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scared,nervouse.should should i not

985 views 4 replies 5 participants last post by  evltwin 
#1 ·
Hello everyone ive got a queston.On my 66chevelle there has been some bondo work done around the rear wheel wells and im wanting to get it painted in a few months and i was wondering how hard it is to cut that section out and put in a replacement panel.Ive never done that before and dont really know what all would be involved.I do have a mig welder and very little welding experience.Do you think that i should try this or leave it to some one who knows what there doing which aint no one around this area i know of.I would be more than happy to try it on something else if i had it but on my chevelle, that would be like doing surgery on your first born.Just kidding but it is scary to start out on.Anyway if anyone wants to give the run down on what is involved and the skill level needed i would be thank full.
 
#2 · (Edited)
ChevelleNut,
Is the rusted area above the wheel well or does it include the fender lip? If it includes the lip area, I think it's a little too advanced for you. If it is the area above the lip, use a 3" cutoff wheel and get rid of the bad area. Cut a piece of 18 g to fit the hole(shape to body contour). Tack weld the piece in. then apply more tacks, 2 ' apart(to dissipate the heat, we don't want warpage), keep going around the perimeter to fill up the weld. after the weld is completely filled, grind, body filler, primer..and you are done.
AngliaBob
 
#3 ·
Body shops discard fenders that are too labor intensive to repair. Ask the shop forman and you can probably drag a few of them home to practice on. Don't forget to remove paint from both sides of the weld area. You can practice metal bumping and bondo work on the samples too. New fenders might be a bit thinner than on an old Chevelle. If you master the thinner ones, you will have the skill mastered.
 
#5 ·
What ever you decide to to do I would use a layer of marglass or some other type of resin with fiber glass as a first coat of filler. I believe these products are not only stronger then just bondo but will resist moisture from the back of the panel from penetrating through to the bondo. Bondo is not water proof and has a problem with absorbing water. Once that happens it will bubble much quicker. I use the marglass first to protect the bondo from the moisture one the back side. The paint protects the front side.

If you decide to weld practice first.
 
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