New Nose Clip/Panel installation

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Stephen Masefield
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Location: Zion National Park, Virgin Utah

New Nose Clip/Panel installation

#1 Post by Stephen Masefield »

I have been vacillating about tackling the front nose on the car – it had to happen one day to see why 50% the ring for the headlight bezel was buried in bondo,
Bondo from 8 to 1 o'clock...
Bondo from 8 to 1 o'clock...
well some heat and a digging and I found 1/2 – ¾” bondo and steel knitting,
Crumpled all the  way over, upto  1/2 " , the hood lip (out of shot) looks very  flat/deep/extended.
Crumpled all the way over, upto 1/2 " , the hood lip (out of shot) looks very flat/deep/extended.
not to mention the headlight bowl was pushed downwards significantly and sideways … and the damage goes almost all the way over to the passenger headlight, so a new nose piece from "Trevor" may be the way to go.

I have found great reference material on cutting out the old panel – especially in the book from Ron Roland in “Restored by Hand” (pg.85 and on) and some great pictures here on the Registry site from Ted Hedman (thanks Ted), but all really reference cutting out /off or show the finished installation.

Are there in picture out there on the Registry (or elsewhere) that show the steps of an actual installation /and issues?? (Ron talks about it, but I prefer to see "real" pictures)??

Installing this nose clip would be stepping out into a big unknown for me, and I have a lot of trepidation about embarking on this. Taking the clip to a shop is one option, but that means $pennies extra on a tight budget. If I am slow and very methodical and ask when I am unsure ...could a novice tackle this (with mentoring?)
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"Knitting" and caved in by upto 3/4"
"Knitting" and caved in by upto 3/4"
Steve
'57 Coupe
'61 Sunroof Coupe
'79 911SC Targa (Stupidly sold)
'23 Subaru BRZ (poor mans Porsche)
Ford Diesel to haul 'stuff'

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Phil Planck
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Location: NE Michigan, lower penn.

Re: New Nose Clip/Panel installation

#2 Post by Phil Planck »

Stephen
If this is the only bad area you could by one of these:
http://www.sierramadrecollection.com/st ... ail&p=6559

Not quite as major a project as the complete nose.
Phil Planck

Jim Kellogg
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Re: New Nose Clip/Panel installation

#3 Post by Jim Kellogg »

Stephen,
There are pictures of nose panel replacement on pages 141 and 142 of "Porsche 356 Guide To Do-it-Yourself Restoration".
Jim Kellogg
356restore

David Gensler
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Re: New Nose Clip/Panel installation

#4 Post by David Gensler »

Stephen,
I did this not too long ago on a T5, using one of Trevor's panels. It involves a lot of work, but nothing particularly tricky. The Trevor nose itself will require a fair amount of work too. Fitting headlight buckets, fog light brackets, and finishing the lower lip all take time. Overall the panel fit quite well, though I found some distortion around the hood flange on the passenger side. I could not get the edge at the hood as sharp as it should be, so some filler was required, but then the factory used some there too. The biggest challenge was being confident of correct location of the new nose side/side, fore/aft, and rake of the headlights. Probably an art to this, just as much as measurement. The Trevor nose has a bunch of extra metal behind the headlights, but don't be tempted to use it. You must make your new seam between nose and fenders very close to the factory seam or you will never get the right shape. I had to replace the front inner trunk wall, and finagling the flange to the correct location and shape was tedious, especially since the part I purchased here bore little resemblance to the original.

Various shots from the process attached.
Good luck,
DG
Attachments
Dsc06360_small.jpg
Dsc06316_small.jpg
Dsc06371_small.jpg
Dsc06369_small.jpg
Dsc06357_small.jpg
David Gensler

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Stephen Masefield
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Re: New Nose Clip/Panel installation

#5 Post by Stephen Masefield »

Thanks Phil, Jim and David ...I clearly need to dig deeper to see if it is whole or half panel clip that I would l be needing ... I could see from the back side where the bondo had ozzed through where they drilled holes to support, it so I had feared the worse. But this morning I found the passenger side to be in far better shape than I had feared; some more steel 'knitting' down by the horn area and some deep dents but nothing that would warrant a whole replacement;
nose damage 022.jpg
so it looks like a half panel will do. I uncovered some 'interesting' 90' angle repairs on the front channel which had been filled to shape the gutter, but that will go when the panel is replaced.
nose damage 016.jpg
No sign of the original factory weld lines in the middle so I guess I will need to use the clip to decide where to insert the scalpel ;-)
nose damage 012.jpg
Are there any thoughts on which is the best fitting ½ clip or do they all originate from the same source ? I am sure all will need ‘working’ to get the alignment of course, but if some are closer than others that would help- (off line replies on this topic are welcomed )
Attachments
nose damage 015.jpg
Steve
'57 Coupe
'61 Sunroof Coupe
'79 911SC Targa (Stupidly sold)
'23 Subaru BRZ (poor mans Porsche)
Ford Diesel to haul 'stuff'

David Gensler
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Re: New Nose Clip/Panel installation

#6 Post by David Gensler »

Stephen,
Given your car's condition, the half nose seems like a very good approach. I've not used one of these, so can't vouch for the quality. My guess is there is only one manufacturer. From the vendor's photos it looks as if they may be slightly more than a half a car in width, so maybe it will be enough to fix that mess right in the middle of your nose. You should get the new panel first before cutting the old one off, and that would be your guide where to cut. This would make getting the correct alignment much simpler. The original nose panel is one piece, so there should not be weld line down the center.
DG
David Gensler

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Stephen Masefield
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Re: New Nose Clip/Panel installation

#7 Post by Stephen Masefield »

So having thought a 1/2 clip would work, I decided to "poke" under a large paint blister on the other side to see what was underneath “just to make sure” ...seems this car was in a demolition derby at some stage. From all the metal work dings, dents, deep patching rather than ‘let in’, I think it was the work of the same person and they were quite the bondo artist. So I will be talking to Trevor for sure for a new nose. There is no rot but the metal is so bent out of shape I think a clean start would pay dividends .

Can I repeat my call for ideas/help ? …As I will now be going down the harder (complete nose section) route I really would appreciate any suggestions to avoid or things to absolutely do first. I now have Guide to Do-It-Yourself Restoration as well (thanks Jim for that heads up) but are there any measurement diagrams or specified angles eg: the headlight bowl etc… described / listed somewhere ?

Thanks for looking and any ideas :)
Attachments
Started as simple paint blister ....
Started as simple paint blister ....
nose damage 029.jpg
Steve
'57 Coupe
'61 Sunroof Coupe
'79 911SC Targa (Stupidly sold)
'23 Subaru BRZ (poor mans Porsche)
Ford Diesel to haul 'stuff'

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Steve Harrison
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Re: New Nose Clip/Panel installation

#8 Post by Steve Harrison »

Stephen,

Get yourself a long straight edge, or a six foot level. You can do a lot of good for yourself by getting the car absolutely level both front and back, and striking a center line down the middle for reference.

When you cut off the old nose you can then tuck the new one underneath the remaining car and let it overlap the new piece. Clamp it down and then you can adjust the new piece forward/back/side to side, and get the curves right. A flat flexible metal straightedge is helpful here. I use an old aluminum yard stick. When it's right you'll know it because it will just "look" right, as well as measure out, center line to headlight buckets, etc. Then you can scribe where the car overlaps the new metal and cut the new piece on the scribe line.
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Before
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Jon Bingham
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Re: New Nose Clip/Panel installation

#9 Post by Jon Bingham »

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Jon Bingham
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Re: New Nose Clip/Panel installation

#10 Post by Jon Bingham »

the new clip should not be over lapped ,as paint bubbling will occur around the joint once painted.

Jon Bingham
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Re: New Nose Clip/Panel installation

#11 Post by Jon Bingham »

The Metal Surgeon

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Image

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'know what's under your paint'

www.themetalsurgeon.com

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Steve Harrison
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Re: New Nose Clip/Panel installation

#12 Post by Steve Harrison »

Agreed Jon, no lapped metal on finished work is good. Read through my post again...my last sentence in my post tells what I was getting at. It is very useful to have extra metal to overlap the two pieces when trying to get registrations of fit right. Then you scribe a line on the overlap and that's your cut line.
(When you get the registration right on the overlap the two pieces will mesh quite well and you'll know when you get it right. Then cut off the excess.)

Your work looks great. Some of those old brazed in patches you replaced almost would qualify as Modern Art.

Wondering how your progress goes Stephen?

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Re: New Nose Clip/Panel installation

#13 Post by Jon Bingham »

Steve Harrison wrote:Agreed Jon, no lapped metal on finished work is good. Read through my post again...my last sentence in my post tells what I was getting at. It is very useful to have extra metal to overlap the two pieces when trying to get registrations of fit right. Then you scribe a line on the overlap and that's your cut line.
(When you get the registration right on the overlap the two pieces will mesh quite well and you'll know when you get it right. Then cut off the excess.)

Your work looks great. Some of those old brazed in patches you replaced almost would qualify as Modern Art.

Wondering how your progress goes Stephen?
ok sorry skipped that part! the most important of course! good explanation as well .And yes......modern art or dumpster art!

Greg Paintworks Johnson
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Re: New Nose Clip/Panel installation

#14 Post by Greg Paintworks Johnson »

i prefer the term," green filing cabinet art"
IMG_0052.JPG
IMG_0052.JPG (24.46 KiB) Viewed 6292 times
Greg Johnson
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Nigel Seaver
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Re: New Nose Clip/Panel installation

#15 Post by Nigel Seaver »

Once my '62 T6 was completly stripped the nose clip needs replacement.
IMG_2655.JPG
IMG_2655.JPG (4.34 MiB) Viewed 3598 times
I am considering replacing it in two halves rather that the complete panel.
Has anyone acheived this without major rework of the panels and which supplier is recommended?
Regards
Nigel

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