Fabricating a curved part

[M@tt]

Hoping some of you metal work geniuses might be able to offer a bit of advice.

I've got a section of my 205 convertible that has rotted through fairly spectacularly and needs replacing. The section clamps the back part of the hood to the car. The part is still available from Peugeot but at a ridiculous price. I was therefore hoping to either get one fabbed or repaired myself.

The thing is it's a bit of an awkward shape to make due to the curve in it.

What would people suggest is the best way to go about making a replacement? is it going to be a case of making each of the curved sections separately tacking them together and then seam welding them together. I can't see any easy way to bend it out of a single piece.

I'm not really afraid of having a bash myself but tbh I've not really done a lot of fabricating before but I'm pretty handy although I've not really got many metal work tools so I'm pretty much limited to an angle grinder and MiG welder

If anyone is interested in giving me a quote for making one then please feel free, i could send you the rotten one to copy. I know you could definitely shift a dozen or so easily if someone fancied doing a batch as it's a common failing point on the CTI's

anyway here's a few pic

 

[shenion]

That is normally done with a shrinker/stretcher.

Here is one I found, don't know how good they are.

 

[gaz_moose]

when ive ran stuff through a beader it usually comes out with a curve like that.even though its suposed to be straight.

 

[hotrodder]

Can you post a pic or drawing of the cross sectional profile, not clear in my head from the views posted (the red line for example) but i may have the entire thing very wrong



Is there a compound curve or is it curved in one plane only? how thick is the metal? A shrinker would certainly make life a lot easier and faster but a curve like that could be shrunk with hammers/dollies and a hunk of wood if it's 18swg or thinner. Certainly possible to make it from one piece, might be faster to have a join where the yellow line is- depends on the actual geometry and leg lengths of the part

Edit: Gaz's mentioning of a bead roller... a set of tipping dies would be a good way of making it from piece if i pictured it right. Fold the 90* flange, shrink one leg to get the curvature and the tipping dies in a swage to get the return

 

[M@tt]

hopefuly this drawing makes sense

not a coumpound curve ie its flat against the floorwith just the curve making it look like a smile shape when looking from above/below

hope that makes sense

 

[hotrodder]

Got that very wrong then! Still pretty straightforward to fabricate with a shrinker/stretcher and swage

Any car restoration companies around your way? Be worth asking them for a quote unless you can justify buying a shrinker/stretcher i.e have more use for it

Fold a Z shape, shrink the red line/stretch the yellow until the curvature is correct and then 'throw' the final flange (can be done by hand with slapper and dolly or ideally with tipping dies in a swage) that can't be folded as it follows a curved line

 

[M@tt]

cheers for the reply, i don't know any car restoration companies round my way unless anyone knows of any round Sheffield/Chesterfield/Rotherham area.

Tbh i'd probabaly buy the tool if it were only £50 or so and have a go myself but at over £120 i don't think i'd get the use out of it

No fabricators in Sheffield area kicking about on here?