250 California Spyders

First six owners of 1497 GT were in Italy between 14 November 1959 and 17 June 1967.

Marcel Massini

 

Hi,

I am having a very esoteric debate. What is the factory correct thickness of the body on the Competitzione 2.2mm or 1.6mm - or are we completely wrong ??

 

I think you’re looking for precision where it doesn’t exist.

Even if Pininfarina started with nominal 2.0mm sheet metal, they wouldn’t have been exactly that.

And after those panels had been beaten into shape, they would be somewhat thinner.

So a finished car isn’t going to have a uniform body thickness.

Matt

 

Think your right and good advice. Did find this post after some nifty searching

Wow. A technical question on a topic I actually know something about.

The alloys of aluminum have varied, and it's almost impossible to say exactly what sort of sheet was originally used.

Having said that, it's pretty clear that the thickness of aluminum sheet used on most racing models was around 1mm or 0.040". When repair panels are made, they are generally made with 3003 sheet and 1100 welding rod.

The H numbers quoted above indicate the heat treat, and are pretty irrelevent for this use, as the metal will almost always be annealed to dead soft (often many times over) in order to be shaped. The "flexibility" and maleability" you refer to, Horsefly, is this softness achieved by annealing. 3003 can be annealed over and over again, and work hardens as it is shaped.

 

Is that with or without the bondo?

 

Have a look from second 5 on.