making hood hinge braces for a 1971 AMC Matador. the hinge mount points were damaged from seized hood hinges and we have to make reinforcement plates to stop the hood from kinking again.
Very few people have both a high level of metal working skill AND the ability to explain it in simple, easy to understand terms. Tony shows amazing talent for both. Thanks so much. I can't tell you how invaluable your video lessons have been to me as I restore my own classic. I am sure that there are thousands more with the same experience. I always "stick around".......to see you did it!
Hi from Queensland Australia. Love your Newfie accent. Very rare for us to hear down under. First words we class you as Canadian, then no, Irish, then “oh yeah...Newfie”!
You do fantastic work, I love how you put those drip edges on and how you put those window frames in that's amazing work. Keep up the great work and God Bless you and your family. 💯👍👍🙏🙏✌😊✌
I’m retired from the automotive business. I’ve worked in every aspect including auto body. The one skill that I wish I had was being a good fabricator. I could do basic patch panels etc; but nothing close to this skill level. My hats 🎩 off to you sir. 👍
Amazing how you make the parts you fabricate fit so perfectly. Now I can restore my rust bucket without buying most of the needed items rotted out of my 2003 Silverado, just from watching all your videos. Thanks for the education.
I've never been able to figure that one out. If I don't like a video I stop watching and move on. Why a thumbs down? More inclined to believe that (like me) they are using a tablet. It is so easy to touch the wrong thing without even noticing and presto you have given an unintentionally thumbs down.
@@avid6186 Well....at the time of my reply, the percentage of the thumbs DOWN to thumbs UP was 0.4761904761904762%. I call that a win for Mr. Fitzee 👍. Look at that...another thumbs UP 😂
Geoff here, I own the Matador. You should have seen the metal work he did on the drip rail channels and one outer drip rail. The car had a vinyl top that turned everything around the edges to swiss cheese! You can't tell where he's been after he's done! Hell, he can't tell sometimes! He's a master at his trade and my car wouldn't be anywhere near it is without him. He's a good man but a great friend.
I always cant wait till you post new videos. I like watching you do your magic to these old cars. You are one of the best metal guys on RU-vid. Your craftsmanship is superior. I've learned a lot from watching you.
Have done similar repairs for a few people in the past, usually Chevy pickups, NOBODY ever lubes their hinges! $$ to be made. Mine were not QUITE as show quality. (Also 25+ yrs ago) My BIL had a Matador about the same age with a BBC/Turbo 400. Great video as usual with the great explanation of the process and the mistakes made. Honesty, it's not just for Billy Joel. Thank You, Sir! Michael in Colorado.
Oh, also great job showing the tools used. already fabricated a few and it makes the work so much easier. Did recently purchase a bead roller to make my trunk panels. Figured I could buy them for twice the price of the bead roller or buy the roller and have it around for other projects. So far, I love it but my son seams to love it more.
A '71 AMC Matador sold for $250,000 on eBay if you can believe it! Back in 1970 a friend of mine's granny bought herself a '69 AMX 390 4bbl she used to rip around in. Beautiful car, metal flake royal blue and white, w/white leather interior. She kept it immaculate via paying a pittance to her grandson every weekend to detail it.
The opposite of Cut & Butt , Fit & Function. It does what it's supposed to do , fits and functions as stiffener braces without compromising hood /fender gaps, seams and fitment. Once primed and painted, no doubt the bracing will look like it grew there. Good call Tony, no need in making a job any more complicated than it needs to be. 👍👍
I have a similar issue with the hood on the '62 Polara 500, except that it had been forced closed so much that the hood rib buckled and tore. I was fortunate to obtain another hood from a fellow in Long Island, NY that is undamaged, but it would be nice to salvage the one that's on the car presently. It would involve pressing out the wrinkle from the bend.
Super job Tony. Glad you showed the drip rail where you cut away part of the roof. Need to do this on my67 camaro. As always, thanks for the help again.
Nice work as usual. Thanks so much for the video. You sure seem to save a lot of vehicles up there. I'm sure people appreciate your work who owned these cars.
It never fails that some factory panel can't hold up to its purpose and needs fixing. With the work you did on that vehicle, you are getting closer to making a car from scratch.
Amazing! Ya read my mind, kind of. I needed to make strut tower braces to prevent problem others have had. I bought 16 gauge metal and was still "over thinking" it. Very similar solution. On line "gurus" said cut out the whole inner fender and buy new at $600/side +shipping from UK or Europe. Not in the budget. Thanks again!!
@@fitzeesfabrications I’ve got two old door skins with all the information for dimensions, I just need to do trial and error on getting the curves right,
Tips are always very good Tony. You are an inspiring to all off us watching your skills and magic touches with your fabrication skills.When you are doing it it looks very easy but when i do it there is always something that wat to go there own way.Keep up with your good tips and easy and understandable way off explaining what and how you are doing it.Greetings from Fanie from South Africa.
Fitzee, you need to start a online School of welding metal and body works without bondo! You are simply the best!! and have a very good flow with your presentations in the videos P.S. I'm serious.
Without bondo!! Now I wouldn't go that far. You need to put alot more hours into metal finshing to be able to do that. Nothing wrong with filler. It's a leveling tool!
Nicely done Fitzee. I haven't seen one of those hood scoops in person since I was 15, that was 50 years ago ! I can't imagine NL has lots of AMC parts floating around.
I did a hood from a 1972 Roadrunner that did that but I pulled the skin off of it and made the plate on the inside after taking a dolly to it to make it look factory and no one new it was ever done because I took a drill bit and made it look like the factory welds around the edges
@@OldJoe212 Oh yeah! I bet heavy wall pipe would work good! I was thinking to use an old socket but I have some pipe. I think I'll give that a try. Thanks for that idea.
Gotta love the Matador. I had two back in the late part of the last century both 72 two doors and one was a 401 the other 360. all most bought a third off of Eddie Stakes but wife gave me the evil eye. found out eddies was one number different from mine. bummer. sold then both in the late 2000s. Just had two many rides. All AMCs 78 V8 pacer swapped 304 for 401/727 still have my 59 2dr American S/W and a 70 AMX. by the way I see a AMX in the opening scenes but cant find it on any of your videos?? Love to see it since I'm doing the trunk. speaker tray , I know AMXs don't have a speaker tray but its that part under the rear window. and also the rear quarters. so far work is going well with your help. Thanks for showing me the way.
Love amcs. I have a few myself. The amx in the beginning is one I did a number or years ago. 69 390 4 speed car. After doing a number of the first gen amx 2 seaters. Have lots of pictures of them but no video.
Encimar parches es un método del que siempre renegué pero la experiencia en el trabajo de carrocería me llevó a reconocer que hay determinadas reparaciones donde es la forma correcta de solucionar el problema, de hecho lo he usado. 👍
