@ckessel My Hobart 135 requires quite a bit of finessing to weld thinner sheet metal. I actually start about 3/4 of an inch away from the target, pull the trigger as I move the welding tip towards the material. This is sort of like having a 3/4 inch wire stickout but the movement keeps the gas at the weld. This technique seems to work when I start blowing through the thin stuff. I have never tried Tig. It on my list of things to try.
68 Coronet Longroof
- Thread starter 64 Sportfury
- Start date
My MIG is a Lincoln Power Mig 215. I dropped down to the .023 wire and corresponding liner as a fix. Same story. Place I worked at some years ago had an ESAB unit similar to mine. I could weld on sheetmetal no problem with .035 wire. Currently have .030 in it. The TIG is going better, it's just been 3 years since I did any plus I'm in weird positions so I have to stretch out and toe the pedal. I have a finger control, no reostat-on/off only, on the machine but since I got a replacement under warranty, I only recently found the connection to the machine is different. Can't use it now. When I get a chance to upgrade my machines, I'm going to get a finger control that duplicates the pedal for amp control.
That's the thing with TIG I didn't quite understand. The toe pedal would make it difficult to access some areas where mig would shine. I didn't know there was a finger or reostat control option. I am using .023 and C25. So far, so good. I still have the torsion bar cross member and both front floors to tackle when I begin phase 2 of this resto. I just started her up after more than a year of sitting. Looking forward to driving the wagon again. This is one of the most comfortable classic car I have owned.
Today, like yesterday, I was stretched out in and out of the car with my boot toe on the pedal. Got about 80% welded, then ran out of Argon. Weird positions and not using a Tig for three years shows but less issues than the Mig. If I had the rheostat type finger control, it would be a big help. Next machine will have it.
I have gotten back to work on the wagon after some trips overseas. I have decided to forego the road trips with the stroker 390 after it began pushing water out the driverside tailpipe. I installed the 6.4 Hemi using the Holley swap parts. Up next was fitting the A500 in the driveline. I tried to minimize torsion bar crossmember removal but in the end I replaced the transmission "hoop" with 1/4" steel pipe formed to shape with the acetylene torch. I removed the old floor pan footwells to evaluate the areas that will need repacement. The torsion bar crossmember is rusted from the inner rocker attachment to a few inches from the torsion bar sockets. In addition portion of the front frame rails that attach to the torsion bar crossmember will need replacement as well. I am having the frame pieces made locally. While waiting for them, I made the inner and outer rocker panels. The rear bumper had a rust hole that I repaired and sent off to Tri-City Plating in TN. I removed the front passenger fender to discover it needed a few patch panels. I did get a pair of AMD floor pans on sale. Next up is the driver side fender and whatever surprises it presents.
Rear Bumper Repair
Front Fender
Repairs
The last patch on the passenger fender
I was back at work on the wagon. After finishing the patch work on the fenders, I addressed the inner fenders. The bolt mounting flanges, one of the firewall-to-inner fender support brackets (AMD) and where the radiator core support were in need of rust repair as well. I made a wood buck to add the large bead in the inner fender panels bolt mounting flanges. Not perfect but not bad either. I was not going to buy a bead rolller.
Great improvising! I have a bead roller in my arsenal but I don't have a tubing bender so I had to improvise to bend some square tube. Hot wrench and wood buck time.
Encswsm
Well-Known Member
Impressed with your work and tenacity! Keep it up!
Back at you!
Thanks folks. I have seen guys make a buck and spend a lot of time to make it. Granted, they are making much more intricate panels. I watched a video and saw this was a low-buck and easy attempt at adding that factory bead. I am holding off on doing the frame/torsion bar crossmember for now. The high bay lights in the shop are under recall and I have been waiting for the electricians to be assigned and schedule the repairs. ckessel, I like that attitude as well. Great idea to bend that tubing.
Thank you. I have several pieces of equipment and access to some others. I would love to add to the collection, stomp shear/slip roller/beverly shear/tube benders, but that requires dough and some more space. Have some space but no dough, so its improvise time.
Coelacanth
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Geesh...the work some of you guys do is unbelievable! It gives me hope that some of these old cars can be brought back to life, no matter how bad they look sitting out in a farmer's field. I just hope some of you make sure to pass on your skills to the next generation (that alone might be a bigger challenge than the actual rust repair work)! And it makes me feel very fortunate that my own car is nowhere near as bad as some of these projects you're working on. Great work thus far!
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