ha thats funny about the Aluminium rods. I bought some too at one of the snake oil stands at a swapmeet, but never could get them to kick off. Probably a combination of not hot enough or clean enough, so they went back int the bag.
Still have them in the bottom toolbox drawer.
 
Maybe you need to add one of these to your kit Marty:
https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/253953688811?chn=ps&_trkparms=ispr%3D1&amdata=enc%3A1oQr2zubERPupNOdU-rcOYg0&norover=1&mkevt=1&mkrid=705-139619-5960-0&mkcid=2&itemid=253953688811&targetid=1395284717689&device=c&mktype=pla&googleloc=9071205&poi=&campaignid=14475548396&mkgroupid=128101662393&rlsatarget=pla-1395284717689&abcId=9300653&merchantid=116513986&gclid=CjwKCAjwzt6LBhBeEiwAbPGOgZm0_sl8GLObjehdh9JzeuBafarc2Ogeyllg-cfdmuGtIKv2TP5EIhoCKpYQAvD_BwE 

You guys are going to be lead wiping next

Mark, now there's a plan...😎
Hey Deano I've been contemplating a stainless friction plate, just need to watch and learn more first 👍
Not much progress on the car today as I need to mount the shrinker stretcher somewhere more solid than a kitchen table hehe. So I found some old round gate pipe and got measuring and cutting etc

Next was to decide where to weld it to, a bit strange of a place but possibly the best for quick access... And it's not taking up floor space.. So it got welded to the rotisserie !

And this.

Don't worry about the handle cause I'm making it foot operated for now.

Was a battle getting the 0.6 wire to cooperate, got there in the end..


Will see how far I get fabricating rods n levers tomorrow. I saw a guy on YouTube install air operated cylinder so I'll be heading that way in futures....
Here's the link if anyone's interested, he also has a parts list to know what to buy..
https://youtu.be/URARzHDU5Tg

I'm not following any more of your links Marty. They only cost me as per pic
 
Got it mounted onto the welding table and solid as the proverbial. It only has a 355mm throat, but I went with it cause it is 14mm plate and there is absolutely no movement. Ran some plate thru whilst setting adjustments and I now want to bead a gusset (or two) for over the new tunnel I will have to make. Question. Should I shape the tunnel (it will be in a couple of sections front to rear) and then bead it as once beaded if I try to shape it I'm sure it will die a sad death?

Just sat down and watched the Make It Kustom vid on the Chev van. Seems a bit of a waste on that bucket?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qi5zwQzNnnk
 
I reckon there are so many good tips on the whole process and now I understand the spot weld/air gun technique to patch. Doesn't help that he is very good and has every conceivable tool!
I actually purchased a pneumatic air hammer to help with the separation of panels for when the spot welds are partially drilled out. Its always such a fine line between drilling right thru with the spot weld remover or putting a large (>1/2") bit on the top panel and only partially drill.

welcome to the 'Marty makes me broke club".
Dead right Mark about the spot weld drill, most time now I can feel where its bitten through the top layer, and can usually catch it.
I have found now though that when there are so much to drill, using the angle grinder and cutoff disk and slicing into smaller cuts along a spot welded flange helps. With a good sharp wood chisel, my rusty bits usually cut off with little damage to the base piece. Thats not a Fitzyapproved  method, just my rough as just learning as you go tip of the day.
 
Good progress Marty, yes I check your thread whenever I need to see how its meant to look like...

just don't know how to reply there hehe😞..!! I apologize for people going broke watching my thread... 😜
Hey Mark, yeah a solid mounting helps heaps, I reckon yours will flex with some dies and pressure. Mine flexes when I did the spare wheel plate, the top die sort of rolls over the metal as the pattern is being pressed n rolled, just haven't got around to welding a brace to it yet.
I seen the chev panel repair episode, he knows how to do what he does really well.

One thing I hate is popping spotwelds , Deano the grinder way works fine. There's different methods and which one you do is dependent of which part or both your going to save or replace. When I removed the rear panel I cut as close to the seam as possible and then linnished the remainder metal away..
Just don't drill thru your fingernail like I did once, a 10mm bit make a right mess of the finger. No hospital time, I just cleaned it up and tried to stop bleeding ( took 3 days to properly stop, the sealed scab kept splitting) then back to work where I left off. The nail grew back and there's no telling it ever happened.

Speaking of going broke, the house I've got renting, the tenant said that there's a leak into the kitchen and all the suntuff sheets ( up to 16 of them) on the sheds there got smashed by the hailstorm today, 10 mins of fury ! Plenty of other houses got smashed as did lots of cars which got turned into golf balls.

Started making the outer side of the tub, here's 1 part

Another part..

Here's them in test fit mode, note the piece from Deano,s panelvan ... It has so much stone chip splatter on it , it clogged up the flapper disk lol..

I'll be making sure the tub is fitting good before it's welded in place. It'll be all welded so it's 1 piece then slotted in . I won't be doing any reverse seam like all rear panels have, it'll be welded to the flare of the arch only.

... And here's the shrinker stretcher mounted with levers, pivots and foot operated

Do I see a rose joint or two?

Nah, it's not that fancy. All I really did was use 3mm strap and weld washers to make it stronger at the pin (bolt) , all made from laying around stuff. It's actually easy now with the foot operated pedal 😎