When the book was written there was some interesting material that was left unpublished. New material is also continously being added so we have decided to publish new additions in the form of a blog. Some blogposts will be quite substantial whereas others will be kept shorter.
We do this primarily to address particularly important and interesting moments in the often difficult art of repairing bodywork without leaving any visible traces of the work that was done.
Video: Shaping of an Alfa-Romeo 2000 Berlina chassis detail using a beakshaped stretching tool
A couple of weeks ago an obvious upset customer came into the workshop with a problem. He had tried, without success, to fit a rubber seal to the boot lid of his Volvo 140.
During several decades I have looked for a device that hold the work-piece steady when working on the worktable. Something like the equipment they hang wings and doors on in the painters shop.
The work that remains is the front end. More intricate shaped details with more complex fitment than those in the rear end. During the work the use of a simple but important fixture is demonstrated. And the last Eckold tool is introduced.
As usual an interesting view on the magic Eckold machine. Simply described the tool introduced this time, the dome shaping tool, can be said to have the opposite function than the tool used in blogspot 17.
First a few words about the Eckold tool used during the wing repair, the smoothing tool, Image 5. This tool does not affect the sheet unlike the English wheel, air planishing hammer or the shrinking/stretching tool. It just smooths out dents on damaged areas without making the sheet thinner. The secret is the rubber cushions in the tool which make the hit soft.
At this point in my life when I was about three quarters through the medical schooI I discovered the English wheel and the Eckold machine, and, one thing leading to another - no more time for med school.
This book, with around 1,500 pages of reader-friendly text and about as many illustrations, is a summary of 40 years of working with vintage, collectors' and racing cars.
We have reached the end. Today, we sold our last set of books. We thank you for your interest in our books and we hope you will enjoy them for years to come.