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Author Topic: Fixing My Suds Body work!!!!  (Read 542 times)
BlairH
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« on: February 03, 2008, 01:02:04 AM »

Hey Guys!!!

Well its the weekend.....About time to!! So i have just finished removing the bumpers!!!!! Was such a mission, the F%$@ing nuts where rusted tight....Don't ask me how but they needed to be cut off with a torch cutter!! Well now the cars starting to take shape!! Dose any body have any advice for welding in plates where the rust is going to be cut out??

Thanks

Blair H
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TurboGTV
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« Reply #1 on: February 03, 2008, 12:35:57 PM »

Quote
Dose any body have any advice for welding in plates where the rust is going to be cut out??

(assuming you're using a mig) Go very slowly, and just do a few tacks spaced well apart, leave it to cool, then a few more tacks - if you run a bead the panel will distort badly due to the heat, and if you do too many spots in one go it will start to distort due to heat as well.  Takes ages, but if you want it as straight as you can get, you don't have much choice.
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BlairH
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« Reply #2 on: February 03, 2008, 06:25:03 PM »

Ah yes ok that sounds good
so do you spot weld the plate under the body and then body filler the rest or do you have it running flush???.

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TurboGTV
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« Reply #3 on: February 04, 2008, 07:32:25 PM »

The way I do it is to cut ALL the rusty bit out, then form up a piece to replace the section I've cut (if its something like a sill or curved or anything), and make it so its a nice close fit all round, and then weld it in flush - the idea being to use the absolute minimum of filler possible, over the ground back welds.  As far as I'm concerned, where possible filler should only be a surfacer to fill small imperfections, and not a way to build up a sunken bit of panel.  If it is a largish section you are replacing, ideally you would have (once welded, filled and sanded back level) filler around the edge of the patch, and then bare metal showing in the middle of the patch.  I weld the whole way around the patch (spot, spot, spot, snore, spot, spot) so that there are no holes/gaps between patch and original metal, then grind it back smooth with a fine flap disc on a grinder (be careful about getting heat into the panel!!!).  Redo the holes that appear, grind, repeat.

That said though, looking at some of the dents in your car, it will be a struggle to get the panel back into original shape anyway due to the metal stretching, and in some spots the access will be very limited.... This may be a good spot to do your first repairs, as the panel will likely need more than the light skim of filler desirable, unless you use some creative panel beating and much patience.
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BlairH
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« Reply #4 on: February 04, 2008, 07:47:32 PM »

Ok, thanks i think i know what you mean!! yeah some of the rust spots are going to be very frustrating!!! Ill post some pictures when i get around to doing that...Need some capital now!!! Embarrassed
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