metalguy541 Posted April 15, 2015 Author Report Share Posted April 15, 2015 12:45-2:15... clean edges.. finish trim for good fit on ends... go through the clamp/trim/tack along the horizontal weld... hammer n dolly as needed. Next up is to final weld the tacks... once that is done onto the verticles and finally the wheel arch then the trunk drop off spotwelds Any questions... just ask 4 Quote Link to comment
metalguy541 Posted April 15, 2015 Author Report Share Posted April 15, 2015 2:30-4:30 minus couple phone calls.. horizontal weld done with toxic fab #14 cup/.040 er70 rod 1/2" or so at a time... then dressed down to "mud ready".... but i will probably go back later n touch it up with hammer/doly since its stayin bare betal. 2 Quote Link to comment
Draker Posted April 16, 2015 Report Share Posted April 16, 2015 Shit! Welds.. what welds? That looks fantastic! 2 Quote Link to comment
metalguy541 Posted April 16, 2015 Author Report Share Posted April 16, 2015 Day 2 8:30-11:30... finish up the spot welds on trunk drop off, shave marker and lic plate lights And my "to do" list is complete... ready for pick up. Now i get to build some headers for a non datsun... then back onto the bluebird next week 6 Quote Link to comment
Draker Posted April 16, 2015 Report Share Posted April 16, 2015 Fantastic work man.. inspiring for sure. 1 Quote Link to comment
the510keeper Posted April 17, 2015 Report Share Posted April 17, 2015 Sweet, just got back to Datsunville after a trip to Vancouver and back, will b there to bring her home tomorrow 3 Quote Link to comment
Just Joel Posted April 17, 2015 Report Share Posted April 17, 2015 Wow... Extremely impressed 1 Quote Link to comment
mklotz70 Posted April 17, 2015 Report Share Posted April 17, 2015 Thanks for the pics of the process. I like how you have the patch clamped to the panel and cut it with the airbody saw so they match perfectly. I'm guessing you just bring the gap left by the sawblade? 1 Quote Link to comment
metalguy541 Posted April 17, 2015 Author Report Share Posted April 17, 2015 Yes... the gap is minimal if any using body saw. Sometimes i will use a .030 cut off wheel if i dont have "blade clearance" behind the panel. Also on a panel like this... i do the long horizontal weld first while the panel is loose and free to move. Allowing the panel movement helps control distortion. Since anytime you put heat to sheetmetal... it moves. 1 Quote Link to comment
mklotz70 Posted April 19, 2015 Report Share Posted April 19, 2015 That's a pretty thin cutoff wheel....I'll have to measure mine and see if any of them are that thin. That way the "in your face" straight line stays straight and any "discrepancies" or at the other edges?? Quote Link to comment
metalguy541 Posted April 20, 2015 Author Report Share Posted April 20, 2015 Had this been a repair where it was going to get body/paint.... i would have stayed further away from the body lines. Just personal preference.. i actually started out in the streetrod body/paint biz and evolved to the metal work side almost exclusively. So when i do repair work, i usually try to put seams where it will be most efficient for the next phase of a project. A lot more comes into play... such as access behind the panel to work any distortion that happens. No 2 projects are ever the same... im not affraid to try new techniques because its just metal and you can always replace it with more metal if needed. 1 Quote Link to comment
sebpv Posted April 20, 2015 Report Share Posted April 20, 2015 So I take by your comments that MIG welding isnt recommended for welding sheetmetal? Im about to fix some floor patches and Ive only successfully welded with MIG...and thick ass steel. Any preferred settings for a 220V stick welder? I might give it a try since we have all sorts of rods here Quote Link to comment
metalguy541 Posted April 20, 2015 Author Report Share Posted April 20, 2015 Mig welding is perfectly acceptable for floor pans and structural rust rapair. For example... the bluebird floor repair is all mig welded. When i get to the actual sheetmetal panel welding... i will tig weld it. Having said that... in some cases it is simply not practical to tig weld on outer panels... replacing spot welds.... if there is contamination behind, such as old seam sealer that is impossible to remove... or if there is porosity in the metal from surface rust. There are several guys who swear by either mig or tig being THE best way.... and it simply isnt so. Both are tools... and both will get you to the finished product. Both have pros and cons I learned a lot from an old timer who used to work for barris customs.... and to this day... he oxy welds sheetmetal panel work because he says he feels most comfortable with the process/results 3 Quote Link to comment
metalguy541 Posted July 24, 2015 Author Report Share Posted July 24, 2015 Time to update this thread... first up is some progress on the bluebird coupe.. lh floor/toeboard fab/install and lh rear inner rocker/lower wheel house derusting 1 Quote Link to comment
metalguy541 Posted July 24, 2015 Author Report Share Posted July 24, 2015 And next up is another 2dr 510 that belongs to another member here... battery rust in the frame rail... replaced the inner bumper reinforcement and the outer skin.. then the lower rad crossmember fabbed and installed... and the tail panel/lower valance removed... 4 Quote Link to comment
metalguy541 Posted September 17, 2015 Author Report Share Posted September 17, 2015 Time for another update.... how bout we start with finishing up the de rusting of the bluebird coupe....i missed taking pics of the rh side.... but same process as the lh side that i did remember to take pics of. 1 Quote Link to comment
metalguy541 Posted September 17, 2015 Author Report Share Posted September 17, 2015 After the rust repair was finished up... sent it out for some touch up blasting before the keeper came to take it home... 1 Quote Link to comment
metalguy541 Posted September 17, 2015 Author Report Share Posted September 17, 2015 Now onto matt's 510... finished up the futofab tailpan install and rockers. By far the best aftermarket panels you can purchase. I have a very negative opinion of another company's replacement panels... but i will keep it to myself. The wheel/tire combo needed some flairs.... and we wanted to do something different than what is normaly seen... im not gonna go into the details about exactly what is done... but the biggest thing is reshaping the outer wheelhouse to gain clearance and getting rid of the flat ridges that normally would hit the tire... anyway... more pics 1 Quote Link to comment
metalguy541 Posted September 17, 2015 Author Report Share Posted September 17, 2015 The lh A pillar had some poorly repaired damage... soooooooooooooo.... 5 Quote Link to comment
Draker Posted September 17, 2015 Report Share Posted September 17, 2015 This is easily one of my favorite threads on here. Thanks for sharing. 2 Quote Link to comment
Busta Nut Posted September 17, 2015 Report Share Posted September 17, 2015 Bad ass work guys!!! :thumbup: :thumbup: :thumbup: :thumbup: 1 Quote Link to comment
KoHeartsGPA Posted September 17, 2015 Report Share Posted September 17, 2015 FANTASTIC SKILLS!!! Quote Link to comment
UnderControl Posted September 17, 2015 Report Share Posted September 17, 2015 I'm going to pretend I never saw this thread and continue being happy that at least there is metal where there used to be air on my truck. 1 Quote Link to comment
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