[roger1]

Originally Posted by dataway

Let us know how the copper backing bar works. I just bought a chunk of copper for that purpose. In all my years of welding I've never used one.

Glad you asked as that will be good to show here. As you can see by the looks of these 3 small pieces of 1/8" copper bar look, I've used them many times.



Copper in place and ready for first weld:



First weld:



After a few iterations of moving the copper bar along and welding, here it is all welded and ready to be finished off:



Finished off using an 80 grit Roloc sanding disc. I also used a carbide burr to even out where I couldn't reach with the Roloc.



Also dressed up the underneath side of the bracket:

[dataway]

Oh jeez, that works pretty nice. Certainly better than running a mile of wire through the holes, and blowing a dozen more open, before getting them closed up.

Ever try spraying the copper with anti-splatter before using them?

I've got a couple of spots where the backing bar should come in very handy.

Thanks

[roger1]

Originally Posted by dataway

Ever try spraying the copper with anti-splatter before using them?

I haven't heard of an anti-splatter spray before. But I guess I don't see a need for improvement. The bars do get kind of black but it doesn't affect the way they work.
And btw, your tip about warming panels before welding sounded interesting but I guess down here in Texas it's not really an issue. It would be really rare for my shop to reach 50 degrees in the winter and my heaters will warm it up into the 60s in a very short time.

[dataway]

If doing tacks adjacent to each other it's not an issue after a couple of tacks have heated up the panel. But if you have pin holes to fill, heating up the area to a couple hundred degrees makes that one spot weld lay down a lot flatter.

The spray would mainly just help to keep the steel from attaching to the copper, same as it does for copper MIG nozzles and tips.

Just used a copper bar last night, putting in a big patch on my floor board, worked well for an area that was thin and would have been a real pain to slowly build up with wire. Held it in place with one hand, welded with the other.

Out of my four welding machines ... the 30 year old little Lincoln MIG with .023 is still the best for this kind of work, that machine just won't quit.

Passenger side done, working on the driver side now.

[Bill Eveland]

Great work, as far as the copper goes ive used some 3/4" copper pipe also, ill hammer down one end so its flat and the other half a handle to hold it . Or I suppose you could do that to whatever length piece you needed and clamp it in.

[dataway]

Roger ... looks like you might be using straight CO2 for your welding gas. If so, you might want to consider trying an Argon/CO2 mix in the next bottle. Typically it welds better than straight CO2, flatter, less splatter, but is more expensive. Lincoln welders usually have the adjusted settings in the chart.

[roger1]

I'm using 75/25 and it's all I've ever used. My welder is a Lincoln SP-135 Plus that I bought about 15 years ago just for body sheetmetal. I've used the heck out of it.
My welder has since been updated to a newer model number called the Power Mig 140C.

[dataway]

SP is an excellent machine for sheet metal work. Yep, 75/25 is the good stuff.

How do you like the Power Mig? I've been thinking about upgrading myself, I'm sure they've improved the small machines since I bought the old SP100.

[roger1]

I don't have the Power Mig. I was just saying mine has been discontinued and Lincoln superceded it with the 140C. My SP-135 Plus still works great.

[roger1]

It took me a while to make and weld in all the patches I needed. The first one was the small area into the trunk floor:





Next was the floor flange that I did in 2 pieces. First piece:



And 2nd:



Flange pieces welded in and finished off:



Then finally, the wheelhouse panel. I also did this in 2 pieces.
Both welded welded in:



And all finished:





I guess I'll tackle this same area on the other side next.

[dataway]

Very nice!
Whatcha got there for grinding, is that a Roloc with a flap wheel? Also, what are you using for cutting, a air-saw or cut-off wheel?

[roger1]

It is. I just bought a 10 pack of them from AutoBodyNow last week just to try them out.
I kind of like them and just ordered 2 more 10 packs. They do last longer than standard 2" discs and you get the benefit of using the edges as they round out some after using them for a bit.

For cutting, I do use cut-off discs. I've been buying the 3" stainless cutting discs from Roark Supply. The ones for stainless last longer.
This is a item you do not want to buy at Harbor Freight. Their discs are terrible and downright dangerous.

[roger1]

I started digging foam caulk in the trunk area out. Take a look at what I found here after removing caulk in the corner:



This separation and the splits had to have been this way when it left the factory and they just filled it all with the crappy caulk. Looks to me like the machine they used to bend and join the panels together splits them and they just fill with caulk and called it good.

The other side which isn't rusted has splits too but fit somewhat better. This is what it looked like there after removing the caulk:



I squared up the big rust hole to see what all I was going to have to do to repair it.:



It's interesting what the factory does here. There's a vertical flange that's part of the rear tail light panel that serves no purpose. It's not attached to anything and there is a gap between it and the quarter panel. They just filled that gap with foam caulk that traps moisture and promotes the rusting.
Here's a photo from the inside on the non-rusted one on the other side after I dug out all the foam caulk:



Next I cut off what was left of the flange with no purpose and I could see that the bottom part of the quarter that wraps under had to be cut out. I was hoping that wouldn't be the case but it was too far gone. I drilled out the spot welds and removed it.





I'll weld up the folds and splits when I restore this area. I guess I'll finish this process up before going to the p/s inner wheelhouse issue.

It does look like it will be just as bad as the other side was. I removed the caulk from above and see the rust in the floor just about the same and a rust hole in the brace on the underneath side.

[68ragtop]

Roger, do you have a finger style mini belt sander? Just curious because they are one of those tools that you cannot live without in fabrication once you have one.

I got one from a good friend & it quickly became one of my favorite tools

[roger1]

Originally Posted by 68ragtop

Roger, do you have a finger style mini belt sander? Just curious because they are one of those tools that you cannot live without in fabrication once you have one.
I got one from a good friend & it quickly became one of my favorite tools

I do not. Sounds like I need to consider getting one. I like the idea of an pneumatic versus electric. Eastwood has a couple and I just watched a video.
I think I like the 1/2" X 18" model they have.

[dataway]

Saw your flap wheels and ordered some myself, coincidentally the exact same brand. Been using the 3M sliver cutoff wheels, happy with them so far. Yes, huge difference in quality and longevity between the cheap stuff and the good stuff.

ragtop ... just got one of those a few months ago, definitely something that needs to be in the arsenal.

Some of those seemingly useless flanges were probably a necessity of the stamping process. The parts need a "flange" around the perimeter for the stamping press to grab so the metal can be stretched into the desire shape by the press. It's usually an additional process to put it in another machine that trims off the flange, which when possible they might exclude to save money. Then they probably fill those cavities to prevent buzzing, rattling or "tin-can" sounds. People like to hear a "thunk" more than a "tink"

[roger1]

I did this in 2 patches. First was the bottom where the quarter panel wraps under and is welded to the tail light panel flange. It was really important to get the shape of this patch correct. I made a template of the shape using the other side as a guide. I traced a line onto a piece of sheetmetal and when turned upside down can be used on the opposite side.
Here it is welded into place:





This is how I made the next patch:





I left the bottom edge a little long and will trim it off after welding.







I welded the bottom edge from inside the trunk.



I did have to planish using a hammer and dolly during the welding process and after the the welding was finished. Both to stretch back the shrinkage from welding heat and some in order to get the metal to fit the shape of the bottom edge. It's a compound curve and that has to be formed as it's installed. It was a bit of a challenge but I got it pretty well and I don't think I will need any filler but just some high build primer.

[Greg Reid]

Looks like you nailed it.

[roger1]

I took the following 2 photos of the rear of the d/s quarter panel back in October when I stripped the paint:





Not the best job of dent removal for sure. They had used a lot of bondo in this area that I had to remove also.
I reworked it today using a couple of different body hammers, dolly and body file and got it much better.





I also welded up the small holes that it had in the corner that I showed in a photo from a couple of days ago.



Both sides of this area are now done and I will move to repairing the p/s inner wheelhouse same as I did on the d/s last week. I wont post all the details on that since it will be pretty much the exact same process.

[Shiny]

Originally Posted by roger1

I took the following 2 photos of the rear of the d/s quarter panel back in October when I stripped the paint:
...

Your skills and speed are truly impressive - the posts are motivational so thanks for detailing your amazing work.

Your annihilation of the residual quarter panel damage is a reminder of my next bodywork learning opportunity... I think I can make this better but won't know until I try. I'll definitely ask for help when I get to it.