The Ford Barn

fundytides · 07-14-2019, 08:12 PM

I have a reskined 31 rumble lid that I bought at Hershey last year. Great condition but fit is not good. It rubs on the sides which, from reading some of the comments on the previous post by nb141fd, is not an unusual problem. What are my options for correcting this? I assume I might have to remove the outside skin but it seems to have been subject to quite a bit of welding instead of just a few spot welds. Any other ideas? Also, do you think I will be able to salvage the skin or will removal ruin it? Thanks to everyone who contributes to this great forum

MickeyT · 07-14-2019, 08:18 PM

It might be something else. I bought a new complete lid and at first it didn't fit either but as I continued working the rear end (lots of rust) it began to fit better. Not sure what opened it up but it's fitting now. I had to replace sub-rails, wheel wells, B pillars and floor panels.

MAG · 07-15-2019, 11:57 AM

The fit might have been correct until the welding was done. I would try using a Dremmel and remove the weld. Then check the fit. If it is still too wide check to see that the lid has a slight dome in the center. If not there, putting it back will remove some of the width and make a better fit. The original deck lid was not flat. Tack weld in the four corners using a "doughnut" (wet shop towel) around the weld to reduce warping. Luck.

Purdy Swoft · 07-15-2019, 02:00 PM

I would probably try to find a better lid and sell the one that you now have . I welded and hammered out 19 large bullet holes in my roadsters rumble lid rather than run the risk that a new repro skin would cause other problems . Good luck .

fundytides · 07-15-2019, 04:58 PM

Thanks for the input. I have the original lid but it is completely rotted out (inner and outer panels) several inches up from the bottom. I'll have to start playing with the old one again and make sure it fits before I decide what to do next. This is the final major panel repair/replacement before I continue the restoration.

Tinbasher · 07-15-2019, 07:59 PM

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Without taking the skin off again. What I've done to get a good fit is to used a 1/16" cut off wheel and go down each side of the skin at the corner of the flange. Yes scary!! Do one side and then fit up the panel and see how the gap is. If it's still too narrow then grind away the edge of the panel. Once the fit is good on the one side then tack the panel into place and then do the same thingto the other side. Go easy on the welding or you'll warp the up the panel. I'd used MIG or TIG. Make a weld, cool it with a air gun until you can touch the panel with your hand and then make the next weld. The more time you spend on metal work the less time your spend on finishing. JP

fundytides · 07-15-2019, 08:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tinbasher

Without taking the skin off again. What I've done to get a good fit is to used a 1/16" cut off wheel and go down each side of the skin at the corner of the flange. Yes scary!! Do one side and then fit up the panel and see how the gap is. If it's still too narrow then grind away the edge of the panel. Once the fit is good on the one side then tack the panel into place and then do the same thingto the other side. Go easy on the welding or you'll warp the up the panel. I'd used MIG or TIG. Make a weld, cool it with a air gun until you can touch the panel with your hand and then make the next weld. The more time you spend on metal work the less time your spend on finishing. JP

Are you saying to cut the skin or just grind it down? I don't understand the process. Wouldn't I just end up cutting or grinding the flange off?

Tinbasher · 07-16-2019, 07:25 AM

You have to cut the skin. The flange is attached to the inner structure as you said it was welded into place. So the flange will be attached inside. Then you grind the edge of the skin to get your gap and then reweld the edge. If you take care you can grind the edge when your done and you'll have very little body work to do. JP

fundytides · 07-16-2019, 02:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tinbasher

You have to cut the skin. The flange is attached to the inner structure as you said it was welded into place. So the flange will be attached inside. Then you grind the edge of the skin to get your gap and then reweld the edge. If you take care you can grind the edge when your done and you'll have very little body work to do. JP

So, the skin is welded to the outside of the inner panel flange. Just so I understand correctly, I cut the skin just inside the inner panel, grind the outer panel flange off, fit everything, then weld the edge of the outer panel to the inner panel flange. Do I have it right?

Tinbasher · 07-17-2019, 03:44 PM

No, Your only working the outer skin, not the inner structure. All your doing is separating the edge from the face of the panel. Then fitting and welding the edge back on. I looked for a picture but no luck.

fundytides · 07-17-2019, 04:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tinbasher

No, Your only working the outer skin, not the inner structure. All your doing is separating the edge from the face of the panel. Then fitting and welding the edge back on. I looked for a picture but no luck.

OK. Sounds good. I'll clean off the existing primer and look to see how much welding the guy did to attach the outer skin. If I'm lucky, it will just be some spot welds (I hope). If not, I'll do my best to remove the skin without inflicting too much collateral damage.

fundytides · 07-17-2019, 04:11 PM

PS. The flange of the outer panel does go on the outside of the inner panel doesn't it?

Tinbasher · 07-18-2019, 07:19 AM

Yes.

fundytides · 07-18-2019, 11:27 AM

Hey Tinbasher, I really appreciate all your help. Did a little more investigating today. I reinstalled the original (rusted) lid and it has the same interference problems on both sides in the bottom 12-14" of the sides. Checked both lids and they both seem to have similar crowns the the skin. Starting to think problem is not the lid but, as MickeyT suggested earlier, may be a rear panel issue. Not sure how to solve that. Only way I can see to move rear panels outward would be to unbolt ad rework outer panel below rumble lid. It is original although inner panel is repro. All suggestion welcome!

fundytides · 07-19-2019, 08:55 PM

One other question. I used round head screws along the top of the repro inner panel below lid. The lid hits on these. Should I have used flat head screws?

Railcarmover · 07-19-2019, 10:59 PM

It sounds like you need to reposition your hinge mounts some,elongating the holes on the bracket will help.My rear lower panel has a curve in it,with the correct inner stiffener installed for the spare tire carrier,to me its 'god',Im tuning the decklid to the lower panel.I custom fabricated some hinge mount pins and gave them room for adjustment,you can raise,lower or push the lid forward or back,and tune the gaps by working the hinge mount

07-14-2019, 08:12 PM	#1
fundytides Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2013 Location: New Brunswick, Canada Posts: 480	Fit problem with reskined rumble lid I have a reskined 31 rumble lid that I bought at Hershey last year. Great condition but fit is not good. It rubs on the sides which, from reading some of the comments on the previous post by nb141fd, is not an unusual problem. What are my options for correcting this? I assume I might have to remove the outside skin but it seems to have been subject to quite a bit of welding instead of just a few spot welds. Any other ideas? Also, do you think I will be able to salvage the skin or will removal ruin it? Thanks to everyone who contributes to this great forum

07-14-2019, 08:18 PM	#2
MickeyT Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2017 Location: Texas Posts: 195	Re: Fit problem with reskined rumble lid It might be something else. I bought a new complete lid and at first it didn't fit either but as I continued working the rear end (lots of rust) it began to fit better. Not sure what opened it up but it's fitting now. I had to replace sub-rails, wheel wells, B pillars and floor panels.

07-15-2019, 11:57 AM	#3
MAG Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Austin, Texas Posts: 925	Re: Fit problem with reskined rumble lid The fit might have been correct until the welding was done. I would try using a Dremmel and remove the weld. Then check the fit. If it is still too wide check to see that the lid has a slight dome in the center. If not there, putting it back will remove some of the width and make a better fit. The original deck lid was not flat. Tack weld in the four corners using a "doughnut" (wet shop towel) around the weld to reduce warping. Luck. __________________ I noticed the harder I work the luckier I get!

07-15-2019, 02:00 PM	#4
Purdy Swoft Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Alabama Posts: 8,099	Re: Fit problem with reskined rumble lid I would probably try to find a better lid and sell the one that you now have . I welded and hammered out 19 large bullet holes in my roadsters rumble lid rather than run the risk that a new repro skin would cause other problems . Good luck .

07-15-2019, 04:58 PM	#5
fundytides Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2013 Location: New Brunswick, Canada Posts: 480	Re: Fit problem with reskined rumble lid Thanks for the input. I have the original lid but it is completely rotted out (inner and outer panels) several inches up from the bottom. I'll have to start playing with the old one again and make sure it fits before I decide what to do next. This is the final major panel repair/replacement before I continue the restoration.

07-15-2019, 07:59 PM	#6
Tinbasher Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Innisfil, Ontario Canada Posts: 1,174	Re: Fit problem with reskined rumble lid Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements) Without taking the skin off again. What I've done to get a good fit is to used a 1/16" cut off wheel and go down each side of the skin at the corner of the flange. Yes scary!! Do one side and then fit up the panel and see how the gap is. If it's still too narrow then grind away the edge of the panel. Once the fit is good on the one side then tack the panel into place and then do the same thingto the other side. Go easy on the welding or you'll warp the up the panel. I'd used MIG or TIG. Make a weld, cool it with a air gun until you can touch the panel with your hand and then make the next weld. The more time you spend on metal work the less time your spend on finishing. JP

07-16-2019, 07:25 AM	#8
Tinbasher Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Innisfil, Ontario Canada Posts: 1,174	Re: Fit problem with reskined rumble lid You have to cut the skin. The flange is attached to the inner structure as you said it was welded into place. So the flange will be attached inside. Then you grind the edge of the skin to get your gap and then reweld the edge. If you take care you can grind the edge when your done and you'll have very little body work to do. JP

07-17-2019, 03:44 PM	#10
Tinbasher Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Innisfil, Ontario Canada Posts: 1,174	Re: Fit problem with reskined rumble lid No, Your only working the outer skin, not the inner structure. All your doing is separating the edge from the face of the panel. Then fitting and welding the edge back on. I looked for a picture but no luck.

07-17-2019, 04:11 PM	#12
fundytides Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2013 Location: New Brunswick, Canada Posts: 480	Re: Fit problem with reskined rumble lid PS. The flange of the outer panel does go on the outside of the inner panel doesn't it?

07-18-2019, 07:19 AM	#13
Tinbasher Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Innisfil, Ontario Canada Posts: 1,174	Re: Fit problem with reskined rumble lid Yes.

07-18-2019, 11:27 AM	#14
fundytides Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2013 Location: New Brunswick, Canada Posts: 480	Re: Fit problem with reskined rumble lid Hey Tinbasher, I really appreciate all your help. Did a little more investigating today. I reinstalled the original (rusted) lid and it has the same interference problems on both sides in the bottom 12-14" of the sides. Checked both lids and they both seem to have similar crowns the the skin. Starting to think problem is not the lid but, as MickeyT suggested earlier, may be a rear panel issue. Not sure how to solve that. Only way I can see to move rear panels outward would be to unbolt ad rework outer panel below rumble lid. It is original although inner panel is repro. All suggestion welcome!

07-19-2019, 08:55 PM	#15
fundytides Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2013 Location: New Brunswick, Canada Posts: 480	Re: Fit problem with reskined rumble lid One other question. I used round head screws along the top of the repro inner panel below lid. The lid hits on these. Should I have used flat head screws?