Replacing Ribbing

[MrObsessive]

Any of you folks out there know what to use to replace the ribbing on body panels?

Think '59 Mercury, '65 Pontiac, the upper roof moulding on a '58 Plymouth. I have tons of plastic stock, but none of the ribbed sheets I've got have a tight enough spacing to replace the ribbing that's on those cars. 

Any kind of special tool that I don't know about that could carve in that ribbing?

Been doing some roof mods on the '65 Bonneville, and it's among one of my future projects down the road. And yes, I fixed that incorrect driver's side roof profile.  I thought about opening doors on this, but in order to get the shut lines tight enough, at least the trailing edge of the doors would need that ribbing replaced.

Thoughts anyone?

Edited June 11, 2016 by MrObsessive

[Steven Zimmerman]

Look for scale siding, in plastruct or evergreen. Several different types / sizes are available.

[MrObsessive]

  On 6/11/2016 at 10:36 PM, Steven Zimmerman said:

Look for scale siding, in plastruct or evergreen. Several different types / sizes are available.

Steve, I've not seen it in this tight of a gradient of ribbing..........................

Unless I've missed the smallest size possible, I've never seen it made in this tight of spacing. I guess I COULD carve it in with an Exacto, but then for it to be symmetrical all the way through would be the tricky part.

[Mike Chernecki]

How about getting someone to draw the artwork and have it done in photoetch?

[MrObsessive]

That's a thought Mike, and not a bad idea at all.

[Snake45]

I can relate. I have a very restorable '66 Bonneville that, as a kid, I glued on the custom side pipes with tube glue. When I stripped it to rebuild, I discovered several spots of glue damage in the ribbing. That's the main thing that's kept me from proceeding with the rebuild.

The best idea I've had is to carefully grind out the damaged spots, fill them with either J-B Weld or superglue gel, and then recutting the grooves with a fine razor saw or the back of an X-acto knife. If I used J-B, I could probably start the grooves in the stuff before it completely set.

If nothing works, my alternative is just to sand it all smooth and paint that area flat argent, or something.

[Crazy Ed]

    Hi Bill. Try looking for a file with teeth the spacing you need. Then cut some styrene sheet the width you need plus a tad for final fit trimming, hold it down with 2 sided tape on a solid firm surface and just scrape the edge of the file firmly across the styrene. 

[Snake45]

  On 6/13/2016 at 12:35 PM, Crazy Ed said:

    Hi Bill. Try looking for a file with teeth the spacing you need. Then cut some styrene sheet the width you need plus a tad for final fit trimming, hold it down with 2 sided tape on a solid firm surface and just scrape the edge of the file firmly across the styrene. 

I'm not sure that would work, but you just gave me an idea. There's a gunsmithing tool called a "checkering cutter" that's used to cut checkering in gunstocks. These have two tiny files set a certain distance apart (measured in lines per inch) and are used to cut parallel grooves, one at a time. I know these are available up to 32 lines per inch. If you can figure out how many lines per inch you need, let me know and I'll help you look for the right tool. (I have several of these cutters but I think they're all too big for this use.)

[Oldmodelmaker]

A Thread file may also work if you can find one small enough.

[Crazy Ed]

    There's also the first 4 tools and if you go to pg 3, the last 3 that could be usefull in this application.

http://eclyons.com/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=5&sort=20a&page=1

[Tom Geiger]

I just don't see anyone cutting those intricate grooves with perfect spacing.  I'm thinking it's more in the realm of replacing them with the same piece from a donor body or having that section resin cast.  Then you cut off the old one and install the replacement piece as if it was a quarter panel.  I was looking at the chrome pieces on the '58 Ford retractable to replace the same on an ancient '58 Ford convertible that some kid glued skirts onto.

And as far as the Pontiac roof grooves...    we call that a "convertible".

[misterNNL]

I seriously doubt that one I one hundred people would know exactly what that trim looks like on a '59 Mercury.So why not replace both sides with identical ribbing that is as close as you can find and No one will notice unless you point but out(nd why would you want do that!).next best bet would either find a glue bomb '59 with good ribbing and either swap the panels or make  mold from the good ribbing,cast them and swap those in.

[Art Anderson]

I've had some success (back in my Indy car building day) making ribbed surfaces by using Grandt Line (a model RR detaling supplier) styrene rod stock laid on smooth styrene surfaces.  To ensure that these "ribs" would be straight, and spaced evenly, I've used pieces of K&S brass rod stock at whatever diameter would give me that spacing.  Use quick-drying liquid cement, such as MEK or TENAX.

Art

[MrObsessive]

Thanks for all of the suggestions fellas! BTW, the '59 Mercury convertible rear quarter I showed isn't damaged in any way,,,,,,,,,,,I just used that as an example of how to replace such ribbing if I or someone else wanted to do so. 

In fact, I got the body from John Goschke (aka Froghawk) as I have a '59 Mercury hardtop that has damaged quarters. I was going to do that very thing-----cut away the quarters on the convertible, and use them on the hardtop. The body on the convertible is so nice though......I almost don't have the heart to cut into it. Rare, good vintage plastic is getting ever harder to find as time goes on.

Art, your suggestion is a mighty good one! I have some .010 round stock lying around (Plastruct) and I may indeed use your suggestion if I ever need to replace the ribbing. It would take some patience and a steady hand, but that's never stopped me before!

Thanks again folks!

[Harry P.]

Maybe HO scale model railroad ribbed sheet styrene?

http://www.evergreenscalemodels.com/Sheets.htm

[MrObsessive]

I'd have to see it Harry, but when I went to our local train place a while back who has just about EVERYTHING (Tommy Gilbert's in Gettysburg), all that I saw was "too big". The spacing wasn't tight enough for what I was looking for. I'll look again next time I'm down that way which may be this weekend...............HO scale you'd think should be tight enough!

 

[Harry P.]

Bill, did you check the dimensions listed? The ribs are pretty tightly spaced. They might not be perfectly to scale, but should be close enough to pass for "correct."

[wayne swayze]

This idea may not work for you, but something to consider. I used the ribbed running boards from a '41 Plymouth on the upper inspection panels on my scratchbuilt Offenhauser. The ribs were quite fine, and you may be able to use other running boards from some other kit. Just a thought....

[Tom Geiger]

and don't forget that the old Revell 59 Ford retractable has those quarter pieces as separate chrome parts.  And that's an easy kit to find cheap.  I'm surprised Modelhaus doesn't have replacement quarters for the models that regularly had the skirts glued on.   Maybe an idea for a new resin guy!  About as useful as the convertible windshield frames Modelhaus has always made!

 

 

[Snake45]

  On 6/27/2016 at 8:16 PM, Art Anderson said:

I've had some success (back in my Indy car building day) making ribbed surfaces by using Grandt Line (a model RR detaling supplier) styrene rod stock laid on smooth styrene surfaces.  To ensure that these "ribs" would be straight, and spaced evenly, I've used pieces of K&S brass rod stock at whatever diameter would give me that spacing.  Use quick-drying liquid cement, such as MEK or TENAX.

Art

I've thought of trying something very much like that to make one of those mail-order custom taillight panels for a '66 Mustang. Thanks for the encouragement.