Gear Change panel RF RHD

[stewrough]

Can somebody let me know how to create the radius on the top gear change panel at the rear that matches the side of the gear change panel? I don't have access to a roller though.

[David York]

Hi Steve,

I have not begun my RF yet so cannot speak from experience on this particular part.

But, I have used the following technique many times when I needed to radius some sheet metal.

Find a suitable piece of tubing with the proper radius you are looking for. Clamp the sheet to the tubing and lightly tap the panel around the tube to achieve the curve you are looking for. The distance the panel should overlap prior to tapping depends on the radius. Again you can use the tubing as a guide i.e if you want the radius to cover 90% mark the tube qtr of the way around from the starting point. The tool you use for tapping should have a fairly large surface area. A Slapping handle can be made out of a piece of hard wood. The taps should start just off the line where the panel clamps to the tube, working your your way down the length of the piece. Work it slowly and do not try to complete the radius with the first hit. Practice on some scraps and you will be surprised how easy it is.

I hope this helps.

David

[Jerry]

Hi Stew,
I used a shrinker/strecher tool to get the curve- bend the flat panel to 90 degrees, then "strech" the bent over edge, this causes the large flat area to gently curve. the shrinker/strecher cost a few hundred pounds but did a very neat job.
Jerry

[Jim c]

Stew
The cheapest way to make these sort of panels.( Curved padels with a flange to rivit the adjoining panel to) .
Is with ply or craft wood 16 - 19mm thick.

Cut the profile out of the ply that you require with a jig saw ,2 peices as you will require the alloy sheet to be sandwiched between.

If you require a radius on the edge you are going to fold use a router & put the required radius only on the bottom peice of ply.
The top sheet is only to control the sheet from bending.

You can easily fold 15mm flanges on the radius you are talking about.
Any more than this & a shrinker & stretcher is required as the sheet will start to gather.

Place the sheet between the ply & g clamp it down realy well.
Using wood or nylon hammers work the sheet down over the ply dye.

If it is the panel I think you mean ( the one under your arm) it would be easyer to make the flange on the side panel & use a strip on the top.
To put the flange on the top panel you would use a stretcher as suggested by one of the other Lads.

On the P4 story on this site there is a pic of a front L/H corner shot of the front suspension the front panel with all the brake ducts atached to it will give you an example of forming over timber dyes.

hope this helps Jim

[Jim c]

found this , one of the panels I made .
Put a radiused edge of about 10mm to give it strength.

Jim

[Robert Logan]

We use a combined "stretcher and shrinker" at the shop in Australia. These are available from Eastwoods which is where I purchased mine (some years ago at the Carslile Show).

Other ways can be used such as a series of small "L" brackets on the curved section and this is how we did our first turn key cars.

Best wishes,

Robert