Custom Back Panel

lanciahf

True Classic
Hi All,

Does anyone know where you can source such a panel? Everything I see on ebay is only 14 gauge thick. I as thinking a thickness of 1/8 would be more appropriate. My back panel is toast and I have a set of Opel GT lights just waiting, thanks Pete.
Thanks

scorp_back_panel.jpg
 
I like the one pictured.
I'm doing the same for at least one if not both of the X1/9's I'm currently building (also opened up the divider between the engine bay and rear truck). I have a sheet of perforated (not expanded) sheetmetal I will be using. I don't recall the gauge (14 may be about right), but it is steel and it is rigid enough to hold the shape without needing to be any thicker. Perhaps if you are considering aluminum then you may need thicker. It also might depend on how you mount it; for example fold the edges over to make it more rigid, or add support around the perimeter.
 
Thanks Jeff,

The longest I find on the web is 48" and scorpion back panel is wider than that. I need to find around 56" the edges I was going to clean up with some sort of thing rubber edging.
 
A classier way would be to get one water jet, or laser cut that way you could build in margins that you don't have to hide cut edges. You could also design the perforations to you liking. I was thinking like miniature Lancia Reuleaux triangle would be cool.
 
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The longest I find on the web is 48"
Good point. I bought mine at a local metal supply store so it was larger. I suppose there are shipping limitations when ordering something like this online. I know I've purchased what was supposed to be a flat sheet of S/S screen online, but to ship it they rolled it up really tight and I can't get it to flatten out again. Maybe see if there are any metal supply houses near you.

Once you find a piece big enough, you can "roll" the edges all the way around using a "buck". Basically make a wood pattern the shape you need, router the edges round, then lay the metal sheet over it and use a mallet to hammer it over the rounded wood edge. It makes a turned lip all around the metal screen panel. Looks something like this:

c96e2c83210493f55e85f942e6353ce4.jpg
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This will give a finished appearance to the metal screen edges and add rigidity to the whole panel. The turned lip can also be used to mount the panel to the car.
 
Thanks for the tip. I thinking of seaming the two pieces and hiding the seam behind the license plate. First I will check a metal place near me.
 
Hi All,

Does anyone know where you can source such a panel? Everything I see on ebay is only 14 gauge thick. I as thinking a thickness of 1/8 would be more appropriate. My back panel is toast and I have a set of Opel GT lights just waiting, thanks Pete.
Thanks

View attachment 29205

McMaster Carr carries perforated metal, in stainless, aluminum, etc. Looks like the aluminum selection goes up to at least 1/8". Search for "perforated metal". Also check with Onlinemetals.com or Speedymetals.com.

Did I already send you those lights? My memory is for crap these days...
 
I thinking of seaming the two pieces and hiding the seam behind the license plate.
Looking at the pic in your first post I think that could work. It appears the standard USA license plate frame might not quite come all the way to the top and bottom of the screen, so a bit of the seam would show. But if you position the plate just right it can easily hide one side, and the other might not be noticable. Also you might find or make a custom plate frame that extends a little on the top and/or bottom to fully cover it - a bit like the old school Italy plate in the pic I showed in my last post (but to a much lesser extent). Ignore the writing on this example, but a frame similar to this might be tall enough to cover the seam:
images.jpg


If you end up buying a larger piece of 'perf' panel online be sure to ask how it is shipped first to avoid the issue I described earlier.
 
14ga is really quite thick and should be fine from the perspective of rigidity given the use.

A DXF file could be easily generated using SketchUp or other free CAD programs to cut ABS, Aluminum or Steel. This will be somewhat costly as it is a lot of machine time to make all those little openings. If you go that route ask them operator to start and stop their cutting program on the straight not near the tangent of the radius. Thicker materials take longer (duh) but also tend to cause start up burn through that creates a round slightly oversized hole that will extend just outside the shape of the form you want.

The sheet goods that make these are generally done using a gang punch so it does a part of the pattern and is then step and repeated across the sheet.

One might be able to get a single tool made for a shop that uses a Salvagnini or similar punching machine to punch the holes. (The Salvo can do a lot more than punch holes, we have a few of them in our factory in use since the late 80s)
 
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Don't know how I missed this thread, but I'm also planning an alternate rear grill very much like that of the 037. I like the one in the site linked to above, but I can't justify the price plus shipping.

I bought a set of the Fiat 850 Sedan/Lancia 037 Works Rally tail lights & plan to cut what I need out of a sheet of 48" from https://www.customcargrills.com/Perforated-Grill-Mesh.asp

I'll have about 1 1/2" above and below the 037 tail lights with which to extend the panel to the needed length and create backing plates cut from the same sheet to match the pattern to be epoxied into place before painting in Satin black. Should be able to get the grill done for about a hundred dollars.
 
Keep us posted, not sure which way I'll proceed. Below is a response from ccg when I inquired about a longer panel.
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Ralph, I could make that but it would be very costly. There’s a couple ways to approach this.


I could use a single punch turret machine to punch each hole out. I’d estimate this would be around $300-400 and about a 3-4 week wait.


Alternatively, we could laser cut out some slots. The bigger they are, the less machine time, and the cheaper it would be. Unless the slots are REALLY big though, I would estimate it to be somewhere around $600-1,200 for that option.


As a last resort, we do have for $60 the 16”x48” sheets. If it’s possible to get away a seam, then that will be your quickest and cheapest option by far.


Matt

Show quoted text
 
What is the actual total width needed for a grill to cover the rear opening with one piece?


I'll have about 1 1/2" above and below the 037 tail lights with which to extend the panel to the needed length
Along this idea, would it possible to make the two ends a little different where the lights mount? To make the width of the actual grill narrower so a 48" piece will work. Perhaps something similar to the earlier pic:

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Below is a response from ccg when I inquired about a longer panel.
Ya, having something custom made would be quite expensive. Premade perforated sheets commonly come in 4'X8' sheets (in lots of designs), but shipping would be an issue unless you can find a supplier within driving distance. A full 4X8 sheet from a steel supply house will be well under $100. The one I bought was steel not aluminum, and cost $40. Aluminum will be higher but shouldn't be more than about twice that.
 
Hi Jeff,
Back panel dimensions are
L= 56 9/16
H= 7 3/8
License Plate square is 12 1/4
So if one kept the license square they could use a 48" piece.
IMG_3496.JPG
 
L= 56 9/16
If you really want to make it all in one piece and not separate it around the license plate, the "CCG" website lists some designs in 60" wide. More expensive and may not be the design you want though.

Otherwise I'm with you, come up with a nice way of using two pieces so the seam isn't obvious.
 
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