chasing pinholes. it worked...and didnt

glhx · #1 (**permalink**) 10-26-2010, 11:26 PM

I have successfully filled in around 200 small pin holes on the roof rail of my 69 dart. I have only done the drivers side so far. The problem im having is in the grinding of the fill welds. They are so close together that when i grind them down they are paper thin and stacking on top of each other. This will invite rust and i will not be able to remove that rust. I could grind down the fill better but then i would be getting into the original metal. There are no patch panels for dart roof rails and the vinyl top killed it. The roof skin is off of the car and is completely rust free. These pin holes have not killed the structure too much. it still feels strong.

I have these pin holes just over the driver and passenger window at least 1.5 feet along the roof rail, and at the bottom of the sail panel seam on both sides.

Is there another way to deal with pin holes? I want this to last, that is why i wanted to fill it in with metaL. If it was on the floor board it wouldnt matter but this is on the roof rail and expensive primer and paint along with a vinyl top are going back on it. I dont want bubbles under the new paint

BarryK · #2 (**permalink**) 10-27-2010, 05:19 AM

Can you post a few pictures?

I think there are a number of us on here, that have been in same situation and may be able to offer a few different ideas.

Really need to see some good pictures to start offering advice.

glhx · #3 (**permalink**) 10-27-2010, 01:21 PM

The problem is keeping the rust out of the ground down area where i fill welded the back side......and the front side. I will be epoxy primering it to seal the metal from moisture except in the area where i will be welding the roof on

glhx · #4 (**permalink**) 10-27-2010, 01:23 PM

of the donor roof and the original that is still on the car......that roof skin is now off of the structure so all the rust is gone

glhx · #5 (**permalink**) 10-27-2010, 01:27 PM

here is the outside of the welded roof rail. I have not welded on this side as it is the side that will show on the car. I have been welding on the inside that wont be shown, but i still want no rust in there. once the roof is on i wont be able to get to it to repair it if it rusts.

glhx · #6 (**permalink**) 10-27-2010, 01:33 PM

here is the inside where all the welding was done. most of the pin holes are filled. When ground down they mushroom and flatten the welded metal. i dont trust this to not re-rust. it seems porous and imperfect. if i put any chemical in there it will be hard to get it out. I dont have a sand blaster. It looks to me to be strong and feels strong.I used setting c on the welder with wire speed 3.
It took some time to figure out how to weld this thin metal. i started with low heat but it didnt work. The other roof rail if fill welded wont be this messy and doesnt have as many holes. i created and had to fill more holes due to not knowing what i was doing. Once i figured it out they started to fill and not creat new holes. must have 10 hours in fill welding.

how can i make sure this doesnt re-rust

glhx · #7 (**permalink**) 10-27-2010, 01:37 PM

here is the other side. there is no caked rust in those pin holes. this side has not been touched yet. Can i do anything different for this side than i did on the otheror is the way im repairing it ok.

glhx · #8 (**permalink**) 10-27-2010, 01:42 PM

here is the sail panel. i might be able to make a piece to weld in there. or i can fill weld there too. I just need to figure out a way to seal up where i welded so it doesnt re rust in the imperfect areas. its probably rusting right now..............With the roof rail The shape would take making complex metal work that i dont have the skill to do yet. if any one has roof rails for sail i would just weld them in and patch it. the rest of the roof is ok

glhx · #9 (**permalink**) 10-27-2010, 02:03 PM

I also wish i could figure out a way to keep this roof from re rusting surface rust. as you can see in the pictures it already has.Ive heard of picklex 20 and all the other acid based rust removers working well............but ive heard people dont like to use them, because they make epoxy primer not stick. Is there any way to use picklex 20 for now and then remove it when im ready to primer. any ideas. I used naval jelly and it removed all the rust. 2 days it was back and ill have to apply it over again. i used thinner to remove it. i know epoxy primer doesnt like thinner coated metal. so u hit it with 80 grit in the past and it stuck just fine. can i do this with picklex 20

glhx · #10 (**permalink**) 10-27-2010, 07:04 PM

Never done any of this before I'm new at

BarryK · #11 (**permalink**) 10-28-2010, 05:34 AM

Man, I'm out of my league here!!!

Although it looks like an easy weld on with new metal, from what I see.

Hopefully one of the bodymen pros on here, will help you out.

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