Metal fabrication for classic autos involves specialized metalworking skills and techniques to reproduce, repair or fabricate metal components for vintage vehicles. Here are some key aspects of metal fabrication for classic auto restoration:
- Body Panel Fabrication
- Recreating hard-to-find or discontinued body panels like fenders, hoods, trunk lids
- Forming, shaping and finishing sheet metal to exact original dimensions
- Metalworking skills like hammering, planishing, welding and finishing
- Chassis and Frame Repair
- Fabricating repair sections to replace rusted or damaged chassis/frame components
- Cutting, bending, welding new metal sections into the existing chassis
- Reinforcing and boxing of the frame structure as needed
- Fuel/Brake Line Fabrication
- Precisely bending and flaring new metal fuel and brake lines
- Fabricating line clamps, fasteners, and connection components
- Ensuring leak-free plumbing routing and installation
- Exhaust System Fabrication
- Reproducing exhaust system components like manifolds, pipes, mufflers and hangers
- Cutting, bending and welding aluminized or stainless steel tubing sections
- Matching original routing paths for proper fit and clearances
- Metal Trim Reproduction
- Recreating decorative metal trim pieces like emblems, garnish moldings, grilles
- Letter stamping, forming, chroming to match original factory pieces
- Custom Metalwork
- Customizing or modifying exterior metal components
- Metal shaping for unique elements like rolled pans, filled seams, etc.
- Fabricating brackets, mounts and other miscellaneous metal pieces
Metal fabricators use english wheels, shrinkers, stretchers, bead rollers and other specialized tools. Expertise in cutting, bending, welding and finishing metals like steel, aluminum and stainless is essential for quality metalwork on classic cars.