[tech69]

there's some real simple ways to cut out a patch and make a new patch. One way is to cut it out being mindful it comes out in one piece. Then file off the crap hanging off the edges, then you can lay it on top of new metal and trace it with a sharpie. The width of the tip of the sharpie makes up for the metal cut away with a cut off wheel. If you use a mini air saw to cut out the bad metal than the width of the tip of the sharpie may be too much and you'll be doing a lot of shaving to get it to fit. Anyhow, you then cut out your new patch and aim your cut off wheel on the side of the sharpie mark that leaves you MORE metal. Last, you bring the patch up to the hole and figure out where it needs to be shaved down and shave accordingly.

If the shape is pretty complex, measure how big your patch needs to be, lay it on top and hammer it into shape directly over the old rusted area(metal still intact), then lay it on top where it needs to be and scribe around it, and again cut on the side of the scribe that leaves you the most metal. The patch should be near perfect for the hole. If the complex shape is big then use self tapping screws and screw the patch in before hammering it into shape.

[carolinacustoms]

After reading my post I should clarify myself. The fillers I prefer recommend (z grip and rage) were not being recommended to repair the rust. Those are for finishing after the rust has been cut out and repaired with good metal. Filler is not a bad thing and will not cause any problems if the surface is prepared correctly and clean and if the filler is not too thick. I keep filler to a maximum thickness of 1/8". If it needs to be thicker than that you need to get the hammers and dollies out.

Kelly

[bigdog7373]

Id cut the the rust out in shapes that are easy to work with, even if that means you take some good metal with it. It's much easier to cut out a rectangle and weld it in place than it is to have curves and circles and stuff.

[tech69]

so true. I have learned from the start to cut rectangles/squares but the other day I had to fabricate a patch for a quarter that someone else cut out. It was cut out like a Nike Swoosh logo. It was pretty difficult to trim up so I stopped myself from perfecting it while holding it up to the hole so I left it a tad long and just started tacking and shaving as I go. the weird shape made it a nightmare to cut and match.

edit: I guess I should note in my original post when I said "complex shapes" of the patch I'm talking about the contours of that area, not how you decide to cut it out. I always try to cut it out the same, as a rectangle or square, with slightly round edges.

[69 widetrack]

"Daniel C", excellent work and great advice..."79bird", look at those images over and over again, this is one case where a picture is worth a more than a thousand words...typing or spoken.

Kelly, also great advice...practice on scrap metal before you start welding on the body, 79bird, yes, have the fellow that you borrowed the welder from to show you how and get tips from him. Even when I get a new welder or use a different welder I don't just go welding, I try it on a piece of scrap, every welder is different.

And "bigdog7373" Thanks for reiterating your feelings on having a vehicle full of filler, a person can never get enough reinforcement when it comes to doing it right.

Thanks All

Ray

[zmaxmotorsports]

Bondo is for fine tuning,not sculpting body panels!

[Chevymon]

Originally Posted by bigdog7373

Id cut the the rust out in shapes that are easy to work with, even if that means you take some good metal with it. It's much easier to cut out a rectangle and weld it in place than it is to have curves and circles and stuff.

I agree that its easier to cut, but when welding it can make it more difficult in the corners because of heat build up causing more distortion.

An accurately positioned patch panel, a metal scribe, and set of quality tin snips should give exellent results on most shapes.

Using Tin Snips - YouTube

Using Tin Snips - YouTube

[bigdog7373]

Originally Posted by Chevymon

I agree that its easier to cut, but when welding it can make it more difficult in the corners because of heat build up causing more distortion.

The corners should be slightly rounded. Forgot to state that but i thought it was kinda obvious. There shouldn't be any distortion if it's welded correctly. Just put a sport weld every inch or two to start. Make sure the heat is appropriate for the metal too.

[tech69]

also helps to overlap your welds once you get a few tacks all around and it's flush everywhere. The old weld will dissipate heat and give you a generally cleaner outcome and less areas you missed.

[carolinacustoms]

I had to make make a few patch panels for a 55 chevy I am working on so I figured I would share a few pictures of how it can be done with minimal tools. All I used to make this patch for the right side outer rocker was:mig welder, bench vise, body hammer, tin snips, electric cut off grinder with a 3" wheel, and a few pairs of vise grips. I used a scribe but a fine point marker would work too. Now mind you this was aimed at the less experienced and toward the home garage, or less equipped shop. I know this is not the best tools for the job or the faster way of making this repair, but I wanted to show that it doesn't require a lot of expensive tools to do this. I apologize in advance, I forgot to take pictures after I got the piece cut out and when I finished welding before grinding, but I think it will still get my point across. Hope it may help someone.
the vise with a few pieces of angle iron for a make shift metal brake.
The place to be repaired
The first bend was a 90 degree flange to match the pinch weld and give a starting point to clamp
making a few final bends at the "metal brake"
The final results
final fit testing on a good piece of the rocker
after welding and grinding, ready for a light skim coat of filler to take care of any imperfections

Again I am not saying this is the only way to do this or the best way to make a panel, but I wanted to show it could be done with minimal tools and a little out of the box thinking if someone doesn't have a lot of tools. Again hope this helps someone. Best of luck to you all

Kelly

[tech69]

great work. Crazy thing, I just did a patch in the SAME area and it was also on a 55 Chevy but it didn't have to go to the flange. I just held it up and hammered it into the old metal with a plastic mallet. I guess that bracing inside the rocker that caused the rust on the 55 I'm working on caused the rust on yours too. Did it get a portion of your inner rocker too? It got a little area of the inner on the one I'm working on.

[carolinacustoms]

I had to make a panel for the other side too in about the same place just not as big. And yeah I have about a 2"X2" place on both inner rockers I will have to address as well. There is a brace between the inner and outer rocker in that area that apparently catches dirt and water causing the rust out. But I can't complain, this is as solid of a trifive as I have ever worked on. The owner bought the car in 67, drove it for a few years and got drafted to Vietnam. He parked it in a barn and it sat there until a month ago when he decided to restore it. It only had rust in the rockers and floor pans. We replaced the left quarter due to a bad repair on a previous accident. It is coming along nicely though. I'm glad to finally have it on the rotiserrie that is the best thing anyone has ever invented

Kelly

[zmaxmotorsports]

Originally Posted by carolinacustoms

I had to make make a few patch panels for a 55 chevy I am working on so I figured I would share a few pictures of how it can be done with minimal tools. All I used to make this patch for the right side outer rocker was:mig welder, bench vise, body hammer, tin snips, electric cut off grinder with a 3" wheel, and a few pairs of vise grips. I used a scribe but a fine point marker would work too. Now mind you this was aimed at the less experienced and toward the home garage, or less equipped shop. I know this is not the best tools for the job or the faster way of making this repair, but I wanted to show that it doesn't require a lot of expensive tools to do this. I apologize in advance, I forgot to take pictures after I got the piece cut out and when I finished welding before grinding, but I think it will still get my point across. Hope it may help someone.
the vise with a few pieces of angle iron for a make shift metal brake.
The place to be repaired
The first bend was a 90 degree flange to match the pinch weld and give a starting point to clamp
making a few final bends at the "metal brake"
The final results
final fit testing on a good piece of the rocker
after welding and grinding, ready for a light skim coat of filler to take care of any imperfections

Again I am not saying this is the only way to do this or the best way to make a panel, but I wanted to show it could be done with minimal tools and a little out of the box thinking if someone doesn't have a lot of tools. Again hope this helps someone. Best of luck to you all

Kelly

I like it,id take a good ol blacksmithed panel over some stamped out piece anyday,thats what makes a true craftsman in my book anyway.
Ive done some of my best metal fabbing work over the years on my old home made anvil and the big ol piece of pipe concreted in the ground in front of shop is perfect for forming curves in flat pieces of tin.
Ive actually got an English wheel sitting in the corner that collects dust while Im always using that old pipe to bend things against,as soon as wife decides where she put my picture discs Ill post some pics of the hand made body panels on my kids 29 coupe body.