Front Compartment hinge.

Show us what you currently have going on and describe in a little more detail what you’re trying to accomplish. 

@Robert M posted:

Show us what you currently have going on and describe in a little more detail what you’re trying to accomplish. 

I'll take some pics tomorrow. Basically it's two pieces of flat steel (poorly) welded at an angle. I'm going to talk to Carey on Monday to see if he thinks the ones he uses will work on my early beck. 

Luckily, the hack job didn't interfere with the nutserts for a standard hinge. 

"Trying to achieve?" Something that doesn't look like I made it with a $50 Harbor Freight welder while my BAC was .10. 

This is the rear engine deck lid hinge typically used on CMC/FF/VS/early IM (although their has their logo cast into it) - it sounds like what you may be referring to. It is rough cast aluminum.  It can be polished and dressed up with lightening holes.

Those models above use a flat rough cast aluminum (which also can be polished and lightened) -

Here's link to source - https://vintagespeedsterparts....iorparts.aspx?page=2

@WOLFGANG posted:

This is the rear engine deck lid hinge typically used on CMC/FF/VS/early IM (although their has their logo cast into it) - it sounds like what you may be referring to. It is rough cast aluminum.  It can be polished and dressed up with lightening holes.

Those models above use a flat rough cast aluminum (which also can be polished and lightened) -

Here's link to source - https://vintagespeedsterparts....iorparts.aspx?page=2

I learned a new word today: Frunk. 

I wanted to show you the ones other manf used.  They aren't elegant - the front uses a narrow steel bar to hold frunk lid open and the rear engine lid uses a pin on a chain (obviously stolen from local bank).  These can be made to look ok - I suspect same drilling and grinding could be done on the steel SE one.  These cast hinges don't take kindly to too much lightening before they crack. Some here have used the gas pressure shocks to hold lids open.

Another "proper" alternative might be the old 356 hinges - but it will take some work to use them.  They actually have a holding latch mechanism in them.

These run from $50 up to $500 on ebay for 1 or a pair.  Not sure why as they are not a rare part but they came from a PORSCHE.

https://www.ebay.com/i/2642780...128597f033b7b1993be4

Greg/Wolfgang: Pretty sure this hinge is for a Spyder trunk, since we're in the Spyder section. A 356 hinge won't work, the hinge has to have a larger radius as the front trunk opens further(90 degrees plus).

The original Upland CA produced Becks had no hinge at all. You removed the lid completely for access. So this hinge that isn't pretty is comparably a major improvement. Vintage Motorcars makes a tubular curved hinge, but the steel plate in the Beck may not be compatible. At the very least, new holes would have to be drilled and tapped. Maybe more surgery than that would be needed to make it work.

Personally, while it isn't the prettiest, it works, and it's already there. I'd leave it alone.

Sorry didn't see spyder mentioned in text -  hidden up in directory list though.  

@DannyP posted:

Greg/Wolfgang: Pretty sure this hinge is for a Spyder trunk, since we're in the Spyder section. A 356 hinge won't work, the hinge has to have a larger radius as the front trunk opens further(90 degrees plus).

The original Upland CA produced Becks had no hinge at all. You removed the lid completely for access. So this hinge that isn't pretty is comparably a major improvement. Vintage Motorcars makes a tubular curved hinge, but the steel plate in the Beck may not be compatible. At the very least, new holes would have to be drilled and tapped. Maybe more surgery than that would be needed to make it work.

Personally, while it isn't the prettiest, it works, and it's already there. I'd leave it alone.

That's the problem, it doesn't "work." It only opens far enough to get vertical, and the slightest breeze or bump has it falling closed and because of the slop in it, it often catches the fuel cap on the way down. Luckily, I haven't chipped the opening in the hood, yet, but I want a real hinge before I do.  

This "hinge" was obviously home built by the original builder, but my hood does have three nutserts left and right that weren't utilized. (My guess is they were on the turnkey versions)

Im pretty sure I've spoken with both Greg and Carey about it, and neither believed their hinges would work. I'm looking more for a hot rod solution that might work. 

Ok, so now I think I understand. Why not put in a prop rod and just fix the hinge to remove the slop? It sounds like you are somewhat mechanical/experienced.

The "hinge" is made of two pieces of 1" strap steel welded by some who had never used a welder before, not even ground or trimmed to fit, bolted together with 1.5" grade 0 hardware. If I were to make anything, I'd start over. I'm trying to turn my home built with plumbing hardware Spyder into something like Greg or Carey would turn out. 

I'd like to get a proper automotive, if not Spyder, hinge for it. 

@dlearl476 posted:

The "hinge" is made of two pieces of 1" strap steel welded by some who had never used a welder before, not even ground or trimmed to fit, bolted together with 1.5" grade 0 hardware. I'm trying to turn my home built with plumbing hardware Spyder into something like Greg or Carey would turn out. 

 

I'd like to get a proper automotive, if not Spyder, hinge for it. 

PS: I showed the guy who's welding my aluminum tank some pictures of Ed's faux tank cover and he said he could probably build me a tank like that for ~$1,000. Said it would probably be 15-18 gallons. 

Tempting. 

I looked at it again with less critical eyes and I think I may just grind the excess off, make a nice radius on the elbow, add some proper shoulder bolts and Teflon washers  to it so it doesn't loosen every time I open it and call it good. 

Sorry for the crappy iPhone pic that auto focused on the garbage on my floor.

@dlearl476 posted:

PS: I showed the guy who's welding my aluminum tank some pictures of Ed's faux tank cover and he said he could probably build me a tank like that for ~$1,000. Said it would probably be 15-18 gallons. 

Tempting. 

Yeah, building a tank from scratch is a lot of work.  There's a guy in England who built a Carrera style tank for his Speedster (looked very cool! I'll see if I can find the pics in a minute) who iIrc said it would take about the same amount of money to do another 1.   

He used the bottom of a stock tank to start.

Ask Bruce @aircooled he might have ideas.

@ALB   I'd cut replacement hinges out of a single piece of 1/4 to 3/8" aluminum stock and drilled some lightening holes.  Radius the hedges and polish them up. It would eliminate several pounds of weight up front.  Those existing hinges are truly rough - and heavy.  Aluminum is easy to work with and could be cut with a jig saw and metal cutting blade. 

Ray, thanks for the vote of confidence ! Custom built tanks are worth all of the $1000 or so to do one. If I were making a tank I would be sure to install the baffling foam inside to reduce fire hazards. I have done CAD (cardboard aided designs) designs of some weird tanks for gas and radiator tanks and bent them up for welding but I leave the aluminum welding up to someone who does it all the time for a living.

The Frunk hinges are pretty easy.   Dlear already has a mockup. Even though it doesn't open far enough he should be able to make a satisfactory pair out of aluminum like Al says with cool looking lightening holes to boot. I would polish them too ! Always got to have a little "sparkle" !!

The only mod I did to the hinges was on the rear deck lid. I hated holding up the lid to find and insert that little pin. With this one, it locks in place when you raise the lid.  Here's a photo for reference........Bruce

@WOLFGANG posted:

@ALB   I'd cut replacement hinges out of a single piece of 1/4 to 3/8" aluminum stock and drilled some lightening holes.  Radius the hedges and polish them up. It would eliminate several pounds of weight up front.  Those existing hinges are truly rough - and heavy.  Aluminum is easy to work with and could be cut with a jig saw and metal cutting blade. 

Yeah. I was signed up to do a welding class in our local community college this spring which included access to their brand new CNC plasma table. Sadly, school was cancelled. 

Fabbing an Alu hinge shouldn't be an issue, it's access to a welder that I lack.   

@aircooled posted:

Ray, thanks for the vote of confidence ! Custom built tanks are worth all of the $1000 or so to do one. If I were making a tank I would be sure to install the baffling foam inside to reduce fire hazards. I have done CAD (cardboard aided designs) designs of some weird tanks for gas and radiator tanks and bent them up for welding but I leave the aluminum welding up to someone who does it all the time for a living.

 

 

The guy who's building my tank used to build tanks for the Bayliner boat company. It's currently in "CAD" stage awaiting his workload to die down a bit. It's pretty much going to approximate the standard VW tank, with the exception adding a gallon or so by angling down from the steering shaft to a low point on the passenger side. 

As nice as it would be, approximating the 550 tank would double or triple the cost. We're also talking about further increasing the capacity by bring the top of the tank up to the bottom of the lid and eliminating the filler neck, i.e. welding a flange-type cap directly to the top of the tank. 

Hes a pretty amazing guy. An old school good old boy that pretty much does everything by eye, and cardboard. The 200 gal tank he made for my brother's Cargyle Cutter is a work of art.