Thread: panal replacement help

Tweet

on my '51 Chevy, I noticed the lower rear 1/4 peices are in need of replacement, there rusting out from the inside and are paper thin, so I'm going to get replacements for each side, what is the best way to do this, both of the other panals were rivited in place and then I put bondo over top, and block sanded off, should I do the same to this or should I cut out, flange and weld it?

You may also need to replace the inner quarter panels too. Depending on if your going to keep it or not would make that choice. If you plane on keeping it I'd cut out the old flange the replacement panel weld them in grind it down then fill sand prime and paint. I know its not that simple but welding in the panels is the best.

there is no inner 1/4 panal on this car, there is a wheel well but it is not bad. that's what I was thinking of doing, what kind of tool is best for flanging? I have several pairs of variouse pliers but I don't thing they will do it.

butt weld them or a small 1/4over lap with a small over lap you do not need any tools to do this

air powered flangers run about $60.00. I much prefer it to butt welding. Just take your time and skip around a lot so as to not build up excess heat and create warpage on the panels.

over laps? they hold dirt and water and you can see them from the back side. i butt weld alot of of body metal there is times were i did a small over lap but i do not care much for the tools or the pliers that step the panels they can raise a hi spot that you have to fill more if you just did a small over lap and used a hammer and dolly. some guys like filler i like my stuff flat and not much of any thing on it. this was the way i did it when i work at the body shops and it was faster for me to butt weld and less filler so less time but some guy like them step tools .it as alot to do with how nice you want it before any filler

To each his own, Pat. The fitting time on a butt weld is twice that of a flanged seam. I use metal to metal for the first coat of filler which seals out water and seam sealer or the back side of the joint. If the seam is worked properly with a hammer and dolly, it is no more apparant from the back side of the panel then a butt weld....... Actually if you tig or mig the flanged seam correctly it requires a minimal amount of filler. JMO, like I said, to each his own. No one method is bettor or worse then the other if done properly...

From my understanding,lapping the panel,will start rusting inside lap, even with seam sealer,touching the metal will make it rust from the inside, but im by no means a pro so take how you want

Most folks prefer to overlap because it's easier and stronger. One problem (that others have pointed out) is that you'll typically trap air and water and rust build up and work its way out. Another problem not mentioned is that if this is a body panel, you'll find it anywhere from hard to impossible to shape the overlap joint after it's welded. This means that if the any warpage occurs while installing (and some will), you'll have to add even more body filler since your hammer/dolly/shrinking disk/etc will do squat.

A butt weld is harder to do but worth the effort. Five years from now, when your paint job starts bubbling up around the overlap joint, you'll look back and wish you had done a butt weld.

Thanks,
PeterM

I put about 1 inch of overlap on my patch,tack it to the panel then take my small cut off wheel and run it through both the patch and the old panel, every few inches you can push the patch in flush with the body panel and weld it together, makes a nice perfectly fitting butt joint,quicker than flanging also

If I understand you right,,,,your buying lower section patch panels,,,,,maybe someone sells them 'pre-flanged'???

yep that's what they are, and everybody sells them pre flanged, but I would still have to flange the existing metal.

you never want to use any more of the repair panel than you have to use flanged or not. i use i very sharp thin scribe to make my lines to cut on for the butt weld and fit from there