S30 Sheet Metal - Body and Chassis Panel Thicknesses

[240260280]

There may also be a British thickness to consider as Nissan manufactured Austins between 1953-1959.... remember BST ?

[Namerow]

On 4/6/2020 at 10:33 AM, CanTechZ said:

Here are a few references regarding Japanese cold finished sheet steel thicknesses and tolerances.

JFE CR Steel Sheet [Japan].pdf 1.82 MB · 0 downloads

I like the second table, esp. the fact that the standard dates back to 1922 and therefore encompasses the period when the S30 was being built.  It indicates that the 1.1mm thickness offered by contemporary supplier Parker Steel (see my earlier entry in this thread) is not really relevant to the sheet used for the S30 body panels.  It looks, instead, like 1.2mm (0.0472") would be closer to the truth.

The JFE brochure provides some interesting insights into the cross-section of sheet steels available to modern-day automotive/manufacturing engineers for body pressings.  With techniques like hydroforming and materials like high-strength and ultra-high-strength now available, things are a lot different than they were back in 1969. 

[CanTechZ]

1 hour ago, Namerow said:

I like the second table, esp. the fact that the standard dates back to 1922 and therefore encompasses the period when the S30 was being built.  It indicates that the 1.1mm thickness offered by contemporary supplier Parker Steel (see my earlier entry in this thread) is not really relevant to the sheet used for the S30 body panels.  It looks, instead, like 1.2mm (0.0472") would be closer to the truth.

The JFE brochure provides some interesting insights into the cross-section of sheet steels available to modern-day automotive/manufacturing engineers for body pressings.  With techniques like hydroforming and materials like high-strength and ultra-high-strength now available, things are a lot different than they were back in 1969. 

Yes, I was also happy to find that table with available standard thicknesses from the period. With enough volume and modern methods manufacturers today definitely have more options. I plan to remove my seats on the long weekend so I will have better access to measure again. I will report back with my findings.

Edited April 8, 2020 by CanTechZ

[AZStory]

How about these pieces from the front wheel wells?  Must be 12 gauge, and some of the thickest sheet metal I have yet encountered on my series 1.   Anyone know of where to get these prefabbed, or an easy way to make them?  I cant bend/form that thickness...

Edited April 9, 2020 by AZStory

[Mark Maras]

In the pic it looks like all the perimeter bends are usable. I'd consider cutting the bad (missing) parts out, leaving all the bends that are usable, and welding in inserts.

[AZStory]

2 hours ago, Mark Maras said:

In the pic it looks like all the perimeter bends are usable. I'd consider cutting the bad (missing) parts out, leaving all the bends that are usable, and welding in inserts.

It's true.  Outside diameter is good metal. Unfortunately its where the complex bends are that's rusty. You can see the lines where I started to draw out my cuts, but I'd really prefer to buy two if I could, both sites are like this.  I'm a little surprised that this isn't more of a documented issue for other folks too...maybe I got lucky.  

Not trying to hijack this thread though. Wanted to share this piece's thickness. 

 

[dutchzcarguy]

9 hours ago, AZStory said:

Anyone know of where to get these prefabbed, or an easy way to make them? 

first cut of the "floor"part, you have to weld that one or a new flat piece onto it later.

As the piece of steel is only 2 mm you could easely make one on a piece of oak wood. Make a piece were the old piece fits in exactly.  

a bit of woodworking and some hammerin.  like this for example..

(This is a piece for a 280zx frontfender, made out of 1mm steel, some welding needed on the edge low right and a longer weld in the left lower layd part.)

[Namerow]

8 hours ago, AZStory said:

I'm a little surprised that this isn't more of a documented issue for other folks too...maybe I got lucky.  

One of the build threads on this site provided a step-by-step fabrication procedure for this exact piece.  Unfortunately, I don't remember which thread it was.  Maybe someone else will.  It basically made up the piece in the form of a set of flat panels.  Only straight-line bends and cuts were used.  He had to weld in filler pieces to create the floor and the front and rear vertical walls of the pocket. If you think of how you could create the piece using cardboard and tape, you'll get the idea. 

It's too bad that the answer to this kind of question has to rely on the memory of other readers and contributors.  One of the weaknesses of sites like CZCC is that the search tool depends on the words that the tread's author uses to describe their work.  For example, what would you call this particular piece?  One person might call it a 'doubler'.  Another might call it a 'reinforcement' or an 'insert'.  There's also the distinct possibility that the author of the build thread that I'm thinking of may have described his procedure without ever giving the piece a name.

[AZStory]

4 hours ago, dutchzcarguy said:

first cut of the "floor"part, you have to weld that one or a new flat piece onto it later.

As the piece of steel is only 2 mm you could easely make one on a piece of oak wood. Make a piece were the old piece fits in exactly.  

a bit of woodworking and some hammerin.  like this for example..

(This is a piece for a 280zx frontfender, made out of 1mm steel, some welding needed on the edge low right and a longer weld in the left lower layd part.)

 

I really like this idea and hadn't thought to make a wood form to hammer over.  Thanks for sharing this.

Edited April 9, 2020 by AZStory

[ConVerTT]

14 hours ago, AZStory said:

How about these pieces from the front wheel wells?  Must be 12 gauge, and some of the thickest sheet metal I have yet encountered on my series 1.   Anyone know of where to get these prefabbed, or an easy way to make them?  I cant bend/form that thickness...

Calling @wheee!.  Search his build thread.  He built new ones and did a step by step.  I have built some using a similar process too here, middle of Page 1....

 

Edited April 9, 2020 by ConVerTT

[wheee!]

Ya, I have a page or two on that in my build thread somewhere.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[dutchzcarguy]

20 hours ago, AZStory said:

I really like this idea and hadn't thought to make a wood form to hammer over. 

And use a piece of metal shaped like a (side) banana peel.. sort of..  why? The upper piece will bend as you hit it with a big hammer. And make it square after you made the big dent.. think about it, you'll get the picture. (make the edges with a chisel (for steel obviously… my translator could give no good word for it but i mean the chisel that you use for breaking stone walls and can be used to make a nice edge in sheet metal.)

Also use some clamps and then make the bend.. or whatever you need to do.

 

Btw, i think it's a good idea to make a special topic on these things, or make a list with where one can find certain "make it yourself" substitute parts..

Back to GAUGE's and inches and millimeters!!  ?

Edited April 10, 2020 by dutchzcarguy