Sublime Lime 70 Challenger R/T SE

[Dodgey]

Oh well, that sucks

Yeah! Gives me something to practice my fab skills on though I guess

 

[Romero14]

Yeah! Gives me something to practice my fab skills on though I guess

You're doing well with fabrication

 

[Dodgey]

You're doing well with fabrication

Thanks, learning new skills all the time.

 

[Dodgey]

Slow progress, I was away all of December so have only just started back on it. I'm working my way down the drivers side inner shell. I've cut out and replaced one of the rusted inner sections. Now means the outer section I made has a good base to be attached to.
I've been trying to work out how best to finish the rest of the replacement pieces to the inner roof shell. When I took the outer wheel tub off, I released that whoever replace it just tacked it to the over the top of everything else. When I unpicked it, I discovered that the old outer tub flange was still rusting away in the sandwich of metal. So now that it's all out, I'll have to re-assemble the inner and outer tubs, then add the patch pieces to the lower part of the sail panel as it is tacked to the outside of the tub flanges. Hopefully that makes sense ...
In order to do the outer wheel tub though, I had to first repair the rusted out section of the rocker ... Still need to clean the welds up on the rocker repair and cut the drain holes back into the bottom. Reasonably happy with how it came out. The 1.6mm sheet was a lot more challenging to shape than the normal panel thickness.
The last pic is the rear section that I need to replace as well. I'm thinking I'll continue that patch all the way through to link up to the piece I've already replaced. It's totally rusted out and pitted under the vertical roof support. But I need to take out the parcel shelf corner to do that first ...

 

[don selleck]

NICE WORK!

 

[Dodgey]

NICE WORK!

Thanks! It’s all a learning process.

 

[Katfish]

Wow, impressive detail!
Out of curiosity, if you didn't want to reproduce exactly, any reason to not do away with some of the cutouts to make fab easier?

 

[Dodgey]

Wow, impressive detail!
Out of curiosity, if you didn't want to reproduce exactly, any reason to not do away with some of the cutouts to make fab easier?

I am trying to reproduce as closely as possible… I’m a sucker for punishment. The cutouts make me think how I can fab them with the least amount of additional welds. Call it practice. I know no-one will ever see it, but it’s for my satisfaction.

 

[Dodgey]

Welds cleaned up, ready for priming.

 

[Katfish]

Well done!

 

[Dodgey]

Well done!

Thanks!

 

[Dodgey]

I’ve been playing with 3D printing dies to “stamp” the panels that I’m making. First attempt has turned out pretty well.

Just need to clean everything up, a bit of fine tuning and it’ll be ready
to weld in.

 

[Katfish]

Very interesting!
What material are the printed blocks?
Surprised they are hard/rigid enough to stamp sheet metal.

 

[Dodgey]

Very interesting!
What material are the printed blocks?
Surprised they are hard/rigid enough to stamp sheet metal.

It’s ABS plastic. Same as LEGO. You wouldn’t do production runs with them, but for one maybe two presses they are fine.

 

[Dodgey]

Been slow progress of late due to work committments, but I finally got to welding in the replacement sail pillar panel. Won't win any welding competiotions, but it's a lot better than the swiss cheese before.

 

[Katfish]

Looks nice, progress is good

 

[NxCoupe]

I'd like a tour of your shop, showing all the tools you use in your metal fabbing equipment, if you wouldn't mind. Just posting pics of what all you have and use. I think the work you are doing is fantastic. Keep it up!

 

[Challenger RTA]

make me think

THINK! A shop teacher had a banned above his desk in shop class. The projects that were done and the tools we used. It would be considered child abuse now. The teacher was very keen and new if someone was not following procedure from across the shop. You could expect to get a knuckle on the head. If went home and said what happened. Dad would say: You mean like THIS! No one in the class ever got hurt.

Call it practice

Practice make perfect, Perfect wins every time!

I know no-one will ever see it, but it’s for my satisfaction.

I say that too! But I know! Then the more I think about it I start over. But if one is satisfied move on.

I'm sorry to say you don't get a participation trophy. But you do get the satisfaction from learning from you successes and mistakes.

As my father said (Now that he is gone I still here him.) and showed me as I showed my son. How to make something if you don't have it or came find it. You make it! I have a hammer that we knock tin with. It's the first hammer my son goes for. I do check his pockets when he leave.
I do have a profound respect for what you are doing. Thanks for sharing You never know who you inspire!

 

[don selleck]

impressive, I would like a tour of your shop also,

 

[Dodgey]

Sadly my shop just isn’t big enough - I know, everyone has the same problem
I’ve got parts of my challenger taking up floor space in my garage, which means I keep having to move things in and out as I use them. Also means I spend almost as much time looking for a tool as I do actually using it. That’s after I put it in a place so I can come back to it later quickly
Anyway, a few of the tools I’m using at the moment. All from Machinery House.