Global Scale Modeller

Hi'ya gents,

The Voyager PE set for my Willys MB (PE35194) finally arrived from China. I'd planned on starting on it this past weekend but spreading about 2 yd³ of mulch took precedent. Anyway, while tending to my sore muscles with a liquid analgesic (bourbon) I started looking through the Voyager instruction manual. Most of the bends are going to be simple, hard angle bends. But the hood is a different story. The instructions show to bend it twice to get the 90° turn where the hood (I think you guys call it a bonnet across The Pond?) meets the fender. But an actual Willys hood is a clean arc to get that turn:



I was thinking of finding a cylinder of some type of the correct diameter to get the angle. My initial thought would be a nail or maybe a drill bit to use as a form. But I'm kind of at a loss on how to affix it to the PE so I can gently make that bend. Do you gents have any suggestions or tips on how to go about this? I really don't want to ruin that one PE part during my attempt.

I think most would bend around a tube / rod .... start larger than you need. Exacto handle / bolt ?
Hold the shortest side to the handle and bend the longer side over the curve. Progress to smaller and smaller tubes.

You can get curve roller sets but expensive. I’d use a metal tubing of some sort.

^^ what those guys said. Sometimes helps to use a load of blue tack or similar as a backing support.

Do it on a softish mat and press down and the mat will push it around the rod former.

Thank you Barry, Nev, Chief, and Digger.

I'm going with a combination of all your suggestions in conjunction with using the original hood as the starting form. Then move to varying sizes of metal dowels I picked up at the hardware store to finish off the bends. I did look at some of the Small Shop roller tools Nev but they are way kinds of expensive.