Patch repair

4x4M38 · Post by **4x4M38** » Fri Jun 27, 2014 9:23 am

Now I will preface what I am about to say with this. I am in the pipeline business. I have seen pipeline welders make welds that will pass x-ray inspection in the rain, snow, sleet, sunshine, night, standing up, laying down, upside down, hanging in a bucket on the side of a tank and the ultimate are underwater pipeline welders. So I have some small basis for my next comment.

The guy that did this was no welder.

Instead of doing any body metal repair at all to the dents and bends, and then deciding to tack on a piece of sheet behind the fording cutout, he then layered on 3/8" to 1/2" of Bondo and then smoothed, sanded, and painted that mess.

I have it all off the area now. Trying to decide whether to remove the patch and correct the cutout before any metal work, or try and do some sheetmetal work first.

I can't imagine how much money in Bondo Bubba put in this thing. The left front fender has about 3/8" of Bondo layered into a dished area that could have simply been pounded out from underneath. He might have used a cupful to then level it instead of the quart.

MODIFIED · Post by **MODIFIED** » Fri Jun 27, 2014 9:54 am

shame there is no practical remedy for recycling or the repurpose of spent bondo.

Bretto · Post by **Bretto** » Fri Jun 27, 2014 10:01 am

I would remove the patch, dress up the native steel then if the opening is too rough to try to repair (which it looks to be), cut it all out and weld in a proper patch then make the intake/power cutout.

4x4M38 · Post by **4x4M38** » Fri Jun 27, 2014 12:09 pm

That's easy for you to say, I've seen your work!
LOL!

Probably the right way to go. Just concerned about removing that nasty patch then trying to straighten the sheetmetal, and having it move all over creation without that plate to hold it back. I know, tap, tap, heat, apply wet cloth, let cool...lather, rinse, repeat.

I will need a little bravery in a can before I try welding. Removing that patch won't be so hard.

No kidding about the Bondo. I am just thankful the EPA hasn't discovered that stuff yet!

oilleaker1 · Post by **oilleaker1** » Fri Jun 27, 2014 7:43 pm

Production Bodywork is called: "Cave It, and Pave It!"

4x4M38 · Post by **4x4M38** » Mon Jun 30, 2014 3:07 pm

Brett, et al.,
I guess I'm going to have to take your suggestion.

After I removed enough bubble gum and Bondo and straightened the hood enough to lay the template out on the side, I marked the cut out with a black Sharpie.

As you can see the area to be cut out is smaller than the area Bubba bubble-gummed and burned out with his rod. I also found a few blow throughs and pinholes above the cutout area so may have to extend the patch higher which may necessitate rolling the top of the patch a bit to match the radius of the hood.

Joy.

Bretto · Post by **Bretto** » Mon Jun 30, 2014 3:41 pm

Cut the whole area out square and start fresh. Looking at those goopy welds will make the job seem harder than you think it will be.
Also make your pics bigger! Go to your photopage where the pics are bigger, right click a pic then choose copy image location and use that.

4x4M38 · Post by **4x4M38** » Mon Jun 30, 2014 5:50 pm

Yep, square just like you did with your "logo" hood.
I will put this on the back burner for now until I get my
paws on a welder. So much more to choose from.

I wasn't sure if I could paste a photo. The ones I've been copying
the url's have been pretty small.