Doers any one make a repair panel for the bottom of a '40 trunk lid

[white64]

I was able to find one for the '38 Plymouth I had done several years ago (see picture)... sooo... I'm thinking that finding one for a '40 Ford coupe should be easy! ...wrong!! Sure... you can find complete $1500 lids, but no repair panels?

The lower edge is a compound curve and difficult to home fabricate...

Is there such a panel?

I've added pics of my trunk lid, the inside is rather mangled with a lot of brazing rod and patches, the outside is missing the fold and the rounded edge on the bottom...

included a progress picture...

[19Fordy]

Sadly, the answer is NO.

[white64]

bummer... I was hoping (like on the Plymouth)..., there was some obscure supplier that may have made them. That appears to be a major weakness on '40s...

I guess I'll see if I can fix it... the inside shouldn't be too bad, but the rounded curved bottom and the folded lip is definitely going to be a challenge.... the deck lid visually makes the rear of a coupe and the rear of a 40 coupe is what makes the car what it is. Another problem is that I'm don't know how much of the bottom edge may be missing...

Can't help it, but as I sand the rear roofline of the car I'm reminded of a woman's waist & hips, dirty old Henry!

[slowforty]

Carpenter make a Repop trunk lid but it is kind of expensive.

[white64]

it costs about $1250 w/o shipping as does Wescott's fiberglass lid...

[rotorwrench]

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Folks on the metal meet site and a few others pound out there own patches. This is where the difference is between folks that can weld and folks that can fabricate. If you can weld good then you can generally learn to fabricate well too. Some folks think you have to have a bunch of expensive tooling. The truth is, it sure helps speed up some processes but after seeing what a guy can do with a piece of metal, a scooped out tree stump, a few good bashing hammers/slappers, and an oxy-acetylene torch (the tip of a wood baseball bat with a handle attached works good to hammer against the stump), it made a believer out of me that anything can be done if you put your mind to it. One fellow has made a pretty good looking copy of an early Ford body this way utilizing mostly rudimentary tooling.

A lot of the store bought stuff needs a fair bit of work just to make it work right anyway.

[Walt Dupont--Me.]

I want to tell you guys this fellow is a friend of mine, lives just a few miles away, he deserves a HAND, if you had seen what he started with, a rusted out coupe and rusted out sedan to build this 40 coupe, it's unbelievable to me, also the frame work is unbelievable with the T5 trans. Great work Pat. Walt

[willowbilly3]

IDK if it would work for a patch but I have what I believe is a 42-48 sedan trunk lid. The curve might be close and you could trim to fit the lower skin. I made the lower skins for my panel rear doors by cutting them from some extra front doors and trimming to fit. Just an idea.....

[white64]

Thanks Walt!! It's great to hear that kind of encouragement from a long time Ford man and friend! ...I suppose you guys know Walt builds a mean flathead! (I have two of 'em)

The Ford Barn guys have been a huge resource of information and support for this project, Thank you again.

[oz40]

Hi Pat,
I understand the dilema that you are facing. I would really suggest you take up Rotorwrench's suggestion and look at getting one of the metal shaping guys from either of their sites.
Most of the guys would be only too happy to help you out.
I would help but unfortunately I am, Down Under and thats a bit far for you.
regards
oz40

[johnboy34]

I'm not sure how far away Robert is, you can find him on the hamb and send a PM or on this site http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/s...d.php?t=182565 and have him make what you need. Don't seem out of his reach, probably other metal shaping guys near you also. John

[fordor41]

used truck lid? Cut off what you need.

[deuce_roadster]

fordor41 probably has the cheapest quickest solution. Having been to a Ron Covell class where he made a 36 rear fender and skirt with hand tools and a TIG welder indeed shows that anything can be made if you have the know-how. Basically only used a good shrinker-stretcher, English wheel, hammer & dolly, Tig welder to accomplish the task.
Check out his videos, I think they are on line.

[Art Maurice]

Hi Pat, you are doing a beautiful job on that 40. The fire wall looks cool. Some time you have to bite the bullet. Art.

[jimTN]

How about the door color? I had a 40 with a color just like that, what would you call it and was it an original color? Mine was call t---- pink..................

[Frank Miller]

Take his class or hire him. He's not far from you.
http://www.proshaper.com/

[JM 35 Sedan]

Originally Posted by white64

Thanks Walt!! It's great to hear that kind of encouragement from a long time Ford man and friend! ...I suppose you guys know Walt builds a mean flathead! (I have two of 'em)

The Ford Barn guys have been a huge resource of information and support for this project, Thank you again.

Heck yeah!! We know that!! Walt (the flathead king) is the greatest!
I am wanting Walt to build one for me, and maybe two, but with this dang weather coming in, it may just be spring time before I can get my engine(s), and other parts, up to him.

[TJ]

Originally Posted by white64

Thanks Walt!! It's great to hear that kind of encouragement from a long time Ford man and friend! ...I suppose you guys know Walt builds a mean flathead! (I have two of 'em)

The Ford Barn guys have been a huge resource of information and support for this project, Thank you again.

Check Craigslist. There's a guy in Albuquerque New Mexico that has a lot of 40 parts for sale.

[white64]

I think I have a plan: been thinking about it! I'll build the inner support getting the bottom profile as close as I can... then build an outer panel flange about 2 inches wide, bent into an L-shape, then with the trunk mounted using the shrinker slowly bend it to match the curve of the body panel under the lid and weld the contoured "L" to the inner panel. Then fill in what I need on the trunk surface with parts of the fordor's roof panel I still have, the arc is very similar... I'll take pics... even if it turns to disaster!

Once upon a time: The sedan's original color was the medium green, the coupe was the dark maroon

[white64]

Originally Posted by fordor41

used truck lid? Cut off what you need.

whoops! did I typo somewhere along the line...? Sorry