Patch pannels?

[1981scottsdale]

hey everyone ive had to die down inside to deal with life but now that im back i got a serious question. so im pretty tired while im typing this so bear with me. so i bought some wheel well patch panels and i need to fix a bunch of rust spots on the wheel well that are pretty much non exsistant. has anyone done this and can give ma a hand with a really goo way to do this so i dont screw up the box or the pannels, thank you all!




Also so i dont have to start up another thread;
which exhaust system do you guys like on your 350's? i have a flowmaster 440 on my 04' silverado and i love the deep grumble of it, is there an exhaust that would do close to that for me? thanks for all the help

 

[89Suburban]

You talking about outside or inside the wheel wells?

 

[1981scottsdale]

Outside. I wish it took a picture of the pannels before I left home.

 

[cedens]

I believe he's talking about the typical over the rear fender rust or "gut rot" that square bodies are notorious for.

my 82 has it and I'm trying to tackle how to fix it, its got a couple rust holes the size of a bb with rust about the size of a dime around it. Go with New metal or start blasting it to see the extent of the rust then decide what direction to head in. I spoke to the previous owner wishes now he would have bought the undercoating spray when he bought it.

 

[Swims350]

simple really, but you need a cutting tool to saw the metal and trim it, and then some thing like a welder or something like panel bonding adhesive to attach it.

rivets won't cut it for a good looking long lasting job.

I say weld em but some use panel bonding, I hate it, tried it and you need a special applicator gun which aint cheap, plus you lap joint and in that case flanging pliers help a lot.

I did this on my dad's 84 and tried some panel bonding adhesive they said that's what it was, but later had others say No it's not panel bonding crap it's something else and thus why mine turned out badly.

ok now you don't "have" to cut out the entire patch penal area on your bed, you can trim your patch, that's what I did, o avoid body working the upper straight body line. I used a grinder to knock down around the rust, find good solid metal an inch away from any rust, squared and leveled it off with a square and level to make marks, tapes measure etc., cut it out using my el cheapo Wal-Mart cut off tool, then cut the patch to match, then this is where you can weld it, or leave it longer and flange it or your bed to make it sit flush to use bonding adhesive, or just butt weld it.

 

[cedens]

has anyone tried real rivets such as aircraft grade, i used to build assemblies for Cessna's those things have been riveted together for 60 years. I am wondering if you couldn't make a dollar dime patch (or similar) using flush mount rivets (real not cherry max rivets) proper countersink and rivet the backer plate then the plate to fill the removed bad section. you may have to use a little body filler to smooth it all out but it should be a strong and good fix.

The big difference on the 182 cessna it was aluminum skin and on the truck its steel skin, but its cheaper to buy a good rivet hammer, and some steel "bucking" bars along with a bag of flush rivets and a good metal countersink (one you can set the dept)

Personally i think i'll beg and badger my neighbor who has dirt track cars to help me do some weld up work. (and he's a pro welder)

 

[1981scottsdale]

Yeah like im a Welder by trade, so thats what i was thinking of doing was just welding them on. i just dont want to start cutting awway and end up screwing up these panels. i started to look at them again today. and i think im going to like mach up the pannel. and clamp er' down, take a sharpie and trace it. then cut on the line,bot the pannel and the box put some flat bar behind it then hold my pannel up to itand just weld er up. hoping that will work

 

[Swims350]

why would you need flat bar? you just but weld it and jump around doing tack welds to avoid warping it, another layer of metal behind would be a moisture catcher and rust starter.

they make magnets and other clamps to kind of hold it in place so you can have both hands free to weld it.

 

[foamypirate]

I would recommend cutting just inside of your marked line as well, so you have a little extra sheet metal left that you can shape to get that "just right" fit.

 

[1981scottsdale]

So today the day I'm going to try it. Now my buddy's uncle is a hot rod tech and he says when he does patch pannels just puts the pannel over top clamps it down and cuts through the metal and the pain so you domt have to screw round to gwt the pannel to line up it'll just fit in the hole you made so I think that's what I'm goimg to try to do. Wish me luck.

 

[TRokk]

We can wish you all the luck, and tell me about it. My 73 Passenger Floor Board just broke though while I was hauling a trailer. :/ life really likes to throw them curve balls. I am just looking for a used 1973 GMC Sierra 1500 Single Cab. Send a PM if you know anywhere in Wa where I might be able to find one.