those funky bends in the rear valance panel thingie.....

That trim piece on a CJ5, that's under the tailgate frame, that's cut out to go over where a pintle hook could bolt on to the triangulated brace.....how in the heck can a person re-make that piece?

I got my 36 1/4" long by ~4" tall piece of sheetmetal, with 90* bends on the ends to meet the tailight panels,and the bottom, and cut out about an inch smaller to make the bends, but I can't do it!!

I gotta bend in at the bottom and shrink the metal, then bend out towards each other at top and stretch the metal.....all without wrinkling or warping the rest of it.

How the hell?

Any ideas?

Or better yet, any place that repros these?

This one piece is holding up progress on the rear of the jeep, and afterwards the body *should* be ready to prep for paint!!! hellokitty

Thanks!!

 

They are available aftermarket. I got one several years ago but, not sure where I got it from. Jeep panels plus maybe. It's the way to go. And it wasn't very expensive as I recall.

 

Classic Enterprises has them. It's called the rear valance panel and it's only $35 http://www.classicent.com/jeep.php

 

O nice!! I guess I'll be ordering that tomorrow!!

Thanks guys!!

 

If you want to make it yourself get a piece of MDF or 3/4 plywood, and cut out the profile of the part. shape the edge just like you want the new part, using a router or sanding it. Clamp your sheet metal to it with another piece of MDF, just slightly smaller.Usse plenty of clamps.. Tap the edge flanges over slowly with a body hammer, going back and forth just moving the metal a little at a time. You can use a hammer against a block of wood to tap the straight line edges over..THe curve areas will take some finesse. You will eventually form the metal to shape and it will shrink or stretch as you form it.

Look up Hammerform on Google, the rear valance is an ideal part to try it on. On the inside of the upper curved bends you will need to stretch, a more pointed hammer will help. On the lower curve it needs to shrink...Use a flat faced hammer there and try to hit the metal so it moves inward on itself. You might want to try and make just the section over the pintle first and get your technique down before building the whole thing. And if you get totally frustrated, Lamonte's parts are excellent.

 

I like that idea with the plywood and such, and might try that on some other future projects, and a shrinker/stretcher would be nice as well, but $42 later all I hafta do is wait for the delivery truck and tinker on other stuff in the meantime

That was with shipping to central Maine from classic enterprises, BTW.....