i need to patch some floor pans and body panes,
whats the size and thickness of steel i should get?

 

cut the old ones out and find replacement panels and use them

 

no,

 

why not?????

 

how big are the holes? we used 16ga steel to patch the stuff in my fathers car.

 

why not? you ask becuz the it cost less and i like to know i did things cheap that turn out awsome

the holes arent as bad as they look,

 

WOW!! I hope its not as bad as it looks, Cuz to me it looks pretty bad.

 

Dude...

Thats pretty bad...

I have a 65 Plymouth Fury that hadn't ran in 30 years that was from Michigan... And it is just now BARELY getting to that point of cancer.

I would seriously look into a used fender.

 

DUDE...thats a quarter...not just a fender...

 

Good luck, might want to consult a body repair shop, or seek out a part of a new QTer pannel, it would be easier to just to out and cut that part out of another car, thats wrecked or something, and then weld in a less visible spot and smooth out from there. Luckly my rust has been isolated to inside the fender wells, exept for this line that runs with the seal above my windshield

 

its not as bad as one might think, the GFX cover more then half of that up, im just going to cut weld and por-15 behid there....

 

The GFX cover it, so it cant be very bad. I love that line of logic.

Thats like saying, "Yeah I have a nic 750 carb, and a victor jr intake on top of this engine. It covers a bone stock 305 so it cant be very bad"

 

WOW!!!!!!!
That car is a piece of ****. How do you let something get THAT bad?

 

So basically what you're after is making the car look nice, but not actually having a nice car.

Well I suppose that might be a goal for some people.

 

it well be super nice when its done, this is MN remind you! the owner before me drove it 1 winter...so whatever... what's funny is you bash me for taking it upon my self to fix something that really isn't that bad i ask what size and thickness steel should i use, not for your opinions

 

yeah but if your gonna fix it you should fix it the right way not jury rig it and hope that it will last

 

jury rig nothing here gets jury riged!
*** damn doesnt anyone here me out!

 

These guys just want you to get it done right, perfect or professionally.... If your car isn't a show car (i'd guess it isn't), and you don't require it to last 20 years, i'd just do it anyway you like...

I had rust there, not that bad, a small piece of GFX bolted in front of the rear wheels covered it up... so when I removed it, chunks of rust fell out... I just used Rust-not (like por15), on the inside, after grinding all around, then used fiberglass mat and resin. remember, fiberglass will never rust. I used 2-3 layers I think, it's stupidly strong. then fiberglass reinforced bondo, since it's waterproof.

If it's covered by GFX doesn't really mean anything, except that it'll be easy to start to rust again, so do a good job sealing it.
however, the reason behind welding/fiberglass or JB welding metal in, is if it's STRUCTURAL. that's the question you want to ask. if it is, you'd have to weld. I don't THINK that is structural, but I don't really know what i'm talking about here... like I said I just fiberglassed it...

in answer to your original question:

You could just buy a sheet of 16-18AWG sheet metal, use and angle grinder and cutting wheel to cut out all the rust (into a square hole, that's easiest...) then cut a piece to fit that. paint with weld-through primer, then weld the piece in. then fiberglass reinforced bondo (waterproof remember, it's best to use it in rust prone areas), and prime/paint etc.

 

I would use fiberglass... Metal will just rust again.. No matter how good of a job you do.. My guess is that is was perfect when it was new.. Now look at it...

-Matt

 

You don't fix metal with fiberglass
You going to have to cut all that cancer out and replace with correct thickness metal, I't looks like your going to need a couple different thicknesses, you will have to measure to old and then find the right stuff, then you will need a good metal brake to form the bends. Be sure to coat with a good rust inhibitor after all the welding.

 

Geez, you guys must not get much snow where you're from.. That really isn't too bad, nothing a bit of 16 gauge sheet metal wouldn't fix.. I really can't believe you guys are suggesting a new quarter panel... You'd make waaaay more of a mess trying to put a new quarter on than just putting a small peice of sheet metal in there.. When I say mess, I mean using a pile more fiberglass and bodyfill..

Anyways, grid down around the area, cut all the rust out, make up a new peice out of 16 gauge (or whatever is closest to the orig thickness) that will overlap the original panel by about 1/2" all the way around.. Tack weld it about every inch or so, don't use too much heat because it will warp it all to hell and you'll make yourself more work.. After that, grind all your welds fairly smooth and tap in the seams where you welded them.. Take some fiberglass and cover the seams, sand or file flat, apply a coat of body fill and file it down, then apply some 2 part putty (or body glaze) and finish sand.. Apply 2 - 3 coats of primer allowing each to flash off, and then block with 320 in about 4 hours.. Finish with 500 (if going with base clear) and cheack for pin holes.. Nothing worse than pin holes..

Good luck..

Cheers,

 

_easiest_ is to cut out that section out of a JY car and weld it in.

Most likely it’s 22 or 24 ga steel

Around here (MD) I’ve seen cars scrapped for less then that. That would fail our safety inspection (for that matter ANY rust on the quarters/fenders automatically fails). OTOH, where I grew up (Buffalo) you fixed stuff like that every spring…

First, make sure that you cut all the rust out.

Second, I’d recommend cleaning all the paint off of the surrounding areas and treating it with a metal prep or even navel jelly (acid that will leave a coating of phosphorous). Before you weld your patch in make sure that everything that you can’t reach when it’s done has a nice coat of weld through primer on it. Personally I would cut the patch to fit and butt weld it, but if you want to do a lap joint (much easier for most people I would recommend hitting it with a flanging tool so it ends up all at about the same height. If you’re not confident with your welding some of the newer panel adhesives are really nice and work well.

FWIW, I would never do a lap weld in a location that is going to get any bright sunlight for 2 reasons: sunlight at an angle will show any repair imperfections instantly, and second, sunlight will heat the repair and any different weight steel pieces, any double thickness areas and any “mud” will expand at different rates and even if you have a PERFECT repair, when it gets warm you will see some funkiness/waviness in that area.

 

Whoaah there fella just because its a little rusty doesnt mean its worthless...count to 10 and lean back in your computer chair for a while....you guys are soo NEGATIVE toward people...

ok say hey man thats not a good way about doing it and heres how id do it and then shut up and let him do it how he wants a lot of you are bashing him like he started flamming you guys

CHILL OUT

 

 

Get a junkard car and cut the piece out weld in the new one or go to a crash parts place like out here we have certifit and keystone automotive got patch panel pieces basically a cut out contoured section of what you need and weld it in. I put new panels at the bottom of my sisters truck got the pieces for like 18 bucks then just took time to cut it out and weld and refinish the new seam, cant even tell its been done and her trucks black

 

last time I looked this was the FABRICATION board. Good *** calm down. If he wants to take the time to make a patch panel and make it look good, then it's his choice. Really good body guys can fab a panel about as quick as they can find a replacement panel. For alot of older cars, there just aren't replacment panels.

Take your time, weld slow, and 16-18 guage steel seems to be the closest to the original metal. Make sure you have a way to spray some rust proofing in behind the panel after your done welding in your panel be it made from sheet or cut out of another car. Your welding will burn off any type of paint on the backside of the panel.