How to use a mold/buck to fabricate a nose?

I thought someone might know how to use a wood/styrofoam mold (is that properly called a "buck"?) to fabricate a superbird type nose for my '72 Plymouth Sebring Plus "Super Satellite" project car (search "Project Odyssey" on this site). My question is how to size it, i think the model mold would have to be slightly smaller to account for the metal that is formed over the top of it, but how much smaller would it need to be? Or am i wrong and the mold/form can be the exact size of the finished project? I have a very detailed fabrication book but it seems to skip right over my problem/question. Thanks for any hints you might be able to offer.

Your buck is only going to be smaller by the thickness of metal going over it. If you're using 18 gauge (.040), your buck will be the width you want minus .080". Foam won't be rigid enough and making the wood buck would take nearly as much time as making the nose. You're going to be buying a ton of metalworking tools to do it right.

This is the information I found recently:

While we were at the CEMA car show which was held at the Walter P. Chrysler Museum during the June Aero Warrior Reunion in Auburn Hills, MI, I met Roger Chapman and had a very interesting visit with him. In 1964, when Roger began working at Carron and Company (now known as Carron Industries) located in Inkster, MI, they were making the stainless steel exhaust systems for Chrysler's famous Turbine cars.
Although most of the time Carron employees made parts for Ford cars, another of the interesting parts they made for Chrysler were the nosecones for the 1969 Daytonas and 1970 SuperBirds! To begin the process, first Chrysler employees made a solid oak form of the Daytona and SuperBird nosecones exactly as they were in the correct dimensions and with all of the body lines, etc. When finished, this oak form was sent to a subcontractor, who then made a Kirksite mold from it.

Kirksite is a lead and alloy substance, soft enough to carve and form into a shape. The Kirksite mold was rented by Carron and Company, who then made the nosecones for Creative Industries. Roger said the Kirksite molds were only good to make a few nosecones and then the Carron employees would have to rebuild them by filling in the broken parts and re-shaping, which was easily done with the soft material. When the operation was going smoothly, Carron men turned out approximately 20 nosecones per day. There was not an assembly line at Carron and only a few employees got the honor of working on the nosecones. They were all built by hand.

The top piece of the nosecone was made on the Kirksite mold first, and then the two sides were formed. The flange on the top piece was fitted over the side panel and then was spot welded. Next, it was leaded-in and finished off. The bottom panel went on next, then the flanges in the headlight openings were made. When the nose shell was finished, it was covered with a preservation oil to keep it from rusting. While we were discussing the nosecone building procedure, we were looking at Rick Edward's original Limelight SuperBird and you could clearly see the flange seam on this Bird's nose.....someone at Carron never properly leaded it in and finished it off! Roger got a kick out of seeing the sloppy work done on Rick's nosecone.

Great info. I would probably be inclined to make a foam buck just for test fitting the sheet metal to after forming. My nose is made from 4 different stampings. Are you wanting to make a steel nose just for the experience of it?

My brother-in-law is the welder, not me. Would like to make a mold for him and see what he can do with it.

welder and sheet metal worker are two very different things! I can weld pretty much anything but sheet metal forming is not yet a forte !!!

Isn't there a couple guys making nose cones already. How much of a demand is there for them? I know sometimes things sound like a good idea but unless you just want to make one for yourself in which it would be cheaper to buy one but to sell them for a profit I can think of a few things easier to make money.

Superb Bee said:

Isn't there a couple guys making nose cones already. How much of a demand is there for them? I know sometimes things sound like a good idea but unless you just want to make one for yourself in which it would be cheaper to buy one but to sell them for a profit I can think of a few things easier to make money.

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People are making stock noses for the 69-70 crowd, he was asking on how to make a nose for his '72 Sebring.

Oh ok I get it now

You using the scale from the MPG 71 model?
Also when talking to Mr. Chapman did the discussion lead into the airo design and testing on the 71 body for NASCAR?

Spend a few years learning to use the English wheel first...start with a blocking hammer,sandbag. Good luck

mopar 3 B said:

You using the scale from the MPG 71 model?
Also when talking to Mr. Chapman did the discussion lead into the airo design and testing on the 71 body for NASCAR?

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Yes, I would be using the plastic MPG 71 model as a guide (which I am putting together now, see my avatar) and also using the fotos and drawings from the Chrysler wind tunnel research that can be found on line at Aerowarriors.com website.

That info I posted in my previous post #3 was something I found on the internet some time ago, I was not the person to speak directly to Mr. Chapman.

So the goal will be purely looks?
My 72 RR is quite stable in excess of 130 with proper tires.
Even though wind tunnel testing was extensive final track testing and configuration had not been determined.
I would be eerie of adverse afect.

I don't think the shape would be an issue I could get that close by hand looks like I would do 3 pieces. Top then left and right lowers, I thinking working headlight mechanics would be very time consuming. And making brackets that didn't weigh down the car lol

I wouldn't bother with a mold I would old school it. I made a lot of motorcycle fenders and gas tanks over the years. It's something that comes with practice. A lot of touch and feel

I'd make a foam buck then fiberglass over it and that would be it. I wouldn't even make a mold, just glass over the buck then sand and fill, sand and fill. Then cut and sand the buck out of the inside. A lot less work and better results for a first time one off !!

I agree fiberglass would be the easy way out, but like my wife says, I always want to do things the hard way.

Like the cartoon showing the guy checking his oil dipstick. Instead of simply opening the hood and checking the oil level, he puts the car on a lift and raises the car to maximum height. Then he brings over a ladder, climbs up the ladder so he can open the hood, then he checks the oil while the vehicle is up in the air on the lift. Sounds a lot like me.

You need to talk to Mike Goyette. I think he has molds for 71 up nose cones.

Hemirunner said:

You need to talk to Mike Goyette. I think he has molds for 71 up nose cones.

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Is Mike from the great lakes region? Some one in the Wingwarrior club would surely have some info.

Do a search on here for Dayclona. There's plenty of material on here. I have his phone number if you need it.

mopar 3 B said:

Is Mike from the great lakes region? Some one in the Wingwarrior club would surely have some info.

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He's from
Massachusetts.