That is about the best work I have seen in terms of patch panel replacement, especially the finishing out.... not much need for filler on this repair !! Very impressed with this work, how it should be done, but rarely is....
I know this is old but I think the reason we dont typically see such hood repairs, people simply dont want to pay for great work. Most are ok as long as it looks "good".
I want to learn how to make a repair like this. I've been practicing with my everlast mig welder on some thin sheet. It definitely takes some finesse to get things going without any signs of warping.
It took over five hours to do the bedside. The aftermarket panel, as it was stamped, wasn't close enough. It had to be flattened out and the character line redefined so the wheel opening flow would be correct. Then the door opening side also had to be straightened and the whole panel planished to contour before mock up.
Ok, so i learned something today. Butt weld your panels. i didn't butt weld (I just uploaded a video of me patching my quarter.) Anyway, i didn't do terrible, but it wasn't 100% either, i did it to begin learning. I flanged the quarter and cut my own patch panel out from a scrap impala hood. I rested the panel inside the areas that i flanged, (so it's flush to the rest) And yeah, it works, but i feel like it can be done better. I can certainly use some pro advice, if you can go to my channel and watch my video, it would be greatly appreciated.
What discs are you using to sand the weld? Did you start with a flap wheel with the grinder? What kind of wheels did you use on your pneumatic? It's really hard to tell. Also, what was the grit at each step? Thanks!
Ok I few comments regarding this video. First thing is that is was really interesting to see it sped up. Nice to see such nice reproduction of the original piece. Last thing is what a great job! Flawless workmanship is always such a pleasure to watch. Thanks for showing this!
I’d love to hire you to replace the roof section on my 71 F250.. it’s got pretty bad cancer all around the drip channels so i went to the junkyard and cut a new roof section off one of the trashed trucks there.. just have no idea how to change it out...
Double R Restorations Thanks. The disc you're asking about is a 50 grit disc. I like to keep moving around when grinding to keep from getting any one area overheated.
I'm using a mig 130 from eastwood. I'm attempting to play patches in my 280z datsun. I'm setting the welder to the what it advise and my tac isn't laying flat. any advice? great work btw!
+Scott Chapman Get some scrap of similar gauge and just play with the settings. Go to extremes with the settings and spend plenty of time til you get the results you're after. Also the proper mix gas and flow will help. Fast and hot is what I like on thin stuff.
Nice job! Can you give the wire size, ipm, and voltage, please. How close a fit was it? You didn't seem to be using cooling (air hose). The lack of warpage is remarkable.
Thanks Adam. On thin sheet metal I use .025 Wire speed and voltage is really a "feel" thing. I am adjusting often during a welding process. I never force cool. The weld needs to be "hot" enough to penetrate and also fast enough to control heat. I like for my butt joints to touch. No gap. What works for me may not work for everyone. Its kind of a "finding your own style" type of thing. You just need to have enough penetration that when you do the grinding and finishing step, the integrity of the joint does not become compromised.
ez earls I understand what you're saying. The reason I asked specifically is, there seem to be no hot spots (discoloration) where you tack weld. I find that when I do it no matter what I try I get hot spots and even though I have tried to cool them , I still get distortion. Again nice job. Oh! The welder I am using now is from Eastwood the 135 model which cost about 300+. I'm not certain that could be a problem be cause of the voltage startup or current inconsistency. What make do you use?
+ez earls will do,I only have a 140 Lincoln flux core welder.as of now my main concern is cutting the old rockers and panels off.I picked up a 1992 ford e250 cargo van for 500 bucks. it has 60k on it and runs flawless,I'm going to try to restore it myself.the only thing I second guess myself on it the body work.
i heard the mig welding must be used with shielding gas , what is it called ? and does all mig machines are using shielding gas or not all of them ? i see some people recommend the mig weld in many things , is it the easier than oxy-acetylene or not ? i bought the arc to weld front quarter panel but it didn't work good for me , then i used the oxy-acetylene , it works but it is hard for me as a beginner . can you please recommend a mig machine for me from ebay ?
Absolutely flawless! Only vid you'll see on here, that you can finish your patch panel with primer... Lol Great job! I just welded in a set of patch panels last night, and i spent hrs chasing pinholes in the welds... uggghhhhh I was using flux core wire, so dont know if that had anything to do with it?
EB's channel Your welcome! Just bought a new Lincoln 140, so im hoping to try solid core as soon as i find a bottle for sale... Unfortunately had to finish a my patch work with flux core... Makes for so much extra work! Keep up the good work
Out of curiosity, why do you do a series of tack welds instead of a single bead? I can see how it would leave less room for error, but it's so much more time consuming.
Enorbs96 Sometimes I just have to account for the time to do things. Its the only way I know how to do it to get the results people expect from me. I'm sure its not the only way, just my way. Do you have any videos of metal finishing panel work? I might learn something by seeing someone's technique. Thanks for the view.
ez earls After doing a bit of research, I found that your technique is called stitch welding. It's good for avoiding warping in the metal which I now see is perfect for body work. I'm actually a student in welding school getting close to a mig certification, but I haven't done any work on cars, so I guess they haven't had a need to show us those techniques.
Enorbs96 Welding on heavy metal is not so hard, especially if you have good instruction. Two statements of advise. 1) Always use some type of breathing apparatus. The fumes from welding are awful for your body. 2) Learn to weld thin sheet metal without distortion. Tig and Oxyacetylene are useful here. Keep practicing. Always try to get better. Congratulations on learning a skill that will carry you through life.
Dan, I use several welders. The one I use most on sheet metal is an older Lincoln. It is called model SP-170T, but there are comparable models available. It is a 220 unit. I like it because it is fairly versatile. Thanks for asking....eb
Very nice work bro. Love the quality and detail. Is it better to replace a panel on a body line or move the cut above or below the line? I'm about to cut out and replace a lower quarter section. Thanks.
+Brian Tanis Brian, I like to make the joint on a brake in the body line if there is one to work with. Sometimes there is no brake or line to use so the joint has to be in the middle of the panel somewhere. A lot will depend on your skill level also.