I'm picking this up from a friend
for next to nothing
due to the rust as u can see
my plans are on cutting the whole license plate area out
and welded a piece of sheetmetal right over
and then use MINIMAL amount of bondo
would my idea work well?

TIG or MIG? would be best

also when i cut it out and remove all the rust should i spray anything to prevent the inside area from rusting outward
thanks

 

Tig would be better because you can control the heat better but you could also mig it. Either way you are going to have to "massage" the metal with a hammer and dolly. Yes there is stuff to spray behind the metal. My body guy uses it but I can't remeber what it is called. Your local paint supplier should have this stuff. It will rust without it.

 

would some anti-rust paint and/or anti rust primer do it?

 

POR......restoration guys use it. It encapsulates rust, but its not for exterior panels. You can brush it on, or spray it.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Mistermark &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">would some anti-rust paint and/or anti rust primer do it?</TD></TR></TABLE>

Not sure about that. This stuff is weldable, you spray it on the back before you weld the panel on.

 

it would be easier to just get a new hatch/tailgate...

 

Mig would be my choice and then use body solder to seal it, then primer and paint and rustproof the behind.

 

Here is a pick of mine I did myself it takes alot of time because of the contour of the tailgate I have about 100hours in my just so it looked perfected and if you want to get rid of the rust you want to grind all the rust and either fillit with filler or use new sheet metal. One thing I also did when I was restoring my whole car most of the rust that I had was under all the body panel and I used a bead blaster. Just my to sences.

 

awesome hatch WadeH
just wondering if i understand u correctly
did u fill the license plate area with filler before u welded sheetmetal over ?

 

how did u make the imprint for the liscense plate in the rear bumper

 

I should read the post more carefully next time...*i am an ***!*

That shaved hatch looks amazing!

 

DONT TIG IT

Proper way is to mig it. I forget the technical reasons why, but you will more than likely warp it with a tig. Use a mig and so tons of little tacks. Space them out 2" apart and keep going around till you ahve a solid bead of tacks. I have been to many bodyshops and have done a few 1/4 panel replacements on old mustangs and camaros and MIG is the way to go.

Well, oxy/acyl is the way to go with a good torch (henrob torch or similar) with a rod. The welds stay soft and allow you to hammerweld. When you weld, the metal will shrink and hammerwelding compensates by restretching the metal out. Basically you do a small 1/2" seam then use a hammer and dolly to flatten it out. Follow that up with a grinder and the welds come off easy and smooth.

 

This board has some great info for building old cars but here is a thread that really shows about gas welding and its advantages as well as making a simple patch panel

http://www.jalopyjournal.com/f...32050

 

yea also
how did u make the licenseplate area in the bumper, im guessing more custom work

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by 8mpg &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">This board has some great info for building old cars but here is a thread that really shows about gas welding and its advantages as well as making a simple patch panel

http://www.jalopyjournal.com/f...32050</TD></TR></TABLE>

great link, I just wasted a few hours reading a bunch of threads over there

 

It looks like he cut out a tag pocket from maybe an integra or something, and plastic welded it to fit...thats how I would do it. You can do wonders with TPO. Unless its a custom glass bumper..either way very doable

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by WadeH &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">I have about 100hours </TD></TR></TABLE>

Good learning experience


Use card, cut a piece that fits exactly.. (i mean exact) trace to some 18ga, then fit it in there.

Use a gas mig.. And tack each corner, then between each tack, spread the heat out.. or it will warp a bit and you will need to use more bondo .

Just weld a bit at a time.. a few tacks together, then a few tacks on the other side to keep it all mildly cool.

Oh yeah, and to ge tthe contour, its going to be very hard with such a large piece, use long hair fiberglass filler to build it up (get good quality filler).

Then some bondo over the filler once its almost high enough.. bondo is far easier to sand.

Body fillers when used PROPERLY are excellent tools.. Its just alot of people fill rust holes with them.. give fillers a bad name due to mis-use. Fillers are used for building up, not patching things, they must adhear properly.

Goodluck

 

You can buy heat blocker gel, that contains the heat within the welded area for less warpage....works great

 

I made the frame in the bumper with fiber glass it took about 80hrs to get it too look right. Also you want to us a mig because of the warping of the sheet metal. Also you make stitch welds not tag welds is you tack it. It will crack the body filler. The hardest part you have to do is that you need to keep the contour of the tailgate at the top of it . Its rounded and its hard to keep the contour and lots of people try to us a DA but you need to us a sand block only! It take time but it will turn out great if you have any futher questions go ahead and PM.