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The simple answer is, "A good well equiped sheet metal shop." This means access to a sheet metal shear able to cut at least four feet across, better yet would be six feet. A sheet metal break (bender) of the same capacity. A wire welder (MIG prefered). Acytlene torch. Drill press. Grinder(s). Plus the assorted hammers, cutters, sheet metal tongs, clamps, etc. The hardest thing to make will be the top with the compound curves at the corners. I would start by making a wood (using a very hard wood like oak) form that has the shape you want. To this form you would fasten a sheet of steel (need to get a reasonable thickness) that you will bend at the edges/sides to conform to your form. You could heat and hammer the edges over to become the sides, or you could try to make a "roller" that was the length of the longest side to roll the edge over. The trickest part will be the corners. There I would cut the sheet metal at a 45° angle so that the end of the cut was exactly at the corner of the flat part of the top - on all four corners! - then bend over one side, then wrap the part, that sticks beyond the other adjcent side, around the corner. Do the adjcent side and then you will have a double thickness of metal where the compound curve is at the corner. Weld the corner up and with a bunch of heating and "persuasion" with a hammer pluss some selective grinding you can get a resonable compound corner. This technique you should practice on using some small peices that you do just one corner on. Better yet is to start with just good stiff construction paper so you get the principles figured out. Then try with something like a aluminum pie tin or flashing. The edges need to have something done to them so that there is not a sharp edge. Rolling the edge would be prefered but that takes special equipment. The next best thing I can think of is weld a rod (say 1/4" diam) on at the edge. I'd make the top so that there was extra metal hanging down. Then clamp the rod inside an edge and braze it to the top at the "upper" side. Then cut away the excess to the tangent to the rod. A little touch up brazing and carefull grinding and you'll have a nice smothe edge. The supports will need the sheet metal brake to form. Double fold both edges, so you will have no sharp sheet metal edges, before you make the final center bend. You need to think carefully about how you fasten the top to the tractor. It needs to be able to hold the weight and yet should be removable so that the tractor remains in "original" condition. I'd devise some sort of clamp to use at the front where it hooks to the hood. At the rear the fender bolt holes for the light brackets should make that end easy. Sounds like a intresting fun project. Do you have shop classes at school? Could this be a project?!? Regards,
Larry
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