Guest iskone Posted May 31, 2006 Share Posted May 31, 2006 I've done my searching but I don't know couldn't find this. I have to repair a fender to bolt onto my 72' it has some rust and the fender off of my 72' is perfect except where it was hit. Plan is to cut both at the lower body line then make the welds. The bad fender is only bubling (bad) not rotted all the way through, but the bolt area got a little damaged upon removal. What is going to be best way to do this? I know lap welding is suppose to be easier but how does the finished product turn out? Does one method end up needing more clean up? Should I try to make the repair in a smaller area? Isk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JAMIE T Posted May 31, 2006 Share Posted May 31, 2006 I butt welded mine. It looks perfect now. I didn't use a patch panel. I left the edges so that I didn't have to cut off the mounting flange and the rolled edge. I just cut a little ways away from the rust in a square shape and formed a piece of 22G over my leg. I cut it to fit the hole I'd made and butt welded it in place. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brad-ManQ45 Posted May 31, 2006 Share Posted May 31, 2006 I would imagine that most would sy butt weld it. That's what I will be doing when I get around to it... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest iskone Posted May 31, 2006 Share Posted May 31, 2006 Well, I'll try to buttt weld it first. I'll take a look at just repalcing a small sction buy my thoughts were replacing the whole bottom section would be easier since the good fender it a perfect fit. Isk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
78zlt1 Posted June 1, 2006 Share Posted June 1, 2006 Butt weld is the way I would go, overlapping seams will be prone to rust. Goto Harbour Frieght and get these clamps, Cheaper than the ones at Eastwood. They will keep the correct gap and the panels aligned. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Heuristicism Posted June 2, 2006 Share Posted June 2, 2006 Butt welding is the way to go. First off, all pro's do it this way. Ok, that being said, Lapp welding can be ok (don't flame me) for the inexperinced welder. BUT you MUST use a Fiberglass (and only a fiberglass) fill to ensure no leak thru. It will come back to haunt you if you do not do this right. If you decide to do this route, please do more research..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest iskone Posted June 2, 2006 Share Posted June 2, 2006 I think I want to use those clamps to get the job done but I have a time frame I'm trying to meet. I have to have my car BACK in the body shop by Monday so I can hopefully have it back within 2 weeks. Last time they said it would be "just a couple days" it was almost 2 months. Haven't tried anything yet because I'm rewiring my breaker nad it keeps raining. I have just a carport and that is the only palce I can work. I don't want to wire or weld in the rain. Isk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clint78z Posted June 2, 2006 Share Posted June 2, 2006 At first lap welding seems easier, it's a bit misleading though. Lap welding is actually harder to weld between the two. It will favour one edge and is hard to get the penetration in the proper place. Take all your time with fitup of a zero gap buttweld and welding seems a whole lot easier. It you have big gaps in a butt weld it's almost impossible. FIT UP, spend the majority of your time there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SHO-Z Posted June 2, 2006 Share Posted June 2, 2006 Lap welding might look easier but the body work is more difficult. I had both on my convertible project. It seamed just about the time I had everything smoothed out I would expose a seam on a lap weld connection and have to redo the area. Butt welding is the best way to go. Take your time and weld in about 1 to 2†lengths at a time. This will eliminate warping and reduce burn through. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AK-Z Posted June 5, 2006 Share Posted June 5, 2006 butt joint it. do a pass of spot welds grind and fill in with braze, it uses less heat. Only for non structural pieces like lower fenders and maybe door skins. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spotfitz Posted June 5, 2006 Share Posted June 5, 2006 I would have loved to see this done on my Z(opposite side though) when my body work was being done. I asked the body shop to fix an improper previous repair and I got an even worse improper repair. So, you mean to tell me that lap jointing and then using rivots isn't the professional way to do it. Then just glob on body filler to smooth it out, and then stand back and wonder why the spoiler does fit properly? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Heuristicism Posted June 6, 2006 Share Posted June 6, 2006 Spotfitz- there are some very shady bodymen out there. Everyone I know is always looking for the best deal when it comes to having work done on their cars. I have seen some overpriced/poor repairs even by the 'quality' shops around here. I subscribe to the do it yourself and have no one else to blame philosophy myself. I think the old saying "you get what you pay for" is usually true... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spotfitz Posted June 6, 2006 Share Posted June 6, 2006 Sorry for the hijack iskone, just goes to show it's usually best to do all you can yourself. Personally, I would just get another fender if that was possible. Considering I had done most of the body work to that point and just lost interest in the project because of the remaining body work needed, I dropped it off at a body shop to finish it up. I know $2k isn't much when good paint jobs are concerned, but to me thats a chunk of change. Since I stripped the car to nothing but a steering wheel, emergency brake handle and suspension and prep'ed all the interior, I thought $2k would have gotten me a pretty good job. Considering "where" I dropped it off I would have expected alot more. I will not mention the place I got it done, but lets just say they are very familiar with Z cars. As my lawyer told me, I guess I'm to nice of a guy and seem to be a push over. We'll see. 3 months of it sitting in my garage while I put it back together and the paint started yellowing. Old hardner, cheap materials, dirty gun I don't know. I just know it will have to be repainted. At that time I will probably have to repair the previous repair and paint it myself. After all is said and done and given the response I got when I said it needed to be repainted this may end badly for all parties involved. I am a firm believe in you get what you pay for and even more of a believer in "If you want it done right.." I usually outsource only the things I don't have the means to do, like powder coating and machine work. I've had an oven sitting in my garage for 3 years now, but almost everything I wanted powdercoated was to big for it so...I have atleast $400 in just powder coating just at this point. Still have more to go. And the never ending project continues as it always will, slowly but surely. I coming for your record Pete! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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