1954 Chevy 210 post custom build

Thanks so much guys.  I really appreciate the comments.  I really put a lot of myself in this work, and I always try to do work beyond my current skill set.  I’m glad to share it with people just as passionate about these cars as I am.

Quentin Hall wrote:

I’m certain that your skill set is already very apparent to anyone who looked at the photos you have posted. It’s like a great singer and the saying ” you could sing the telephone book and make it sound good.” I can see already you are a great craftsman. Yes we tend to be traditional here but I speak for myself in saying that a great craftsman’s work will always interest me. . . And when you stop learning because you think you know it all then it is time you learned a lesson.

I really appreciate that.  And, I certainly agree with your opinions on learning.  That is one of the reasons I love this work, I will be learning it for a lifetime.  If there ever comes a time where I think I know it all (which will never happen) that will be the day I stop doing it, and begin learning something new.  The learning is a big part of it for me.

David wrote:

Excellent work! The patience and dedication (skill aside) required to do that level of metal work is always exciting for me to see. Motivates me to keep trying to improve my skills. I”l never get to that level, certainly, but it’s always good to strive forward.

I’m glad that I can motivate someone to improve.  It is paying it forward for all the people that made and still make me feel that way.  However, don’t be so certain you’ll never get to a certain level.  I am a firm believer that anyone can do this work if they want it and apply themselves.  An example I would use is the antenna shaving I showed earlier.  When I first starting trying to build cars, I had never even touched a welder, and something like shaving an antenna hole seemed like a big task.  Then I learned how to weld, and did the level of work of that previous shaving.  And at that time my current skills seemed unreachable.  But, I kept at it and always tried to do work better then I thought I could.

Moral of the story is, keep at it, don’t sell yourself short, and you can get there if you want to.

I’ve been super lazy about my personal projects for a while, but I had to be around the shop today to help wrap up a few details on the Packard to get it ready to leave to Reno for Hot August Nights.  I took the opportunity while I was there to get some more work done on the ’54 hood.

I got the fade away peak patch that I welded in a while back finished.  Then before continuing to one piece the hood, I wrapped up some unfinished stuff on the hood flanges.  I didn’t take any photos of the flange work because its boring.

So, now I just need to finish one piecing the hood, and then it’s finally done.  I borrowed a handheld planishing hammer from a friend at the shop, so I plan to work on the hood on my lunch breaks this week.  That tool sure made things go quicker and easier then trying to stretch my dumb short arms to the center of the hood!

Anyway, here is where I ended up today, after the last patch, I’ll probably give it all a once over and do a little more smoothing, but I’m pretty satisfied with how it’s coming along.

So, I didn’t get as much time on the hood as planned, so I didn’t get as far as I wanted to, and I added a little bit of work to it, but I’m still at it.

I put some time in on it on my lunch breaks, and I’ve gotten the patch fit, and welded.  So i still need to sand welds, and do some hammer and dolly work.

I have some photos of the process, but for some reason, they won’t load.

I’ve decided to also modify the hood structure to one piece, so it will look like the hood was one piece from factory.   Hopefully I’ll make some more progress, and be able to get some photos up this week.  My sister will be in town next week, so I’m going to try to make all the progress I can before then, because I won’t make much during the visit.