I often see people claim that skills like metal work are “dying”. But, if you spend any time on social media, you will see there is actually a fair number of young guys picking up these skills.
I follow this little shop in Namur, Belgium on Instagram…I don’t think there’s a guy in their shop over the age of 35 or 40. They use primarily oxy-acetylene welding torches, and literally hammer out panels over tree stumps and leather bags. The most elaborate tools they seem to have are a manual shrinker/stretcher and an English wheel.
This E-type recently came to them with horrible panel gaps, and they are currently gas-welding (no filler rod) extensions onto the hood.
Some of the rust repair these guys take on is mind-boggling. They make even the smallest, and most fiddly patch panels in-house, entirely by hand.
Z cars have some very nasty areas for rust: that’s one of them, and the other ones are the attachment point for the front trailing arms if the suspension; really difficult to fix properly.
Now, I’d like to see them take on 100-4/-6/3000 big Healey!
Nice that there are lots of talented, dedicated young guys out there. If you want to see an old guy do it, check out my friend Jere Kirkpatrick’s you tube channel.
Retropower is worth watching on youtube. They do some amazing restomods, and metal work. They did a mk1 escort for Gordon Murray.
Also the youtube channel 'Trev’s Blog". Very rewarding and some wonderfully informative and enjoyable lessons on panel beating. Treat yourself to one video at least:
PS it’s worth watching just for his awesome hairdo and laid-back demeanor.
Dowels for sure, but nobody would drill a hole that big, I’m betting there’s a nail through the alignment holes. The black is prolly something sticky to keep them from falling out.
A bit closer to home, the Coventry Foundation’s is dedicated to fostering exactly this kind of talent in North America. Their scholarship program has recently funded another student – its fourth – at Penn College. The recipient of this year’s support is Allison Hoch, a Restoration Arts undergrad who has been making an impression on the staff and fellow students with her can-do approach and keen eye for detail.
I recall an old story which had the ring of truth to it that a guy fender crashed his Camaro (or some such thing). His wife was a noted sculptor and made him a new one. While normally an urban myth kind of thing I recall it was backed up as a fun fact (pre internet).
