Time to start repairing the Dauph. Mainly because there are no jobs in the workshop and I have all the parts to start. I welded the spare wheel door into the front panel on the original car and was never very happy with the outcome see avatar left.. It just seemed heavy to me, so a new approach is to be taken.
This involves fitting the door into the front panel with spacers and bolting it in, so it is fixed, but doesn't look fixed....(just humour me ok)
I welded up the bumper iron holes which then made fitting a towing eye a bit of a problem and the cooler group fitted behind it all was a bit of a muddle. This time I am keeping the bumper iron holes and also cutting cooling slots going the opposite direction from the original. The cooler group is going to be it's own module held in by 2 or 4 bolts only for easy maintenance.
I hate taking a grinder to new panels that you have no hope of replacing, but needs must, so I marked out the various bits and got my better half to cut me some sticky vinyl templates on her CNC card cutting machine (which is also a whizz for gearbox gaskets) slapped them on and set to.
If you use Qmax sheet metal punches this little tip saves some sweat See below. Basically you fit a flat thrust race between the anvil and bolt head. This removes the friction when the punch is tightened and it flies through the metal.
Exploded view
Assembled.. 2 bearing sizes cover most of the range an 8mm ID and a 10mm ID
With the ends punched the slots are cut by hand with snips as it requires minimal finishing you can see the black vinyl masks between the holes
Just needs a lick of the die grinder and a flap wheel to finish off
Then the number plate aperture is cut out more or less by the same method.
Then mark out and punch for the indicators. Next it will require someone with more skill than me to finish it off. It really is Horrible old French tin and I want to keep the welding to the absolute minimum
Next job is to trim the bonnet and cut out the Headlamp apertures. Wish me luck no margin for error...............