Here is the link:

http://allshops.org/cgi-bin/community/comm...d=9980138836765

Shows most of the tools used to flare fenders with some brief explanations. Will add some in progress stuff later...perhaps in a separate album.

John www.ghiaspecialties.com

would there be value from an air-hammer 'body smoothing hammer' like this ?

i bought one many years ago and thought it'd be the thing for forming gentle curves like flares and power bulges, but i haven't really had a chance to light it up against actual body metal.

i think it'd be best in a short-stroke air hammer, probably operated with less than full rated air power. but i'm willing to be told it's worthless by an expert...

(i'll still try it, of course, but i'd be doing it much better informed :-) ...

That looks like the same as the one in my planishing hammer. Good for smoothing...although you can stretch with them, the ballpeen and bag work better for stretching.

John www.ghiaspecialties.com

John,After viewing the 914 flares on the website I am truly amazed at your artistry involved. You are a true hotrodder."Bravo to you" Thanks for the ideas on changing our 914's. Keep those hammers moving.Peace!

Thanks!

John www.ghiaspecialties.com

great album john!!! ahh, the leather purse i remember it well. the polished body with clear coat on the ghia will be stunning. i've been thinking... perhaps i should should come up with the silver car. we might want to install the hot rod ghia engine in it to make sure it runs ok.

kevin

Ya know, I'm gonna feel reeealy funny asking my family for a leather purse for Christmas.

Not that there's anything wrong with that.....

Might have to beat up the neighbors if they make comments.

Oh wait.. the purse is filled with sand. I'l use that!

Seriously, hows the video coming? I want one and emailed you at the address on your site.

Ken

VID-E-O, VID-E-O, VID-E-O

I'm ready to starting building my hammering muscles.

marc, there's not a lot of HAMMERING involved. moderate persuasion and lots of it, but results come faster than you might think. you get lots of breaks when you climb out of the wheelwell to see what's happening on the outside. foam earplugs, and a clean undercarrige should be on the material list.


kevin

Ayup.....bout 10000 whacks....per flare
After the first 200-300 you crawl out from under there and say "My God, what have I done"

out of curiosity, hoe much do you charge to flare?

Anybody with a lick of sense would charge 100 bucks an hour.....lessee...4 X 25hrs...how does 10K sound?

Kevin,

Sounds pretty reasonable until I think about you out there enjoying this engine instead of me (insert smily emoticon).

Ken,

The video is taking more time than I thought it would. Editting, and shooting an introduction, making sure the thing makes sense to a novice etc.

acox914,

Off the top of my head...If I were taking on flare projects, which I may at some point, $2,000-3,000 for a 914 that is pretty clean to begin with...no huge mounts of filler etc. This would be to about the level of metal-finishing that Zach's is now, not perfect! Somewhere near perfection (any filler required would be about 1/32" in a few areas that are hard to reach, the rest shiny steel) would be in the $5,000-$6,000 range...all that to save a tiny bit of filler, seems silly doesn't it? A lot of variables such as previous damage, excessive undercoating, how far the car is to be flared etc. If a car had no paint inside and out, no previous damage etc. I could probably rough in flares for $1500, meaning more work would be needed to finish it, or filler ... up to 1/8" or so in a few places. This might be a good option for someone who buys the video, and wants to do the finish work, not the heavy stretching. Each 1/16" less thickness of filler takes lots of time! Just to be clear, I'm not interested in any filler or primer work. Not even sure I want to take on flare jobs, or if I will have the room, or time to do it. We'll see.

Hi JP, Obviously I don't have a lick of sense!

Thanks for your interest, John www.ghiaspecialties.com