Rusty Bowtie
General Category => GM Tech Questions and Answers => Topic started by: Rattiac on December 10, 2024, 10:19:20 PM
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Was hoping Sammons could chim in with his metal expertise.
Been looking for panels for the 32. I can find the cowl and (2-door) lower door panels. I figure I could buy 4 and cut em down to fit.
How is the best way to do these , butt weld or flange ?
I bought a air powered flange tool with hole punch from Matco years ago, still in it's box.
The rear wall lower panel is rusted out. I may have a pro tackle that.
Ford 4-doors have the same shape but nobody makes that panel .
Anyway im just planning far ahead as usual.
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Rattiac, be glad to help if i can. A pic of specific area you are working on helps with that. If your not real good with welding thin sheetmetal, the flange helps from warping, just remember to flange the upper panel in. Keeps and water/moisture from going under flange, gravity 😁. Those flange guns work great, love them. If your working up under the cowl and lower, id flange. A flange makes it pretty strong/stiff, factories used a lot of them in the 60-70s on panels.
Was just talking with brother on a 73 RS Camaro he got. It needs a back taillamp/lower panel. I told him replace was easy peasy, but i don't have to think about it, i just do it. So i was giving him info on how. Lol, then i have to think how to put that into words.
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Here's those pics.
Passenger side. - rusted out all the way back.
Drivers side. - only Drivers door.
Rear quarters are toast too. Those will need a metal guy.
So since the car may not receive some attention for awhile, I bought it a gift.
Just ordered a pair of lower cowl panels from Filling Station and. .
2 pair of lower door panel from ebay.
Hoping to get back to work next winter.
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Glad you found/ordered parts. Too bad your so far away, wouldn't mind giving you a hand on that. Looking forward to your start, give a holler when you get back to it.
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Not sure how long "down the road" may be. Once I get these I'll post pic's. Would it be better to butt weld these in ?
I have a small mig and I'm better with the thin stuff on it.
Filling station gave me a call and said it's gonna be a few weeks to get the cowl panels from the supplier (make on demand) type situation.
Probably the same panels I'm seeing on ebay. Door panels are ebay, should be soon on those.
Also saw some inside door bottoms but priced high. Might as well buy a sheet metal brake.
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I'd say if your comfortable butt welding, go for it.
I'd start on the lower cowl panels, smaller area with bends, less chance of warpage and see how it goes. The doors are going to be more easily warped. I'd mark/scribe the 2 lower pieces, (one clamped in place on both ends of door), then cut the two and butt weld somewhere in the middle. If your cowl warped, i'd seriously think of flanging welding it to the door. Chasing a warp there wouldn't be fun.
Butt welding i use a close fit, 1/32" gap. Start with spot welds about an inch apart, then go back and forth spotting in between. You can use air gun to cool off each weld, or damp rag. Take your time on this to keep heat down.
When welding with flange, always bend flange on the upper "in". This will keep any water that gets in around window from running in the flange. You will need to seam seal/caulk around the edge anyway. Use weld thru primer on the joints.
Yep, a break is the way to go. I make most of my inners, usually can't find what i need or way to expensive anyway.
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I got another call from Filling station yesterday. Told me that the cowl panels was going to be drop shipped from the manufacturer and that shipping was going to run another $45. 🤨
I ordered from them cause parts and shipping was cheaper but they pulled this. I'll probably go through Ebay instead, it's who they are getting it from anyways. What a disappointment. I canceled the order.
Edit::
Another pair are on the way. Says they are in stock, We'll see.
While scrolling around, I found these cowl panels for the truck and they look very similar to what I need behind the rear fenders but it needs to be a bit more rounded under. 🤔 Hmm .could be a option