Alfa Romeo Owners Club of Australia Forum

Technical => 116 Series (Alfetta Sedan/GT/GTV & Giulietta Sedan) => Topic started by: shane wescott on April 27, 2013, 01:15:21 PM

Title: Temp Body Repairs
Post by: shane wescott on April 27, 2013, 01:15:21 PM
Hi guys

Just a question re temporary ( prior to full resto) body repairs.

I have a couple of rusty bits which need to be covered.


Current thinking is clean up with wire brush, rust converter, and then patch with fibreglass?

Don't have a mig/tig but have a mate who does. I am good with a soldering iron but not sure if old school soldering metal is still an option.

Any ideas or suggestions ?

Thanks

Shane
Title: Re: Temp Body Repairs
Post by: Beatle on April 27, 2013, 08:10:50 PM
How large are the holes and in what areas?

For flat-ish panels with decent access, you can cut out the majority of the rusted areas, treat the remainder, then slap an overlapping patch behind the hole and tack it in place with a mig.  Then bog over the patch.

For smaller holes, just use bog, and if possible mushroom it out on the back side a tad so it doesn't fall out.
Title: Re: Temp Body Repairs
Post by: colcol on April 27, 2013, 08:42:33 PM
Metal mend is quite good, it is like a body filler with stainlees metal strands in it, think of it like fibreglass resin with steel wool added, i use it to repair the hatch on my 33, don't use body filler only, as it doesn't have any strength in it, have also fibreglassed small bits of metal onto rust holes, don't like welding, because it distorts the metal and makes any paint flake off starting more rust problems, soldering iron has trouble getting hot enough and the flux is acid, which is great for starting off even more rust, Colin.
Title: Re: Temp Body Repairs
Post by: shane wescott on April 28, 2013, 04:42:42 PM
Thanks guys.

Love the sound of the Metal Mend.

The rust is all on pretty flat areas so hopefully the metal mend will do the trick.

I'm not so worried about the welding, as I am about the dickhead at the other end of the rod :-)

I'm pretty sure I would find a way to make more body work for myself with a welder.:-)

So thanks and I will crack onto those bits.

Catch ya

Shane