I enjoy seeing the play by play on the Nomad build. The liftgate twists at the top over time. Years of the liftgate being down with all the pressure from the torsion rods pushing up twists to top. You can use some small straps hooked to the drip rail of the liftgate! Run them down the frame and put decent pressure on each strap. Take a propane torch and start to slowy warm up the liftgate. Keep a 6 inch distance and move across the twist. Dont get to much heat in any spot itll melt the potmetal. Once you start getting heat into the top youll be able to tighten each strap a little more. Repeat the process many times to slowly walk it back into position. Some of the pros use a wooden jig to twist the liftgate back straight with C clamps and low heat. This is a slow delicate process but you should be able to get the liftgate in the ballpark with some patience and creativity. The old car is coming along nicely 👌
You're making very good progress Doug, that was a LOT of work sir. Folks that haven't done any metal working before have no idea how much time, effort and thinking has to go into each part of the puzzle. Thank you for keeping us up to date with each piece/process. I'm still amazed with your skills and ability to get this car built from basically nothing but intestinal fortitude!
Maybe in the past someone tried closing the upper part and with the torsion bars being stuck it bent the hinge support areas in the roof that your not noticing.
Nomad the cat is really cool, I really enjoy your videos sir, you're an amazing teacher I feel blessed that I found this site, I'm learning a lot by watching and listening thankyou friend!
Hi Doug this is really starting to take shape. That upper gate really needs so TLC to make it fit better. Just encouragement from here man hang in. LOVE following your build.
Don's Hot Rod Garage, the Nomad Guru, has said in the past thats its very common to have the lift gate to be sprung. Be high on the roof line.....He said there's a Specialty Shop that corrects the sprung lift gate problem when you send in your lift gate. His comments on the sprung gate alignment fix was a few videos back in late 2024...
When I did Stainless I made so many parts for my 56 truck Remaking that tailgate top section would be easy, Forming it to fit, would be A Task "Curved Dies we didn't have" We would have to Beat the parts to fit the opening before fabricating grinding resurfacing, Polishing than Buffing Good Reason to leave and become a Electrician thx Doug
If I wasn’t 3,000 miles away I’d love to help , but Washington state to New York is a hell of a commute lol and my skills arent even 1/4 of yours , and after tail gate , you got a a lot of vids comin , what motor trans,? Wiring , front end , ( core support grill and it’s a 57 , so lots of grill etc . Lots to watch ya buddy I’ll be rite here with ya . Love the channel yer personality, and the work GREAT STUFF AND GREAT JOB 🫵🏻🙂🤓👍
Do you have the small brackets that bolt to the sides of the tailgate? These get a small rubber bumper that holds the tailgate out to be flush with the body opening. Slotted holes where they screw onto the gate so they can be adjusted in and out.
That upper window is really sprung. You might have to build a frame and apply a little controlled heat to normalize the position by using its weight upside down. Over time, it bent, so if you reverse it, use again controlled heat will speed up time. Just limit its travel in a homemade frame. If I remember hearing, the guy who used to repair them has passed away. But someone might be able to fix them still. If not, use heat slowly and monitor the heat with an IR temperature thermometer. I have bent aluminum that way. Potted metal is close in material but is not the same. Good luck. It's shaping up nicely.
On the liftgate would it help to move the top of it closer to the roof (to close the gap) if you added some washers/spacers under where the hinges mount to the roof? Or as Dewain50 suggests maybe those hinge arms are distorted and/or where they mount at the roof is bent. Can the hinge arms be tweaked a bit? Might be worth trying that correction first.
Hey Doug, do you have the curved glass for that liftgate? If you do, it might give you a clue as to the shape the frame should be. I think that when the glass has been out for a long time, it gives that frame free rein to just distort however it pleases. Ken
I'm tired of watching the other couple of more established channels. Too much personal content obscuring the reason why we watch in the first place. Stay humble and I always look forward to seeing the next edition. Take care and maybe I will add more after watching this video
I'll bet the bolting surface on that hinge got pried down. If you could force the angle up some, it would land perfect. It happens when one side starts seizing while being forced open and closed.
I trust that you have the knowledge to make the right Bolt dicission and I know that you have the experience required to make it happen and not be doing everything by the seat of your pants and somehow getting lucky a few times ( Like a certain Canadian channel who is now getting more negative, than positive comments). You would just have to look up probably, the top two Canadian channels and look at the comments and only 1 will have more negative than positive comments. He's starting to piss off his followers and the idea is to keep and expand viewership 😂. Take care. Stay humble and stay friends with your audience 😂😂😂
I enjoy seeing the play by play on the Nomad build. The liftgate twists at the top over time. Years of the liftgate being down with all the pressure from the torsion rods pushing up twists to top. You can use some small straps hooked to the drip rail of the liftgate! Run them down the frame and put decent pressure on each strap. Take a propane torch and start to slowy warm up the liftgate. Keep a 6 inch distance and move across the twist. Dont get to much heat in any spot itll melt the potmetal. Once you start getting heat into the top youll be able to tighten each strap a little more. Repeat the process many times to slowly walk it back into position. Some of the pros use a wooden jig to twist the liftgate back straight with C clamps and low heat. This is a slow delicate process but you should be able to get the liftgate in the ballpark with some patience and creativity. The old car is coming along nicely 👌
some real craftsmanship...
You're making very good progress Doug, that was a LOT of work sir. Folks that haven't done any metal working before have no idea how much time, effort and thinking has to go into each part of the puzzle. Thank you for keeping us up to date with each piece/process. I'm still amazed with your skills and ability to get this car built from basically nothing but intestinal fortitude!
Maybe in the past someone tried closing the upper part and with the torsion bars being stuck it bent the hinge support areas in the roof that your not noticing.
The hinge arms may be sprung/stretched and where they attach to the roof support could be bent.
Thanks Dewain! I've checked the roof and hinges.The whole problem lies with the liftgate itself.
That red nomad is the way to go and the right color ❤❤❤
I'm glad I came along for the Ride. I'm learning a lot on fabrication.
Thanks Jim!
The gate is looking good Doug!! Keep up the great work with Nomad the kitty😊
Nomad the cat is really cool, I really enjoy your videos sir, you're an amazing teacher I feel blessed that I found this site, I'm learning a lot by watching and listening thankyou friend!
Hi Doug this is really starting to take shape. That upper gate really needs so TLC to make it fit better. Just encouragement from here man hang in. LOVE following your build.
That car is going to be a celebrity by the time you're done
That'll be cool Tim!
Be nice if you had another lift gate to compare yours to. Keep up the tailgating Doug.
What a beautiful journey this 57 is taking. I’m glad to see it !!!
Thanks,I appreciate it!
Don with dons hot rod garage talked about the upper gate being distorted and how they get outta wack
Don's Hot Rod Garage, the Nomad Guru, has said in the past thats its very common to have the lift gate to be sprung. Be high on the roof line.....He said there's a Specialty Shop that corrects the sprung lift gate problem when you send in your lift gate. His comments on the sprung gate alignment fix was a few videos back in late 2024...
Truly a challenge that tail gate…reshaping the pot metal should be interesting…enjoying the content my friend 👍
The gate is on its way, the window frame to gate alignment is an interesting problem. A fun job for sure!
The horizontal parts of the tailgate need pulled together to create proper gap
Looking more like a nomad
Keep up the great work Doug! And trusty shop kats!
Doug keep up your great work.
Keep at it Doug. You'll get there. Cheers buddy
Hey Mike, glad you came over and found Doug!
@greggsvintageworkshop8974 Yeah Doug's a goodin!
That is great fabrication, Doug. I wish I were so skilled.
That flash of red looked damn good
Had a 56 red and white many years ago, love a 57 in red
Great videos doug
Hey Doug. 50 years in storage. Heat and cold. Twisted out that frame. Maybe you could remodel top hinges to suck in the frame to roof. Geat job. 👍👍🇬🇧
The Red and White looks good 👍👍
I knew you could figure out how to fix that tailgate to fit😊
Thank you James!
That nomad would look good green with white top I'm just saying I seen where you pictured a red one LOL
Yes, Surf Green with white top and trim.
When I did Stainless I made so many parts for my 56 truck
Remaking that tailgate top section would be easy, Forming it to fit, would be A Task
"Curved Dies we didn't have"
We would have to Beat the parts to fit the opening before fabricating grinding resurfacing, Polishing than Buffing
Good Reason to leave and become a Electrician
thx Doug
If I wasn’t 3,000 miles away I’d love to help , but Washington state to New York is a hell of a commute lol and my skills arent even 1/4 of yours , and after tail gate , you got a a lot of vids comin , what motor trans,? Wiring , front end , ( core support grill and it’s a 57 , so lots of grill etc . Lots to watch ya buddy I’ll be rite here with ya . Love the channel yer personality, and the work GREAT STUFF AND GREAT JOB 🫵🏻🙂🤓👍
Looking good Doug. Sometime you should tell us a story of where those nomad parts came from,
Ride..um..cowboy.
But I’m Lovin the journey. Did ya measure tips of quaternary tips from the floor , that there the same height could be low on the right side l0l
Selfishly hoping at least two more updates till primer on the tailgate 😊
Classic case of sprung hinges, good remedy suggestions below in comments.
Doug, you understand what the tailgate needs to fit properly
Do you have the small brackets that bolt to the sides of the tailgate? These get a small rubber bumper that holds the tailgate out to be flush with the body opening. Slotted holes where they screw onto the gate so they can be adjusted in and out.
That upper window is really sprung. You might have to build a frame and apply a little controlled heat to normalize the position by using its weight upside down. Over time, it bent, so if you reverse it, use again controlled heat will speed up time. Just limit its travel in a homemade frame.
If I remember hearing, the guy who used to repair them has passed away. But someone might be able to fix them still. If not, use heat slowly and monitor the heat with an IR temperature thermometer. I have bent aluminum that way. Potted metal is close in material but is not the same. Good luck. It's shaping up nicely.
On the liftgate would it help to move the top of it closer to the roof (to close the gap) if you added some washers/spacers under where the hinges mount to the roof? Or as Dewain50 suggests maybe those hinge arms are distorted and/or where they mount at the roof is bent. Can the hinge arms be tweaked a bit? Might be worth trying that correction first.
Hey Doug. The top hinges act like they might be spread apart a little or sprung is the proper term I guess. I’m sure you’ll figure it out
is there an issue with the hinge set up? by adding the suport under the hinges would that push that up a small amount?
Is the lift gate original to that roof? I was just wondering if there was a difference in lift gates between the years.
Can you move the top of the right C post towards the top of the upper back gate?
The glass wouldn't fit of he moved that post, cool project isn't it friend?
Hey Doug, do you have the curved glass for that liftgate? If you do, it might give you a clue as to the shape the frame should be. I think that when the glass has been out for a long time, it gives that frame free rein to just distort however it pleases.
Ken
Are the upper hinges bent or what they attach to ?
Think thr roof and c pillers are1/4 short from the original cut on roof
Are you sure that the lift gate itself isn't twisted/bent up top?
I'm sure it is the lift gate that is bent and not the roof or hinges.
I'm tired of watching the other couple of more established channels. Too much personal content obscuring the reason why we watch in the first place. Stay humble and I always look forward to seeing the next edition. Take care and maybe I will add more after watching this video
I'll bet the bolting surface on that hinge got pried down. If you could force the angle up some, it would land perfect. It happens when one side starts seizing while being forced open and closed.
I trust that you have the knowledge to make the right Bolt dicission and I know that you have the experience required to make it happen and not be doing everything by the seat of your pants and somehow getting lucky a few times ( Like a certain Canadian channel who is now getting more negative, than positive comments). You would just have to look up probably, the top two Canadian channels and look at the comments and only 1 will have more negative than positive comments. He's starting to piss off his followers and the idea is to keep and expand viewership 😂. Take care. Stay humble and stay friends with your audience 😂😂😂
Ask Big Don!!
Thanks Bill!
Take the torsion bars out and install gas strut kit fix it once.
The drop gate looks good, but the window not so much. I know you will get it right.
Of course I don't really know what I'm talking about 😅
Wow. Looking at the thumbnail I thought maybe you finished it up.
That would be cool LOL!I just thought I'd give everyone an Idea of what I'm shooting for.And try out different colors...
Maybe bronze
Tailgating at it's finest
Thanks CJ!
I'm starting to lose interest in the Canadian (My country, and future 51st state)counterparts
Me too
Big Don at Dons hot rod Garage should sneak out to his Garage and take some photos of his gate and send them to you I
Don has been a big help to me since I started this project.Thanks Jesse!
You will succeed guy..Steve @ modelmania
Coming along. That hatch, that chrome is ruff. I think I'd strip that and paint it the roof/body color, if I wasn't going to have it plated.
But I’m Lovin the journey. Did ya measure tips of quaternary tips from the floor , that there the same height could be low on the right side l0l