RamRodder’s trunklid has been louvered, partially decked, and the lumps and bumps have been removed. The gaps still need a little work, but we’ll do that when we fit the doors.
When the body of our ’50 Plymouth came back from the strippers there was some good news and some bad news. The good news was the 61-year-old body shell didn’t have a dent to be found. The bad news was it didn’t have a floor either and there was some rust in the quarters and below the trunklid. The fabrication of the new floor was shown some time ago and the repairs to the back of the body were documented last month.
Our first test-fit of the...
Our first test-fit of the trunklid showed some problems we weren’t aware of. We used paint sticks to position the lid in the opening. Then, since there is no trunk floor, went in from underneath to install the hinges.
With what was done so far we were feeling pretty good about the overall condition of the body—at least until we took a closer look at the trunklid, which hadn’t been stripped. When we went to reinstall and check the fit nothing lined up like we remembered. We knew the handle and latch had some issues and suspected the lid had some surprises hidden under the poorly applied filler and dull beige paint. Upon closer inspection our suspicions were confirmed, we found our coupe had been clobbered right in the trunk handle.
It was obvious the trunklid was going to need some work, but that was OK. Plans called for punching some louvers in the lid and straightening the sheetmetal around the handle and license plate indentation wasn’t a big deal. While we were at it we were going to lose the Plymouth nameplate (it was broken) and the original trunk handle (also broken) so the holes would have to be filled. All that could be handled, but what had us stumped was why the trunk fit so poorly now when it wasn’t too bad originally. It now sat too low in the opening, well below the edge of the body.
The root of our fitment issue became clear when we used some paint sticks to establish a standardized gap all around the edge of the lid before tightening the screws holding it to the hinges. The assist springs had been removed from the hinges when the body was dipped and we left them out while fitting the lid. What we found was even with the attachment screws tight the lid moved up and down in the opening. Take a look at the following photos and you’ll see the problem and how we fixed it.
Surprisingly the stock hinges...
Surprisingly the stock hinges pivoted directly on the bolts, evidently metal to metal, without any sort of bushings. The pivot holes were originally 3/8 inch but had been worn egg-shaped. We drilled the holes in the hinges to accommodate the new bushings.
Without the assist springs...
Without the assist springs in place it became obvious there was a problem with the hinges. And no, we didn’t saw the slots for effect. This is what the pivot bolts looked like when the hinges were disassembled.
A trip to the local hardware...
A trip to the local hardware store produced a pair of shoulder bolts and some press-in plastic bushings. Just like the originals, the shoulders on these bolts are 3/8-inch and the threaded portions are 5/16-inch.
The flanged plastic bushings...
The flanged plastic bushings are designed to snap into a 1/2-inch hole. The inside diameter is 3/8 inch.
With all the slop removed...
With all the slop removed from the hinges, fitting the trunklid would be considerably easier.
Under the paint and plastic...
Under the paint and plastic we found some wrinkled sheetmetal. The area around the trunk handle had been pushed in, and rather than pull it out filler was used to make the repair.
Another technique is to grip...
Another technique is to grip the nail and use the slide hammer as a handle to apply outward pressure on a low spot while hammering down the raised surrounding area.
Jake Brazille, of Jake’s Place...
Jake Brazille, of Jake’s Place in Florence, OR, used a stud welder to attach special “nails” to the damaged area of the trunklid.
Some bodyworking techniques...
Some bodyworking techniques aren’t real subtle. Brazille used a chunk of 2x6 lumber and a whack or two from a hammer to improve the fit of the trunklid.
A special slide hammer is...
A special slide hammer is used to grip the nails and pull up the low areas.
It’s surprising what a little...
It’s surprising what a little leverage can do. A strategically placed 2x4 and a little muscle on the lower right corner of the lid pulled the corner in where it needed to be.
With the basic bodywork done...
With the basic bodywork done and the hinges repaired, the next step was to strip all the paint in preparation for punching a few louvers.
The most time consuming part...
The most time consuming part of punching louvers, and one of the most critical, is doing the layout. Brazille started by finding the centerline of the lid.
To get the necessary access...
To get the necessary access to the area to be ventilated the inner structure of the lid had to be removed. Masking take was used to indicate where the cuts would be made.
Our louver press has 2-1/2-inch-wide...
Our louver press has 2-1/2-inch-wide dies and a 4-inch-wide “pressure block” that holds the male die and comes down against the surface. The guidelines are 4 inches apart, so by staying between those lines with the pressure block the spacing between the rows of louvers will be consistent.
With the reinforcement removed...
With the reinforcement removed the next task was to scrape off all the factory sound deadening material. It’s critical that both sides of the surface are thoroughly cleaned as a tiny bit of crud will distort the shape of the louver.
Years ago I built this louver...
Years ago I built this louver press out of 5-inch square, 1/4-inch wall tubing and mechanical components from Mittler Bros. Its construction was covered in the Mar. ’03 issue of STREET RODDER.
The starting point of the...
The starting point of the louvers was established with a line 90 degrees to the centerline. Alignment is maintained by keeping the edge of the pressure block on the lengthwise lines that were drawn. Spacing is done by punching a louver then moving the panel back and hooking the edge of the new louver over the block that holds the female die.
To address any minor imperfections...
To address any minor imperfections that remained, Brazille applied a skim coat of filler where the damage had been repaired.
Almost done, when finished...
Almost done, when finished we’ll have four rows of 18, two rows of 13, and two rows of 8, for a total of 114 louvers.
Once the filler “kicked,”...
Once the filler “kicked,” Brazille blocked the surface with a long board. Primer/surfacer and more block sanding later will make the decklid better that new.
Once the lid was liberally...
Once the lid was liberally ventilated the inner structure was welded back in place to stiffen it up.
With the hinges repaired,...
With the hinges repaired, the louvers punched, the extra holes filled and the damage corrected, the trunklid was put in place. Again paint sticks were used to establish the rough gaps then the hinges were tightened—this time the lid stayed in place.