Trunk (boot) seal channel around a corner

[kenc]

My latest problem....LOL.

I need to make a section of trunk (boot) seal channel for my 57 chev. It's about a 2" radius I guess? Peter suggested a way to make it in one piece but that seems beyond me - at least without video instruction! So I thought I would make it in two parts - inner and outer with it welded right down the middle of the channel. I cut two 2" strips of 19ga and bent them with about an 80-85deg bend which matches the sidewall slope of the channel. I started with the inner, used the lancaster to shrink and stretch the flange to match the corner radius. Now the fun begins when turning the upper flange with pliers , it needed a lot of shrinking over a stake to make the turn obviously. First problem the sidewall around this radius wanted to stand up- it became more like 90 than 80-85. So I tried shrinking the new top flange which I thought would pull the sidewall over. Of course it more preferred to pull in the two legs of the "panel". The path of least resistance I guess. Well, with much hammering I managed to re-establish the correct sidewall angle. Finally turned over the top flange to make the wired edge looking turn where another panel fits into it.
So it's a bit of a mess at this point, there HAS to be a better way. All this turning of multiple flanges tends to make everything move.
And this is just half of the job, there has to be an easier way?

[MP&C]

I did a similar channel for a Ford Fairlane trunk lid with multiple bends. Might be something in there to help point the way.....

Moving back to the trunk area, the more you look the more you don't want to.
The channel for the weatherstrip seems to have sealed water in as well as out....





It took a few weeks and a few phone calls, but there are still some good junkyard pieces available. We got the corner pieces out of a yard in CO. The rear channel across the trunk opening also has scattered pin holes, so I though I'd give a shot to bending some new ones. First, need a template:








That looks close enough. My press brake dies are only about 18" long, so I'll need to do this in three pieces. The middle one got put in first.








Be sure to check the back side for weld penetration:





The replacement corner was cleaned up, the spot welds were ground off of the adjacent pieces to release the corner with no damage. Looks quite a bit better than the old one.


























Well, on to the next corner. The driver's side was in sad shape:





But in looking at the replacement, although in better condition, it did have issues of it's own.





Time to break out the trusty Lancasters and make some replacement parts.





The replacement corner was left attached to the quarter panel section it came with while remaking the channel in an attempt to maintain the shape.





Note the sharpie "reference lines" in the next picture, to keep the bend in the correct location.




















....And a comparison of the "new" part to the old one. That should do the trick!

[kenc]

Here's where the section needs to go. I'm trying to make a piece that goes up from the cut off by a few inches, then about 6" horizontally. Plus want it to flow into the panels adjacent.

[kenc]

Oh, by the way, thank you Robert!


I had better luck with the outside half of the seal channel. First, lesson learned from the inside - don't expect the sidewall around the bend to stay at the required 80 deg angle when you shrink or stretch with the Lancaster, they will "stand up". So this time I pre stretched the bend (which, just like the inside half had stood up to 90 deg) back to 80 degrees before I turned the flange. I also tack welded a strap across both legs to make sure that turning the flange around the bend didn't open up the angle of the legs.
Worked out OK, now I just need to trim one of the bottom flanges to mate with the other and weld together.

Still, there must be a better way?

"Corner" stretched back to 80, flange started to turn with pliers, strap added


Profile looks OK:



This is how the two halves will sit, trimming and welding needed.

[kenc]

Tacked together. It's not too bad, and I learned some bits and pieces on this job, so I'll do it again and it should be quicker and better.

[Peter Tommasini]

My latest problem....LOL.

I need to make a section of trunk (boot) seal channel for my 57 chev. It's about a 2" radius I guess? Peter suggested a way to make it in one piece but that seems beyond me - at least without video instruction! So I thought I would make it in two parts - inner and outer with it welded right down the middle of the channel. I cut two 2" strips of 19ga and bent them with about an 80-85deg bend which matches the sidewall slope of the channel. I started with the inner, used the lancaster to shrink and stretch the flange to match the corner radius. Now the fun begins when turning the upper flange with pliers , it needed a lot of shrinking over a stake to make the turn obviously. First problem the sidewall around this radius wanted to stand up- it became more like 90 than 80-85. So I tried shrinking the new top flange which I thought would pull the sidewall over. Of course it more preferred to pull in the two legs of the "panel". The path of least resistance I guess. Well, with much hammering I managed to re-establish the correct sidewall angle. Finally turned over the top flange to make the wired edge looking turn where another panel fits into it.
So it's a bit of a mess at this point, there HAS to be a better way. All this turning of multiple flanges tends to make everything move.
And this is just half of the job, there has to be an easier way?

Ken A easier way would be do the same thing..... except on the radius cut the width of the material by half (or less ), you will be able to turn the shape simply by hand then ...or around a pipe clamped to a vice , do the rest of the panel ...when all together simply weld half a moon to the radius and planish . You will eliminate half of the twisting and rest of carry on
Peter T.

[kenc]

Peter,

This is very badly drawn, but you mean like this right?

[Peter Tommasini]

Ken cut even more material right on the radius, have about 6 /7 mm only, you will be able to bend it just by hand, around a pipe , then weld half a moon on to it to complete the width on the radius
Peter T.

[Moving molecules .]

All great stuff.... that’s the good thing about having to do both sides .... the first one is hard the other side is easier and quicker to do.

l sometimes do the worst side first so you can mirror the better side.👍