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OK so for time, money and hopefully ease of fabrication reasons, I am skipping rivets. I plan on using 18 ga. steel for the floor and wall behind the driver. The part I'm not sure of is what gauge steel would you try for sides?

I am looking for something that I can bend around the tubes with a board and hammer since I don't have access to a brake/break (whichever) but I don't want something that's so thin it's impossible to weld. I was thinking 22 ga.

I am not really concerned with weight at this time. It is very much about getting done and saving all the should haves and would haves for a second build. This build is rapidly making a turn toward rat rod. Open fender, no hood, tiny windscreens etc probably flat black POR on the whole thing.

I don't really work with sheet metal often, so I'm not sure if 22 ga. would be too flimsy or too tough to bend. Any thoughts?

Trying like mad to finish in 1.5 months,

Eric
Locostmonkey

FWIW, I reskinned my old 4x8 trailer in 24 gauge. I welded it with the MIG. It took almost the entire project to get used to welding something that thin.

I used 22 ga. on the side panels and passenger footwell, 18 ga. floor, driver's footwell and where a horizontal aluminum firewall usually goes. It sure makes for a rigid frame. 24 ga. (see the post above) would surely suffice for side panels as a replacement for the Book aluminum ones...but I gave up on 24 because it's a [female dog] to weld.

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Locost builder and adventurer, and founder (but no longer owner) of Kinetic Vehicles

I think 22 ga should be fine. It shouldn't be too much trouble to bend it with a board and hammer. I'm sure someone out there sells a hammer big enough to bend damn near anything you want.

And it's brake, you had it right the first time.

_________________
A man must keep a little back shop where he can be himself without reserve. In solitude alone can he know true freedom.
-Michel de Montaigne

Scratch built book frame with an 83 Celica donor 22RE. SHE'S A ROLLER!!!

OK then 22 gauge it is.

On a seperate note, I love my die grinder. I had fun enlarging holes in the pedal/firewall area, worked great! Now to finish figuring out what other metal to get and get my order going.

Thanks for the replies all,
Eric
Locostmonkey