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To start the tail panel I started shaping it in the english wheel. I pulled the trunk lid out of storage so I could check the shape with a profile gague and compare it to the tail panel.

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The bottom half of the tail panel I used as a template had a tighter bend starting halfway down so I only made the top half match the decklid. The bottom half was also shaped on the english wheel but I used a inner tube over the top wheel so it only rolled the metal in one direction instead of stretching the metal in two directions. I already had enough shape from side to side; the soft inner tube kept the e-wheel from stretching the metal and only added a tighter bend top to bottom.


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With the overall shape finished, I tipped the top edge on the bead roller, starting with the lower edge first. I fine-tuned the edge with a hammer and t-post dolly in the vice, then stretched/shrunk the edge to match the shape of the trunk lid edge. With that edge shaped I tipped the second edge and finished folding it over with a hammer and dolly.

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Added the offsets for the overlappng flanges on the bead roller.

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The bottom edge was the same process as the top, tip/hammer/shrink/stretch to match the original shape. The second edge folded the opposite direction as the top, so I taped a shim to a heel dolly to make it the correct height, then folded the metal over against the dolly.


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Finished panel washed with PPG cleaner/conditioner.

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drooling over your skills!

I've said it before and I'll say it again. This guy's talent is utterly amazing. The Astronaut? Yes, he could turn this Packard into a time traveling space machine and land it on the moon.

Yeah, I drop in on his build thread just for this kind of "restoration porn".

Appreciate the comments!

Started cutting out the tail panel and trunk floor. The tail panel had been hit on the left side and poorly patched. They never even straightened the trunk floor, just left it crumpled.

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Few more pics of the previous repairs.

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(the flat plate was something I did, needed a solid spot to anchor the bracing I added earlier)

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With the tail panel out I had to work on saving the inner C-channel structure. This piece is made from 16 gauge with a folded lip on one side so it's pretty stiff. The passenger side is in fairly good shape but the driver side is bent pretty badly. I had to dig through all of the bondo and sheet metal that had been brazed in place to get the the spot welds that held the c-channel in place.

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