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How should I repair this hole?

Dibbons

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I don't weld and the gentleman who I thought was going to repair this trunk gutter problem is no longer available. It's a little more extensive than the fotos show because I did a little more sanding and a second hole made its appearance (about a 1/4" from the first hole). I would like to make a permanent fix and I would like to not damage my less than two-year-old paint. Thank you.

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Welding is the permanent fix
If I couldn't weld. I would clean it up
From rust the best I could
wirewheel or blast
hit it with a rust converter
And use a small piece of sticky backed
Metal duct tape to cover the hole and Bury it in mud..
 
Fiberglass from the back side, a little plastic to make it perfect from the front
 
Panel bond. Amazing what you can you with it.
Bond a piece of metal on the backside then fill the front side.
 
moparmarks advice is the way to go with the car just painted. the 3M panel bond is very good stuff, you will want to cut out the rust and get to good steel, sand the back side of the gutter with 80 grit and ruff up the replacement piece also , glue and clamp overnight , finish off the front side the next day with a little filler, final sand with 320 or 400 , spot prime , once dry 400 wet on the primer once off the primer switch to 1500 wet onto the color for a few inchs each direction , blend in your color and polish it.
 
X10 on the panel bond (I like the 5 minute stuff)........ you can get real creative with it........the cat's out of the bag
 
I was going to cut it out it first, but thanks for the suggestions to back it up with metal/fiberglass behind first. I do have some 3M two part panel bond left over that I used to attach four stainless steel templates for my side marker light conversion (replaced the generic '72 side marker's with '71 style). I am glad I asked for advice before jumping into this and fortunate to have some good advice handy.
 
As much as I would love to see that get fixed by welding it's Just not feasible on this job, you'll burn your paint up! The advice above is what I'd go with back it with a metal tape then I'd use dura glass. to repair make sure you use alot of rust repair spry. And coat it after with a moisture barrier. Good luck I'll be doing that sake repair soon by welding though
 
If you are going through that much trouble you have already removed the paint just do it right and weld it no more damage if you can not weld let a body shop weld it in and you finish no big deal you will feel much happier
 
Whatever you do, make sure you get ALL the corrosion out, then epoxy prime. I would 'glass it if it were mine.
 
X10 on the panel bond (I like the 5 minute stuff)........ you can get real creative with it........the cat's out of the bag

never used the stuff yet
can i throw away the welder?
i would just weld in a patch if it was me.
 
never used the stuff yet
can i throw away the welder?
i would just weld in a patch if it was me.

no. dont throw away the welder....... but i'll tell ya what, its waterproof and anti corrosive. It has a place......... non-structural repairs such as gluing in a small patch is fast and easy..... no warping, no burning, no sparks......... try it, I have several panel bond miracles under my belt
 
Here are results of the 3M 08115 Panel Adhesive repair. I plan to finish up with Duraglas later this week. The fotos show (in order, I hope):
(1) Initial hole, (2) holes after sanding/naval jelly applications
(3) 24 gauge food-grade stainless steel templates (2)
(4, 5,) inside sanded areas down to bare metal
Note: The very small pink areas in some of the creases in the metal is leftover residue from no less than two applications of naval jelly.

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More progress fotos:
(6, 7) C-clamp and mini vice attachment points (4)
(8, 9) attached templates
(10) overflow/squish from adhesive that filled holes from behind (not meant to be a nasty reference!)

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Ya know, for years I've avoided fixing a few non structural areas on my car as well... after seeing this, might just try the panel bond.
 
Well, here is the finished product
foto 1: first application of Duraglass (sanded)
foto 2: added a little more Duraglass in the crease/overlap on topside
foto 3: three coats of RustOleum rusty metal primer
foto 4: two coats of RustOleum color coat.

I did not coat the Duraglass over with any Bondo, I figured there must be enough layers of stuff on there already and it does not need to have a mirror finish.
The color obviously does not match the Bahama Yellow finish but since I consider this more as an "experiment" than anything else, it will do for now and won't show with the trunk lid closed anyhow. Now I just need to glue back on the piece of trunk weatherstrip I very carefully removed earlier.

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Looks pretty good considering it wasn't welded. Hope it holds out for a long time!
 
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