how body panels are made ?

[86 2dr.ltd]

I know some of you have worked in the auto industry. Im wondering how they actually stamp those body panels. Is it a male and female mold ? The mold or form is made out of steel ? Then it is stamped in a punch press ? That sheers the outside edges also ?

It has always been a couriosity of mine. Im trying to fabricate some decent rear quarter "patch" panels for my 76 88 . I purchased two 4 dr. rear quarters Im going to use on 75 Convertable. I'm trying to use them for a mold for the pieces I'm fabrication. Helps but its hard to get the bends far enough. Im wondering if before I use them on the convertable if I should make two forms male and female out of them like say maybe concrete.

No wonder everybody does Chevelles, Cameros and Mustangs. I'm really tired of running into dead ends trying to get model specific parts. I think the 70's B bodys are beautiful. But then I guess theres no market for aftermarket so no one bothers to make them.

Anyhow any ideas on panel fabrication will be appreaciated, Thanks Steve

[BUICK RACER]

You've got the idea, but you wouldn't want to use concrete. Check out Eastwood they have tools and videos for all kinds of auto type repair/restore

[Matt Harwood]

First, I strongly recommend that you read "Metal Fabricator's Handbook" and "Sheet Metal Fabrication" both by Ron Fournier. These are excellent texts about shaping and forming sheet metal.

Second, for sheet metal patch panel fabrication, you don't need to make molds. You can either cut out good metal from another source, as you mentioned with the fenders from the sedan, or you can use fresh sheet metal and shape it yourself to the desired contour using various hand tools. In almost no instance do you need to make a mold. Why have you decided that you need a mold when you have spare fenders to use?

Typically, if you are forming sheet metal, unless you're doing large-scale production, you don't use a mold (called a die). Most hand-fabrication of large body panels like fenders is done on a wooden shape called a buck. You shape the chunk of wood to the shape you want, then hammer the sheetmetal over it. Now, it's a lot more complicated than that and requires a lot of expertise, but that's basically how cars were made by hand years ago (even as recently as the aluminum Shelby Cobras of the 60s). I worked in a restoration shop where one very talented individual made a new fender for a Duesenberg SJ using a Grayhound Bus sign and a wooden body buck he'd made. Amazing!

So I'd recommend reading up on the procedure. It sounds like your best bet would be to cut out a shape from your bad fender that you can easily replicate (a rectangle, for instance). Make a cardboard template and massage it until it fits, then cut that shape out of the fender that will be donating itself for a patch panel. Don't try to make a die to make a patch panel. There are much, much easier ways that don't require so much time, effort and expertise.

Hope this helps.

[Dave@Moon]

A little bit of trivia. I used to be the RCRA (hazardous waste) inspector for the West Mifflin (PA) Fisher Body plant. It produces strictly replacement panels, because it uses hand loaded presses only. The plant engineer told me the last new production piece it made, which would be the last hand stamped body panel used in a GM production car, were the door panels for 2-door A-bodies. They sold in such low numbers towards the end (late 80's) that an automated machine's speed wasn't needed.

[nearchoclatetown]

if you are still interested in metal forming try www.metalshapers.com. there's some amazing stuff being done there by some very talented people.