Underbody rust - repair
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From: ohio
Underbody rust - repair
My project car unfortunately has a bunch of underbody rust. How would I go about fixing this? Should I cut out underbody pieces from another 3rd gen and weld that to my car or would you recommend just sheet metal? If yes to the latter, what type?
What type of welder would I need?
Tips?
Thanks
What type of welder would I need?
Tips?
Thanks
Supreme Member
Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 13,414
Likes: 6
From: Central NJ, USA
Car: 1986 Firebird
Engine: 2.8 V6
Transmission: 700R4
I've done a bunch of welding posts before, use the <a href="search.php?s="><img src="images/top_search.gif" alt="Search" border="0"></a> button, search for "welding" by "TomP" in the "V6 forum" , and you can also search the "Body & Interior" forum. You'll find info on welders in those messages.
As to replacing that rust, I'd say just use regular sheet metal. Nobody's gonna go looking under your car to see if your original floorboards are there! And if they do look, they're too damn close, and they'd better get the hell away from the car because they're up to no good!
You can buy sheet metal at Home Depot in the hardware aisle. Make sure you buy steel and not aluminum. They sell some zinc-coated steel, but the zinc can give off poisonous gas when it's heated up by a welder, so either work in a very well ventilated area, or remove the zinc from the weld areas with a grinder.
Oh, what the hell, I'll do one search for you.
Not too much info in this post... maybe try choosing the body/interior forum for your search. Here's what I wrote in message https://www.thirdgen.org/techbb2/sho...hreadid=137354 :
Go on eastwoodcompany.com and go under their body and fender link, then under patch panel repair, and on the second page you'll see the no weld panel repair kit, number 31102.
As to replacing that rust, I'd say just use regular sheet metal. Nobody's gonna go looking under your car to see if your original floorboards are there! And if they do look, they're too damn close, and they'd better get the hell away from the car because they're up to no good!
You can buy sheet metal at Home Depot in the hardware aisle. Make sure you buy steel and not aluminum. They sell some zinc-coated steel, but the zinc can give off poisonous gas when it's heated up by a welder, so either work in a very well ventilated area, or remove the zinc from the weld areas with a grinder.
Oh, what the hell, I'll do one search for you.
Not too much info in this post... maybe try choosing the body/interior forum for your search. Here's what I wrote in message https://www.thirdgen.org/techbb2/sho...hreadid=137354 : Originally posted by TomP
Well to replace rear panels, you're going to need to weld. You can go for a fullblown MIG system, which costs a bit to get yourself started, or check out http://www.eastwoodcompany.com for their complete Firepower arc welding kit. Normally, arc welding is too powerful to do work on the thin body sheetmetal of a car, but the kit comes with two adapters to allow low-amperage work. Here's a link: http://www.eastwoodcompany.com/itemdy00.asp?T1=19266
I have a MIG setup.. the Lincoln Electric Weld-Pak 100 ($300), the gas conversion kit ($100), and a 40 cu/ft argon/co2 bottle ($100, $15 to fill with gas). Recently I added a $170 auto-dimming helmet to my tool list. (I recommend it!!! Makes welding much more precise!!!) So that's comparing $515 to $200 ... I wanted the first welder I bought to be my last. But if you're just going to do panel replacement, and then not weld for a while, this kit might be the way to go.
Eastwood also sells a no-weld panel replacement system, using a rivet gun, a flush-rivet tool, and special adhesive caulk, but it's mainly meant for small patch jobs, not replacing large (and structurally important) panels.
Hop to the "body & interior" board, and do a Search for "quarter panel" written by "TomP". You'll see my messages of what I'm planning to do, and see the picture of the 1/2 of Firebird that's in my backyard, waiting for me to weld it on.
Well to replace rear panels, you're going to need to weld. You can go for a fullblown MIG system, which costs a bit to get yourself started, or check out http://www.eastwoodcompany.com for their complete Firepower arc welding kit. Normally, arc welding is too powerful to do work on the thin body sheetmetal of a car, but the kit comes with two adapters to allow low-amperage work. Here's a link: http://www.eastwoodcompany.com/itemdy00.asp?T1=19266
I have a MIG setup.. the Lincoln Electric Weld-Pak 100 ($300), the gas conversion kit ($100), and a 40 cu/ft argon/co2 bottle ($100, $15 to fill with gas). Recently I added a $170 auto-dimming helmet to my tool list. (I recommend it!!! Makes welding much more precise!!!) So that's comparing $515 to $200 ... I wanted the first welder I bought to be my last.
But if you're just going to do panel replacement, and then not weld for a while, this kit might be the way to go.Eastwood also sells a no-weld panel replacement system, using a rivet gun, a flush-rivet tool, and special adhesive caulk, but it's mainly meant for small patch jobs, not replacing large (and structurally important) panels.
Hop to the "body & interior" board, and do a Search for "quarter panel" written by "TomP". You'll see my messages of what I'm planning to do, and see the picture of the 1/2 of Firebird that's in my backyard, waiting for me to weld it on.
Supreme Member
Joined: Oct 2001
Posts: 8,113
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From: NWOhioToledoArea
Car: 86-FireBird
Engine: -MPFI
Transmission: T5
Axle/Gears: 3:42
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