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57barnwagon
08-11-2016, 09:08 PM
any feed back regarding the best patch panels for the lower door and front fenders? Weld through primer?

MP&C
08-12-2016, 07:36 AM
Front fender lowers? make your own if possible...


http://www.trifivechevys.com/showthread.php/2942-Lower-Fender-Patch-Panel-fitment-and-welding


For door skins, some insight... A door skin, like much of the side-panel sheet metal, is made using a crown from top to bottom, with less crown in the middle, more towards the top. Formed using a multi-ton press, the shape put in by the dies is what holds this crown. Now some 60 years later, try cutting across through the middle of a door skin or quarter panel, and you'll see that cutting this shape that has been pressed into place will relieve tensions that hold that shape, where the sheet metal just above your cut line has now flattened out. Heat from welding (from one end to the other) causes shrinking, further compounding this issue. Unless you are on your game re: fitment, trimming ACCURATELY, planishing to remove shrinking effects, it is difficult at best to keep from losing the original crown of the panel. Non-stop fusion welds help tremendously, but most guys aren't adept at this process (TIG or O/A gas). Me either, so if your plans include a seam from one end to the other, consider using a full door skin as this limits your panel welds to 2 short welds at the base of the A and B posts of the door. On a quarter, consider using a full (as possible) quarter with the seam toward the top of the panel as this will hold the panels shape better. If you are just doing corners, use radius-ed corners as shown in the fender patch thread linked above to minimize shrink "stacking". As long as you have good room from behind for a dolly and stay away from the center (flattest area) of the door you should be able to manage the planishing effort. Be ready for some repairs to the inner door, the rust is seldom that selective to attack only one panel..

We chose to use new door skins, make needed repairs to inner door, media blasted / abraded both while apart and epoxy primered separately, then once dry we assembled and sealed the seam by pouring more epoxy in the bottom of the door. Practices like this really pay off in extending the life for the next 60..

57barnwagon
08-17-2016, 10:33 PM
thanks for the feed back