Body Panel Thickness

[deezee]

What type (thickness and grade) and have you guys used for the bodywork aluminium. I want to go with the thinnest practical, not for weight, just for ease of cutting and profiling. But don't want to go so thin its going to dent and crease easy. I assume most people have gone with a 1.5mm 1000 series or similar?

[chriseyj]

I've read of some people using 1.2mm for bodywork in a previous. I remember someone mentioning they used a harder grade to usual and found it harder work to shape. Guess it would be more dent resistant though.

Have you any idea of the weight difference between alluminium and fibre glass bodied cars?

[thwang]

al 1050 semi hard 1.2mm

[deezee]

I've ordered some 1mm 1050 T14 from Aalco. I'll use it on the cockpit panels and the dash / footwell area. If it seems ok I might try it on body panels, or change thickness and grade.

I used to use NS4 for floor, sides and tunnel then sc1 which is softer to do the rear tub section..but had good few "sleeps" since then

[AshG]

i used 1.5mm 5000 grade. was pretty hard to work with but the result come out pretty nice.

id i were to do it again i would do the floor with the same stuff but the back and sides with 1mm softer stuff.

[axle]

I am going for the 1.2mm it is really good to work with!

[Bonzo]

Me too Axle.

1.2mm Semi hard for the sides & rear

Treated myself to a 2mm sheet of Semi hard for the floor & should have enough left over to do the fuel tank.

Really looking forward to playing with the ac tig welder again

[Tilly819]

Hi all,
i used
0.9mm 1050 for the sides
0.9mm L163 for the rear tub, seat back and TT sides
0.9mm L166 fir the bits between the sides and the back with the RAd on then... regret that was a pig to work
1.7mm L163 for the floor

The rest is GRP or will be when iv done the scoop and bonnet mould

Tilly