The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Paint and Body Shop How to Attach Sheet Metal to Wood

I am starting the next Step on my Project: 1930 Chevrolet AD Universal - Canopy Express Truck

I need to attach/ secure the Drivers Side rear Sheet Metal to the wood, The Passenger Side is already attached/ Secured, but not sure how they did it. Looks like they either used a body compound (Bondo) or an adhesive, then wrapped the sheet metal around and tacked it into place with small nails. I am trying to figure out what to use to attach the sheet metal Drivers Side to the wood on this part.

I will take some detail pictures of the Passenger side this afternoon to show details.

Any advice info would be greatly appreciated. Not a body guy by any means :/

Not bondo or filler. If you choose to glue use 3M 8081 panel adheasive. Its 2 part and way strong. Think liquid nails for cars...

Tacks were used with the wood framed cars, as CASO said a body panel adhesive in this new century would work just fine-would be hard as heck to remove/move the metal or wood in the future. We are working on a 1927 Essex Boattail speedster and using tacks, this is the correct way! Since there are only a half dozen of these cars left we thoought it should be restored as it was built.

Unfortunately I can not tell how mine was originally done, as I got it all in pieces...

I took some pictures of the Passenger Side bed that has been semi completed, ready to be painted. I need to get the Dirvers side done (Next step in my Resto) I would liketo try and match what they did, or at least look the same. I have loaded up some pictures of what they did. The nails are along the rolled over sides, and on the underside where the metal is rolled under. on the Flat side, facing out it is smoot and clean, no evidence of ANY nails unless they were covered and filled. Looking closely looks like they used some sort of "GOOP" I will call it. Where it ozzed out from compression, this material has a clay like consistency when you crumple it in your hand, it does NOT come off easily, it is hard and brittle. Also have some pictures from the resto shop (provided to the prev owner on DVD)where they had clamped the pieces together but nothing to show WHAT they used ?!?

Ughh...

Huckster: Bed

Perhaps you can give the previous resto shop a call for that info?

I have called the resto shop, and it was 10-15 years ago they did the work. So this truck has been sitting around collecting dust :/ The gentleman remembers the truck but uncertain as to HOW they secured it. Said each car is done differently depending on what the owner requested, like factory restoration, close to factory, just get it together assembly, etc... Many of the projects they do takes YEARS !! They worked on this one for several years to get it to where it is today.

Call Jay Leno's shop. Don't they have a chat site??? Just a thought if your running out of idea's.

Maybe some parts catalog from for your year will yeild some info?

Looked at the photos... in pic 21, not sure what part this is-the blue looks like "primed wood and the white the metal, but it does look like nails/tacks are every 6-8 inches. These pics are of the finished panel as the photos just before look to me to be of the metal panel being clamped on to the wood frame, notice the tack hammer on the table. Tar was sometimes used as an adhesive for the sides of the panel.

In working on the truck today, removed the rear fenders and was able to get more into the side panel that is attached, sure looks like they used some form of body compound, as they filled and smothed over all the rough spots, and there are blops of the compound here and there. there are NO nails or tacks along the top seem, so it was glues/ adhered by some form. My bet is they used a body compound the more i dig into it. There are tacks along the seams on the outside.

I have scanned those phots many times to help me rebuilt this truck.