Gordon Nichols posted:I have a rear heat shield template that bends up at each end and covers the tail light opening. You trace it out on HVAC sheet metal, cut it out, bend where indicated and install it on top of the rear frame crossmember. There is a rubber insulator all along the curve of the inside of the body, too. Interested?
@Gordon Nichols, thank you for the offer. Let me see if I can work out my thought process on what I started. If it doesn’t work out I will contact you!
aircooled posted:Yup, the whole compartment needs to be totally sealed up so that no air can enter except thru the grill. That triangle area should be easy. Maybe epoxy a slice of aluminum in from the back side neatly ?.............Bruce
@aircooled Bruce, I’ll will seal off the compartment as best as I can. I can tack weld a piece like you suggested.
Gordon has templates that are accurate , I still use them on all my speedster projects.
Yeah, I missed out on that - Should-a charged a usage royalty. 
I found a reasonably local place that carries raw metal material. The outfit is Metal Mart located at Rancho Cordova, CA. They have a wide selection of all types of metals, reasonably priced.
I'm going to use a 16 gauge (1/16") steel sheet metal. Just for reference, a 4x4 sheet cost about $60.
Just curious.....Why steel and not aluminum ?...............Bruce
aircooled posted:Just curious.....Why steel and not aluminum ?...............Bruce
@aircooled - I had originally thought the sheet metal used in the engine compartment was aluminum... until I stuck a magnet on it. I'm using steel to keep consistent with the other pieces, mostly for cosmetics.
That's fine, I just thought 16 ga was pretty thick and heavy and perhaps 16 ga aluminum would be a little lighter. Nice part about using steel is you can weld to it easily and finish it any way you want. It will look nice too !
aircooled posted:That's fine, I just thought 16 ga was pretty thick and heavy and perhaps 16 ga aluminum would be a little lighter. Nice part about using steel is you can weld to it easily and finish it any way you want. It will look nice too !
Aluminum is a little less than 40 (37? 38?) % of the weight of steel, so any time you can build it in aluminum it's worth doing.
Does that mean that you don't have to drill as many holes in it?
See what you can fabricate with a washer or drier door or large side panel from a dead machine and.... they're free !
Gordon Nichols posted:Does that mean that you don't have to drill as many holes in it?
You can drill as many holes in it as your heart desires, Gordon
Gordon Nichols posted:Does that mean that you don't have to drill as many holes in it?
@Gordon Nichols I'm kicking around a few ideas for the actual mounting of the plate. I haven't gone to that detail as of yet.
Alan...So on your build list you could say something like "Floorboards by Maytag" or "custom hand formed stainless steel fan shroud by Speed Queen" ?........Bruce
Alan Merklin posted:See what you can fabricate with a washer or drier door or large side panel from a dead machine and.... they're free !
@Alan Merklin - LOL! You know... I looked all around the property for something I could use before I went out and bought one.
