Price for tin work these days???

What's the going price on tin work these days?  Aluminum or steel?

Good luck ! Its hard to find anybody that will or even can do tin work around here. I bought a bead roller and 4' break and did mine myself. It's not that hard to do if you have the time.

Around here we have the best in the business doing that and they all charge for "Time & Material" so, there is no set price.

cool40 wrote:Good luck ! Its hard to find anybody that will or even can do tin work around here. I bought a bead roller and 4' break and did mine myself. It's not that hard to do if you have the time.

I'd have to agree with you Lee. I was brushed off a couple of times on my car. So I was just like, screw it , I'm gonna do it myself. Once I got rolling on it, it wasn't that bad. Some poster board and masking tape, I made every pattern and then transferred it to the aluminum. One thing that helped me was an old hot rodder down the road from me had all the metal working equipment and welcomed me into his shop. It may not be a "professional" job, but I'm well pleased with it! I learned a lot from him and he showed me a thing or two about metal working also.

61coon wrote:

cool40 wrote:Good luck ! Its hard to find anybody that will or even can do tin work around here. I bought a bead roller and 4' break and did mine myself. It's not that hard to do if you have the time.

I'd have to agree with you Lee. I was brushed off a couple of times on my car. So I was just like, screw it , I'm gonna do it myself. Once I got rolling on it, it wasn't that bad. Some poster board and masking tape, I made every pattern and then transferred it to the aluminum. One thing that helped me was an old hot rodder down the road from me had all the metal working equipment and welcomed me into his shop. It may not be a "professional" job, but I'm well pleased with it! I learned a lot from him and he showed me a thing or two about metal working also.

I finally got the cleco deals for working on mine and wondered why I never had them before!

A "simple" full tube chassis car (8.50 and slower non SFI chassis) where almost every piece of formed tin work is made of .032" aluminum, and is mostly all riveted in place (limited use of Dzus fasteners), can easily start at $3500 and up.

Add in the extra time/labor for (A) a bunch of removable aluminum panels/mount Dzus buttons, and-or (B) a .024" steel driver floor welded in, and-or (C) a .024" steel or Titanium firewall (welded, bolted) and the price jumps up a bunch. Replace the aluminum with carbon fiber and the price jumps a bunch again.

Doing tin work sucks (IMO anyway), that's why it can often be very expensive.

I have a small brake at my shop and have access to a 8 foot shear and brake at work.  But don't have a bead roller.  May invest in one...  I think if I redo my seat and belt mounting points I can make the tin work easy enough to do it myself.

Is the NHRA minimum on steel .024 all the way around?  Or just under the driver?

jbozzelle wrote:I have a small brake at my shop and have access to a 8 foot shear and brake at work.  But don't have a bead roller.  May invest in one...  I think if I redo my seat and belt mounting points I can make the tin work easy enough to do it myself.

Is the NHRA minimum on steel .024 all the way around?  Or just under the driver?

driver only I'm thinking ....

Usually any sheetmetal/tin/floor/firewall (etc) place/item where the NHRA/IHRA can dictate the thickness (or will check it) the minimum has always been either .032" aluminum, or .024" steel in the general regs.

The only exception to the ".024" minimum for steel" rule that I have found is only in the SFI 25.4 & 25.5 specs. The 25.4/25.5 specs say regarding bending the "floor bars" (like main hoop crossmember & foot bars) uphill to clear the exhaust system...

..."if tubes are angled up or bent for exhaust clearance then the outer portions of the steel floors shall be replaced with steel a minimum of .035" thick and stitch welded to the remaining portions of the steel floor, rocker panels and aforementioned tubes".....

....You don't see the minimum for steel flooring being bumped from .024" to .035" (with angled floor bars) in the SFI 25.1 or 25.2 specs, for some reason it's only the 25.4 & 25.5 specs (don't know what the 25.3 specs says).

Too bad you youre closer John, id help ya out.
I did all mine. It isnt hard. Just plan everything put in the order youwant to do each part and do itup. Did you need wheel cans also?

jbozzelle wrote:I have a small brake at my shop and have access to a 8 foot shear and brake at work.  But don't have a bead roller.  May invest in one...  I think if I redo my seat and belt mounting points I can make the tin work easy enough to do it myself.

Is the NHRA minimum on steel .024 all the way around?  Or just under the driver?

I have the basic Mittler Brothers one and for thin stuff like that it is alright. There is a ton of you tube videos on fixing the HF unit, making them power and there are aftermarket dies available. I felt by the time you did all that BS just buy a quality unit. Some people can only see the instant cost not the end game.

If you were closer I'd let you come use mine cuz I don't lend out shit...

I actually rolled this edge (18 ga) then shrunk it to get the curve.



Beads are not as easy as they seem. At least to stay straights. lol

Here is the first time I ever did any real project. Corners are the trickiest and as you can see I need more practice.

I picked up a good used Woodward Fab bead roller Friday.  It's got 5 sets of dies.  And I'm planning to get one machined into a tipping die.  I think that'll give me enough equipment to give the tin work a try.  

If I redo my seat mount it allows the floor sections to be relatively flat so it should be relatively easy.  I'm planning to do the Trans cover in flat sections too so hopefully that helps make it easier.

Jason - I need to get together with you soon so we can swap those parts we discussed...

jbozzelle wrote:I picked up a good used Woodward Fab bead roller Friday.  It's got 5 sets of dies.  And I'm planning to get one machined into a tipping die.  I think that'll give me enough equipment to give the tin work a try.  

If I redo my seat mount it allows the floor sections to be relatively flat so it should be relatively easy.  I'm planning to do the Trans cover in flat sections too so hopefully that helps make it easier.

Jason - I need to get together with you soon so we can swap those parts we discussed...

Yeah I totally forgot about it when I was home. I am just about finished my house so I hope to get a little done in the garage before summer.