I was thinking (just thinking mind you) on shaving the drip rails and smoothing up the places where the boomarangs go. a nice smooth clean look, not a stock look but interesting none the less...what do yall think??
I like the idea! It makes for a clean look at the expense of water trying to get in while driving in the rain. Not sure how much of a problem that is where you live. Where I live in San Diego, no problem.
I like it very much. I don't like drip rails at all and I think some of the chrome on the car is a little excessive. I like the nice clean look.
Just remember that if you cut drip rails and you drive in the rain, you will get a lap full of water when you open the door. Earl, John (my painter), and I discussed that very thing for about 20 minutes on my '77. We decided to leave them and not use the chrome/polished trim.
I sealed up my rain gutters on my station wagon so they would not hold any water. When it rains....water just poors down the windows. When I open the door....I get a lap full of water. After I wash it or after it rains and I am driving around with the windows rolled down.....I get a lap ful of water as well. I wish I wouldn't have filled them.
Sooo, you have a clean smooth look versus a lap full of water every time it rains and you open the door and get your head wet....I'll think on it..thanks folks.
I would not It is a lot of time and trouble. it looks nice though. I would not have done it to mine but the rust made it no option. there is no way to get it back with no leaks that is!
If I did shave them what would be best way...sawsall, grinder, c4 plastic explosives, anyone...Bueller...Bueller?
I'm just guessing but I think you would have to cut a section at a time cause there is multi layers of metel there. If you cut the whole drip rail off at once, they would separate. You would have to cut off about 6" then weld it up. Then repeat on another section. I would put a metal cut off wheel on a 4" grinder. They work great!!
the best way to go about it is with a cut off wheel, do a few inches , then weld, repeat. as was stated, youll run across multiple layers of metal and if you dont weld it, they will separate . go slow, tack weld , dont try running beads, you can warp the metal, its not very heavy there. just series of tacks between the tacks til its finished. also dont be surprized if after(if you do this) ,you will need to reform a few bits of the roofline along the rail area , as the drip rail hides some of the imperfections left by ford (some of the contours may not match without the rail covering it). I cut them off of my 72
hhhhmmm.... Maybe there's a way to add a water channel that doesn't look so much like the guttering on my house. I never thought of the water problem. Back to the drawing board!
