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Assembling the STALKERV6 Bodywork Page Four
2/7/04 Today's project was the installation of the rear body panels. There are three panels involved, the center one which receives a rolled flange at the top, and two side panels which must be radically bent in addition to the rolled flange. We started with the center panel since it looked like the easiest one. Once it was clamped into place on the frame, we used a plastic mallet to roll the aluminum over the round frame member at the top of the panel.
We left one inch of panel above the hoop for the flange. The only difficulty experienced was at the center of the flange where it was harder to form the roll since the frame hoop had some "bounce" in it. Overall, the flange formed quite nicely.
The side panels are considerably more involved since they must curve around the corner of the frame. The upper curve has a generous radius, but the lower bend is much tighter and the panel firmly resists being forced around the lower frame hoop. After roughly cutting the panel to size, we rigged clamps to hold the panel to the frame while we began to drill and cleco holes.
Forming the bends is a progression of clamping, drilling and clecoing, more bending, some unflattering comments about the ancestry of the panels, and more bending. At some point the panel yields to the torture enough so ample clecoes can be inserted to allow you to mark the final trim lines.
Michael and I ganged up on the side panels to form the rolled flange on the top that follows the frame hoop. I used the plastic mallet to start the roll, and Michael jumped in as necessary with a ball peen hammer and bucking bar to straighten out the puckers that occur as the metal is forced around the curve of the frame hoop. In this photo you can barely see the spacer under the top edge of the side panel that we used as a substitute for the center panel that would fit under the side panel. Turns out this was not the ideal solution.
Once the side panels were formed, we installed all three panels to see how they would fit together. I was not pleased with the overlap of the side panels over the center panel at the rolled flanges. The overlap was much too noticeable. I decided to cut a relief in the side panels in an attempt to get the panel edges to sit flush on the hoop. The relief was marked with all panels installed, the side panels were then removed, and I used a Dremel with a cutoff wheel (how did we ever build cars and planes without a Dremel?) to cut out the notches.
The jury is still out on the notching efforts. In theory it is an excellent idea, but I have not been able to reform the rolled flange so it fits as snugly as I desire. Perhaps if the original roll had not been over the spacer, the metal may not have stretched enough to prevent me from forming the flange properly. Whatever cover we come up with for the trunk space can be designed to cover the rolled flange so I think it will be acceptable when the car is finished. Anyway, I am very happy that this little episode is behind us! Overall the final results are pretty nice, but I keep thinking that there has to be a better way to skin the back of the car!
Update: Brunton now offers a complete fiberglass rear shell for the Stalker that totally eliminates the struggles we endured with the aluminum rear skins.
2/8/04
I butted the floorboards up next to the side panel flanges, measured and marked, and cut to shape. Only minor tweaking was necessary to get the floorboards to fit satisfactorily. Once the holes are drilled, we will remove the floorboards and begin painting the chassis. This completes the fabrication of the body panels on Stalker #29! All material needed was delivered with the kit, the prebent panels were correctly sized, and the frame proved to be dimensionally accurate.
Continue to Bodywork, page five
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