1949 Bentley Boattail Speedster

[Flipper_1938]

I vote for this one.

Are you going to run a bumper?

If so, I'd run the bumper between the fender spears and drop the center point of the tail down to the same elevation as the fenders. I'd try running the filler panel between the fender and the boattail all the way down to the bumper.

 

[earthman]

2nd vote for the first one

 

[DJ3100]

When you break it up into small pieces like you did with the poster board, it doesn't look so intimidating, does it?

With me, one criterion of design is "Can i build it?" Any of those ideas look buildable. I like idea in the first 3 photos.

Every time I start worrying that something isn't perfect or good enough, I remember what Earthman told me: "Some people just won't let them be rats". It doesn't help, but it makes me smile.

 

[Lightning]

Number One !!!! That's the look

 

[rainman]

I third that second vote or first that third or something like that, the one Flipper said!!!

 

[PA41]

De one or de odder one?? Yeah-- #1 is 'de one'... I've never even though about bumpers--I guess I need to make sure I can add some easily at a later date. A little fender rear bender without one on a bunch of hand made parts would be rough..

All the little pieces really made it do-able. Lots of them are almost flat. Probably put a little crown in them like in the MG TD build sticky--(good info there). I got a laugh out of the quote from E-man "some people just won't let them be rats" Ain't it da truth!!

Ya gotta be firm with the philosophy.. Cheep, easy, simple, safe N fun------Hummm----(sounds like an old girlfriend)!! One of them 'epiphany' things.. So THATS why I like these cars!!

Epiphany Smith------ahh the summer of 69..


Got a couple rolls of wire, some chalk and grinder wheels today, but sat down for a little 'rest' after I got home and went to sleep!! Gettin olds rough...

PA41

 

[cosmic12]

Yup! #1 is the way to go, looks great and you're make'n great progress[cl
But do us a favor and get rid of the rain gutters

 

[PA41]

Yup! #1 is the way to go, looks great and you're make'n great progress[cl
But do us a favor and get rid of the rain gutters

Yeah--the gutters give it away as a car top--I think remove it and add a line like the door and hood sides to tie it all together better, and still accentuate the curves, also use it to kinda hide the seam where the side panel ties in.

It'll be interesting to see if people can reconize the carpart it is/was. The standard for the scrapyard build is the car hood boattail, but this top has compound curves that most hoods lack. It has a sort of 'kidney bean' shape to it. The unique shape is the main reason I'm building the car.

The door/tail transition is going to be an interesting problem, there is an abrupt transition there that will hurt the project. That area will need some thought. Heres a couple shots looking down the side. I have the rear door skins with the same crown and profole, I'll probably use them angled back more than they usta be, so the skin there will match, and help it look like it was suppozed to be that way..

PA41

 

[rustydusty]

I have really been enjoying your build thread. Saw this boat tail at the 'Ocean City Cruisin' show last weekend.

34 Chevy 3-window coupe

 

[PA41]

I have really been enjoying your build thread. Saw this boat tail at the 'Ocean City Cruisin' show last weekend.

34 Chevy 3-window coupe

Thanks Dusty- I'm enjoying this too..-I have never seen one for real or even a reproduction of one.. They only made 500 or so of the real Auburns, so they are the $million+ kinda cars, even the repros like the one you have pics of are $40K-150K cars, You can get a FG 'kit' body for about $10K that I considered, but I'm not a fan of glass anymore--ain't got no 'soul' to them--chemical cars..

Pretty though, reguardless what they are made of-- Might not be bad 'murdered out' or ratted glass..

PA41

 

[cosmic12]

I was just looking through some of these pics and had a thought about the filler panels between the rear fenders and body.
I would look for a couple old pick-up hoods, like late 40s/ early 50s f100 they could give you the lenght- width and the roll that you need there.
Just a thought and if you already thought of that or it has been mentioned and I missed it.....my bad.

[[[[[

 

[PA41]

I was just looking through some of these pics and had a thought about the filler panels between the rear fenders and body.
I would look for a couple old pick-up hoods, like late 40s/ early 50s f100 they could give you the lenght- width and the roll that you need there.
Just a thought and if you already thought of that or it has been mentioned and I missed it.....my bad.

[[[[[

I had'nt thought about that--Do you have a pic of the kind of hood you are thinking of? I have a flat thinking mind and I'm messing around in a curved world here.. Sometimes my hands are smarter than my head--A good example is a planitary gear setup in an auto tranny. I can read and listen to experts for hours, but I'm absolutely clueless till I touch them--then its sooo simple! Bolt the transmission back up--I'm clueless again!!??

Same with these body panels and curves.. I just about gotta touch the iron before I see it.. That makes this project a real adventure for me.

PA41

 

[Flipper_1938]

Same with these body panels and curves.. I just about gotta touch the iron before I see it.. That makes this project a real adventure for me.

PA41

Also, don't forget to look at the underside of the panels and to roll them around in different orientations.

You may think you know what you want, but it is handy to be able to look at a panel with a completely open mind.

 

[sammy]

verry crude

but what I tend To do a lot of P. is litteraly overlapping the smaller panels and shooting sheet metal screws in em till i get the shape of what i want,,,way before the welder is evere even fired up......sometimes to the point of litteraly shrinking the whole car to my taste... self tappers are cheap n let me switch it around till i like what im seing........speaking of which You still on the right track and Im checkin it out almost daily..Sammy

 

[Sam_Fear]

On some of those speedsters, wasn't the metal between the fender and body, actually the gas tank? I'm thinking a early 60's truck hood - chevy, ford, or dodge, might give you a nice curve. Or the trunk lid off a late 60's, early 70's car - like a 70 Chevelle or Nova. Mostly flat on top, but has a curve down on the back edge.

As for behind the door transition, I got nothin'! Looks tough. You might want to really concentrate on that spot before you get too far on the tail. You may find you have to 're-arrange' some metal for that part to look right. Only thing I can see by the pics is possibly bending the back tops of the doors in a little to match the curves better? Maybe some kind of bulky trim line break there - like an exposed folded down top or something else functional?

Oh, we only went down to the Current River area - camping and the like. Just not enough days to get any farther.

 

[cosmic12]

I had'nt thought about that--Do you have a pic of the kind of hood you are thinking of? I have a flat thinking mind and I'm messing around in a curved world here.. Sometimes my hands are smarter than my head--A good example is a planitary gear setup in an auto tranny. I can read and listen to experts for hours, but I'm absolutely clueless till I touch them--then its sooo simple! Bolt the transmission back up--I'm clueless again!!??

Same with these body panels and curves.. I just about gotta touch the iron before I see it.. That makes this project a real adventure for me.

PA41

No, I don't have any pics sorry. I was thinking about the F100 hood because they are so wide and deep and would give you alot of room for adjustment and they have a nice smooth roll from the top to the botton lip.
I am sure you can find many pics on google. A buddie of mine just got a 57 Chevy pick up and the hood on that is beautiful. I will see what I can find.

 

[cosmic12]

OK, I found some lets see if I can post'em.
Look at all the curves and the expance of flat panels to work with on those.
If I needed filler with curves I would look hard at these, or other hoods and deck lids also although you might pizz off some truck guys

 

[andreasklapp]

that's a pretty awesome project you got there. i always liked the auburns. got to see a trailer FULL of them in monterey one time. big show and auction there and all kinds of cars i never even heard of and i'm walking by and there's this auburn started up and rolling into a semi real slow, so i look in the semi and there were three or four more of them sitting in there, so i just stood there and stared like an idiot for a minute.

 

[Flipper_1938]

If you are up for a fieldtrip to do a little research, this place should probably be near the top of your list.

http://www.automobilemuseum.org/Pages/default.aspx

They supposedly have 125 Auburns, Cords, and Deusenburgs on display.

 

[PA41]

but what I tend To do a lot of P. is litteraly overlapping the smaller panels and shooting sheet metal screws in em till i get the shape of what i want,,,way before the welder is evere even fired up......sometimes to the point of litteraly shrinking the whole car to my taste... self tappers are cheap n let me switch it around till i like what im seing........speaking of which You still on the right track and Im checkin it out almost daily..Sammy

Thanks for the comments Sammy--The tip with the screws is a good one--I'll try that this weekend. I ordered a tool to step edges down, but haven't got it yet, and I figger I can do the overlap and screw thing till I get the tool, then trim the pieces and burnem in.. Got a 3 day weekend all to myself as Cupcake is going to Tenn with the youngest boy to a Carshow with the Grands--Just me and the new 4x8 piece of 18ga metal ($80?) I just bought and no interuptions!!

Look out! I'm a dangerous man!!

PA41