is a high build surfacer.
Tail section with new hinge, I provided the correct replacement tailsection so there is a steel pig tail protcting the wires.
Another crack in the right tank.
After the out sides are welded and straightened, the insides are soaked for a day or more in Acetone, this softens the old sealer, after many rinces with actone, and using a Boroscope to make sure the tanks are clean, I soak them with a metal treatment, this removes any rust inside and gives the tanks a rust inhibitive protective coating. I then reblast the out sides for my final filler work.
The dash cover had been chrome at one time. Some one decided to use a grinder on the old chrome, and at some point it spent 8 or 10 years out doors, it was one rough pit. It can only be filled and sanded by hand.
Right tank after the dents have been metal worked, and re blasted. It's a good tank now, but it was time consuming.
Left tank, ready for filler, dent worked out. The filler for the chain guard that fastens to the fender is one we make.
Left tank skimmed with body filler, prior to zinc and surfacer. Old parts have so many dents big and small it's faster to skim an entire surface rather than try to find the small dents one by one.
Dash cover after years of rust pits are filled.
Tanks, tailight housing hung up and ready for Zinc and surfacer.
This is the zinc phosphate that all bare metal MUST get, this step is not visible when the job is returned, if it is skipped (because it does not show) the surfacer and paint will crack and eventually fall off.
First coat of high build surfacer, this will be blocked to make the cotours flow, and fill imperfections. It will be followed by another coat of zinc and sufacer and another blocking with finer grit paper, if all is correct it will then be sealed and painted.
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