Page 20 - MetalForming June 2010

18 METALFORMING / JUNE 2010
two parallel welds, identical stacked-dime patterns are laid down on the first side and then back up the second side, cre- ating mirror images of each other.
To ensure similar weld sizes throughout, Webb used a center punch to mark the base metal at weld start and end points. He then counted the number of times he dabbed the consumable weld rod into the molten puddle, precisely tim- ing intervals and travel speeds. His ultimate goal was for weld continuity throughout the entire car.
Digital Display a Key Enabler
The digital display on the Invertec power supply helped Webb achieve such a strict level of control. As needed, he could scroll through preset welding parameters and dial in weld-cur- rent settings for each application. He also controlled AC fre- quency and balance by monitoring the digital display to see how the arc reacted to different parameters between welds.
Webb put more than 3000 hr. of metal shaping into his Golden Sub replica. He says that the meticulous quality rest- ed on his ability to be aware of the weld current and heat going into each weld.
“A good welder must control the metal at all times,” Webb says “The technology facilitates much of that, but patience plays a pivotal role as well. You really have to have the forti- tude for this kind of work. The original builders would have loved this machine, and I also like that the inverter technol- ogy is quieter than other power sources. That makes a big dif- ference when you’re welding for long periods of time.”
Other Features of Webb’s Gem
The original Golden Sub’s notable golden hue came from a combination of lacquer and bronze dust. Webb’s modern tribute car, on the other hand, features a hand-formed, unpainted raw-steel body that purposely exposes the builder’s workmanship. Webb says he will never paint the car.
Steering, shifting and pedal controls on Webb’s car are all hand-formed in steel. It sports a 2.0- l Ford Zetec four-cylin- der engine with mounted disc brakes borrowed from a motor- cycle. The torque tube passes between the driver’s legs, and the exhaust is channeled through wrapped pipes down the drive’s left side, exiting through the rear tail tip of the teardrop body.
In its day, the original Golden Submarine embodied a never-before-seen blend of form and function that won 20 major races and qualified for the Indianapolis 500 before its engine died, along with its chances to race on. It cost $15,000 to construct, entirely by hand, but was later lost in a fire in Joli- et, IL.
After a car show last year, when Webb first displayed his replica, the nephew of Golden Submarine driver Barney Old- field sent a letter to Webb writing that he thought his father would be proud of the reproduction.
“That really meant a lot to me,” adds Webb. MF www.metalformingmagazine.com
Modern Technology