Re-skin deck lid
 

I am preparing to install a new Brookville deck lid skin on my 30 coupe. The inner panel is in very good condition and I have a question for those of you who may have re-skinned a deck lid.

Did you fold over the skin flange material as the originals were built or did you spot weld the new skin to the inner panel and grind or sand the extra flange material to the inner panels flange profile? The reason I ask is it looks like 'folding over' the extra flange material will be very difficult and I don't want to distort the curvature of the lid in any way. Any advice would be very helpful.

Thanks, Tony

Re: Re-skin deck lid
 

my experience with the skins
They don’t really have the correct contour
They are about 3/16” too wide making the deck lid rub on the gutters

How bad was the original? Consider fixing it??

Re: Re-skin deck lid
 

My Brookville skin fits the inner panel perfectly and fills trunk opening well. The original was badly warped and needed replacing. You mention you have experience with skins, how did you attach the side flanges; 'fold over' or spot weld and grind down to inner panel flange?

Re: Re-skin deck lid
 

Same experience as Blue Oval. Had to metal work (hammer & dolly) both sides and bottom to make it fit. Fold over and cut off the excess created by bending. Very time consuming. But looks great.

Re: Re-skin deck lid
 

Same as MAG on fold over
I made a template with my plasma cutter but realize that is not typical equipment for most
I regularly take originals apart, repair and reassemble

Re: Re-skin deck lid
 

Ironically, if you use the reproduction skin and then use a (English) Wheeling machine on it to introduce a 90" radius into the panel creating a positive crown, it generally will fit the inner panel and the opening well.


Something that is often forgotten is that repair panels (a/k/a: patch panels) were never intended to be an exact fit. A little backstory on this is in the early '60s before Arthur Howell began offering Model-A repair panels to the hobby, the typical restorer just found a damaged panel or fender, and then cut-out the section they needed to repair what they were working on. Arthur was in the HVAC business near Beaumont, TX and had quite a bit of sheetmetal fabrication equipment (-and skill) from making ductwork and related pieces. As a kid, I can remember going to his business with my dad and maybe another club member to have pieces replicated out of sheetmetal using either the body -or a part of the body as a sample to fabricate from. The pieces were often times very crudely made and not to shape, -but that was ok to most of his customers since finding replacement panels was getting tougher to find too. Even during that time period, there were craftsmen around the country that would/could replicate a body panel in exacting detail however the cost of their services was generally way more than the average Model-A restorer would/could afford. Therefore people like Howell and Paul Dominguez (-with Carline) began offering replacement panels that folks knew that would need to be tweaked and worked to fit, however it was something that the average restorer could afford. Somewhere along the way, restorer's expectations of quality & fit on these panels has risen however as a whole, it seems they have been unwilling to pay the costs associated with manufacturing these higher quality panels. While the old saying of 'you get what you pay for' is definitely applicable, be thankful you at least have something to work with. Owners of many other marques don't always have that luxury. Remember that the next time when we are complaining about these panels.


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Re: Re-skin deck lid
 

Gentlemen I think we are getting into the weeds here. I am happy with the fit and finish of my Brookville deck skin and just wanted to know from those who have experience with replacement skins, how did you attach the side flanges; 'fold over' or spot weld and grind down to inner panel flange profile? TIA

Re: Re-skin deck lid
 

Tian't DAT the truth:):)

When we were rebuilding our '67 Ford Galaxie and needed some sheetmetal we found out that was a year that kinda got skipped over by the repop guys, and it was very hard to find what you needed. Luckily at that time we found some good stuff in the Deep South and also a good variety of NOS parts, but that was almost 40 years ago and I'm sure the supply is long gone today.

Early Mustangs have an excellent parts support all across the board, including sheetmetal. That makes it a whole lot easier.

Re: Re-skin deck lid
 

They answered your question, ….fold them over.

Re: Re-skin deck lid
 

And then you wonder why newbies are reluctant to post. But thanks for the history lesson!

Re: Re-skin deck lid
 

Ya know I did post an answer, my answer as to how I do it and another agreed
On this forum when someone asks basic questions often there is more depth that would appear to be shared.....that was why I wandered a bit off target.
I have found a great deal of help herein and hopefully given some help.
But to each his/her own. If this thread gives you pause on participation you are missing a great opportunity for info and sharing.
This ain’t nothing like used to get!!

Re: Re-skin deck lid
 

Yes fold them over like original. The best thing to do is to make the inner skin fits your opening nicely. Good gap all the way around. Then when putting on the skin make sure there's no space between the inner and the outer. Once your happy with the fit fold over the flange. No not tack weld it until you've had the lid back on to make sure there's no twist in the panel. Fit the panel if needed and then remove the deck lid and make the 4 or 6 tack welds like original. My thoughts. JP

Re: Re-skin deck lid
 

Thanks Oldbluoval and MAG for your responses. I was also able to get some additional help over on the HAMB.

Re: Re-skin deck lid
 

Thanks to you too Tinbasher.

Re: Re-skin deck lid
 

Whatever! :rolleyes::rolleyes:

Re: Re-skin deck lid
 

I also am having a problem with fit of a reskin. I will start a new post so I don't hijack this one

Re: Re-skin deck lid
 

Just be careful folding the edge over.
On my first door skin I was moving along nicely then realised I had slightly collapsed the door frame while bending over and setting the edge, I actually lost about a 16th of an inch both sides in the width of the door through the center, ending up having to pull it off and reworking it.
Lesson learnt.