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Fordson van

14K views 48 replies 36 participants last post by  rodbuilder 
#1 · (Edited)
One of my bucket list cars, as I was a teenager in the 70's like many on here we were influenced by car such as,Small Fry, Revenge, Pinball Wizard, Hot N Bothered and Plumb Crazy etc.

A Fordson has never come up at the right price or time but this did. Collected it at the end of October.





Very rotten and full of nettles but mechanically complete.





The only saving grace was it came with a full replacement roof with good gutters.

So when these turned up on Ebay and I won the decision was made.



The tyres were all shot so to make it moveable I had some adaptors made to fit some 15" steel Dodge wheels I have.



After making and fitting sills doing repairs to the A panels and rebuilding the door posts/hinge mounts I formed the wheel tubs to give a datum point.





Then cut the rear arches and built up the mounting flange.



I always felt the Fordson doors too short and the Pop doors too long so I removed 5 inches and mover the b pillar forward.







Time to cut the rear half off and build a framework. I had some flanged u sections bent in 2mm steel.











I made a frame for the rear doors by bending some 40mm box and skinned it with steel to form the door returns.







I had some rollers turned up for my bead roller to create the swage line, I then cut some mdf forms to make the arches



This was the first attempt with my wife turning the handle and me trying to manage the large sheet on my own. Too many wrinkles.
So when the boys came home for Xmas I had another go. I then started to attach panels using Sikaflex to glue them down.





Curved some steel for the rear corners and made the rear valence



Using a selection of usable guttering parts from the back half and the replacement roof I cut and shut a rear door gutter.



Front roof and pillars ware really bad so I cut it off and replaced it with the spare and filled the full length.







So with a little filler, time and steel I now have a Fordson Van





I really need an offside rear wing as like most of the car it is beyond saving if someone could help.
 
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#21 ·
Thanks for the positive comments.

I was focused on making the van look like a factory one with smooth sides, I did not even think about making a seam. It would have been much easier to spot weld from the inside but that would still leave a visible join. I chose to make the join there as I was most concerned about distortion of the swage on welding. I clamped some heavy box either side of the join inside and out which restricted the distortion within a small area that I was able to dress up as required.

I will admit studying your very impressive build Russ and following your lead by building the rear tubs first.:smoke:

Pop shop Ron now you can see why I said I have plenty to do while you have the rear door skins made for me. nearly ready for them.:tup:

Rich
 
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