Well, I've got a 66 Oldsmobile Toronado I'm trying to get on the road and restored. The car is mostly rust-free, except for the metal directly underneath the windshield, what the glass actually glues to.

Needless to say, without having metal there, I can't put in a windshield, and can't drive it arround. It's really the only thing keeeping it off the road at this point.

I don't need the entire thong duplicated, just a piece to patch it.

I can install the piece, but I need to find someone who can make me it. If it's something you'd be willing to tackle, please let me know, as well as how much you'd like for the work. Thanks.

[This message has been edited by Twilight Fenrir (edited 03-17-2011).]

First thing I have to say is 'Don't Give UP!' a 66 Toronado is a really interesting and good looking mass of metal...and quite a mass at that.

Then I have to say, reproducing that part is going to be really hard....it is really thin stamped metal, and full of complex curves that are hard to fabricate. Are you in touch with other Toronado owners? This has got to be a problem with a lot of them, and somebody may have some dies.

Too bad you weren't closer. The shop I work at has a laser, brake and roller. I'm sure we could come up with something. Other wise if you could generate a print I could give it a shot.

RIch

quote Originally posted by Gall757: First thing I have to say is 'Don't Give UP!' a 66 Toronado is a really interesting and good looking mass of metal...and quite a mass at that. Then I have to say, reproducing that part is going to be really hard....it is really thin stamped metal, and full of complex curves that are hard to fabricate. Are you in touch with other Toronado owners? This has got to be a problem with a lot of them, and somebody may have some dies.

Yes, im a member of the only Toronado car club, the Toronado Owners Assosciation, I've been posting there, looking for a replacement part, or as a fabricator. I've also inquired at Riviera owners, as they have thw same piece 66-70. Been looking for almost a year now. I'm looking for another toro, to either use as parts, or to work on instead and use my current as parts depending on what I find.

It would just be really irritating to part out a near perfect car for such a small thing!


Also, I don't need to replicate the entire piece, just enough to patch it.

[This message has been edited by Twilight Fenrir (edited 03-18-2011).]

Can you patch it with a small piece? A "Small piece" will probably go all the way across the car, but if it is just that one edge you show, it's much easier. Think of a, what, 1.5 inch wide strip that's curved. Could you weld that to good metal along the top and bottom? Is that all you need?

Do you see where this is going? IF you can make a template out of cardboard that fits exactly like you want the metal to, you can make the metal.

IF you don't need the bends and stamped curves put into it.

quote Originally posted by Zeb: Can you patch it with a small piece? A "Small piece" will probably go all the way across the car, but if it is just that one edge you show, it's much easier. Think of a, what, 1.5 inch wide strip that's curved. Could you weld that to good metal along the top and bottom? Is that all you need? Do you see where this is going? IF you can make a template out of cardboard that fits exactly like you want the metal to, you can make the metal. IF you don't need the bends and stamped curves put into it.

That's more or less what I'm looking for. The problem is though, it's sort of a compound curve I think... It's sloped. I've been thinking about getting a roll of paper and seeing if it is indeed just a curved piece of metal at an angle, but I don't think that's quite the case. There's also the matter of the ledge on-which the windshield rests durring instillation. Though that could be supplanted by a handfull of bolts spaced across it.

I can't tell from the pics if you'll need compound curves or not. If you do, could you make it out of two pieces and weld it together? Do you weld?

Try making a template. It may be really large, and if you flatten it out, you'll find you need a really big sheet to make it out of. But if you can make the template, you can form the metal yourself. Even if you don't want to do the metal cutting and/or can't do the welding, you can mail the template to a helpful forum member who can get it cut out, and maybe welded, and mail it back.

You've got a good shot at making this work!

quote Originally posted by Zeb: I can't tell from the pics if you'll need compound curves or not. If you do, could you make it out of two pieces and weld it together? Do you weld? Try making a template. It may be really large, and if you flatten it out, you'll find you need a really big sheet to make it out of. But if you can make the template, you can form the metal yourself. Even if you don't want to do the metal cutting and/or can't do the welding, you can mail the template to a helpful forum member who can get it cut out, and maybe welded, and mail it back. You've got a good shot at making this work!

I can do the cutting, and I can do the welding, not so much on the forming :P At one point, I had even considered getting just a whole bunch of little tiny pieces so it would be do-able without metal forming... Then I remembered I was lazy, and incredibly impatient with anything that requires meticulous detail. :P

I had a week or so where I had the same thought, and high spirits about it probably being flat, and that I could do it.. But the more I looked at it the more I became certain I couldn't... I thought about making up a template but decided it wouldn't work...

But, I'll give it a try. It's been too damned cold to do anything, now it's practically spring! 40+F outside, the snow is melting, there's an inch of ice on my garage floor... Spring is in the air, and I'm having an easier time convincing myself to get off my butt and do something :P Thanks, I'll get to it sunday at the very latest, and report back...

Well, it's close enough!

I took some masking tape and made a template out of it, then stuck it to a piece of fiberglass panel I had lying around, that is probably a little LESS flexible than steel, and it looks like it fits almost perfectly. Once I had the piece in place, I noticed that the windshield probably didn't rest on a missing lip in the metal, but on some tables in each corner. AND, it looks as though the chrome trim doesn't secure with little pins like on the rest of it, probably held in by the other pieces of trim, and the metal part that covers the wiper bay.

What gauge steel should I use? Would 18 be too thick?

Thanks for convincing me to give it a shot... I had just decided it wouldn't work, and left it at that... Whoops :P

[This message has been edited by Twilight Fenrir (edited 03-18-2011).]

Good for you! 18 gauge seems a little thick, it will measure about .047" (3/64). I'm thinking something closer to 1/32" (.030) would match the surrounding material better. See if you can measure the stuff you'll be welding to. Use the same thickness for your patch panel. I'm told that makes welding easier, too.

SAVE THE TORONADO!

I wonder if I could use galvenized roof flashing..... Rust-proof, and readily available!

What about that adhesive they use now adays instead of welding body panels? Just cut out the worst of the rot, por-15 the heck out of it, and secure the new steel right on top of the old.

In order to weld it, I'd have to take everything off my dash, and protect all the wires and vacuum lines in the entire thing.

[This message has been edited by Twilight Fenrir (edited 03-18-2011).]

And, here's my status so far!

I'm going to be adding 14 strips of 1/8" steel across the gap. They are just thick enough to rest on the firewall, and press it against the remnants of metal. I'll patch-panel adhesive them into place, then after they cure, I'll glue the 22ga. finished metal ontop of all of them, and rivot along the bottom edge.

Hopefully the rivets won't interfere with the glass... they're just pop-rivets... Also, I think putting them on the bottom edge will make them below where the glass will end. As the little tables that the windshield should rest on stick up higher than the leading-edge, by a greater width than the head of a rivet.

Then, I will grind the edges evenly, and POR-15 the heck out of everything. The firewall, and all the metal that won't be a glued surface is already POR-15'ed.

[This message has been edited by Twilight Fenrir (edited 04-25-2011).]

it will work they put like a inch of caulk before the put window in . make u get to good metal and it will be cool