how would u cut this patch to weld on ?

[blazer2007]

I trying to fix this rear quarter panel on 78 short box and the rust isn,t to bad ,lots of good metal. If I cut the new patch panel in the green lines I think it would be to hard for me to handle by myself [no help] and get my welds on. I was thinking of cutting the new panel into 3 pieces where the red lines are. Any thoughts or suggestions.

[MP&C]

Install the quarter in it's entirety. Spot welds on the flange will cause little to no warping as compared to your weld seams through the middle of a panel..

[StingRay]

Agreed. It would be crazy to cut up a whole panel like that. That would be a pile of welding, a ton of warpage and and a helluva lot of hammer and dolly stretching to get it somewhat straight again. Put the whole thing on.

[blazer2007]

I was just thinking it would be all floppy trying to get it in the right position

[pwdcougar]

Originally Posted by mp&c

install the quarter in it's entirety. Spot welds on the flange will cause little to no warping as compared to your weld seams through the middle of a panel..

x2

[Bigdav160]

Welding that long green line and right angles would likely result in pucker marks needing filler. The wheel house would be in the way to hammer the welds. Whole quarters are easier than you think.

[blazer2007]

I was thinking if I flange the top piece and use some cleco,s I have a helping hand to cut and test fit the sides until weld up time. This way I can remove the panel and cut and test fit until I,m happy ,sound good?

[nsb29]

Why ask for help on how to do it and then do exactly what everyone is telling you not to do your crazy not to use the complete bedside you are going to have a warped up mess believe what they are telling you

[MP&C]

Originally Posted by blazer2007

I was thinking if I flange the top piece and use some cleco,s I have a helping hand to cut and test fit the sides until weld up time. This way I can remove the panel and cut and test fit until I,m happy ,sound good?

No, actually sound worse. A flanged seam in an open panel like that is prone to ghost lines in your paint, showing exactly where the seam was placed. See the following video, look for the horizontal line in the paint on this dark green tailgate..


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OGhFEfVqxb0


Your best bet is spot welds around the perimeter, as I said above. If you're worried about the panel flopping around, what exactly do you think is going to happen when you cut all the strength out of what you have now by removing the wheel opening?

[pwdcougar]

I tried to flange a long patch panel on the side of my Suburban. The flanging tool made the panel wavy as heck.

[blazer2007]

Originally Posted by nsb29

Why ask for help on how to do it and then do exactly what everyone is telling you not to do your crazy not to use the complete bedside you are going to have a warped up mess believe what they are telling you

they don,t make short box bed sides no more

[blazer2007]

Originally Posted by MP&C

Install the quarter in it's entirety. Spot welds on the flange will cause little to no warping as compared to your weld seams through the middle of a panel..

Ok I get the idea , just thought every where I looked said to cut just the rotten panel out and not the good metal. Would be easyier to make a square type patch instead of a jagged piece of floppy metal.

[MP&C]

For everyone that tells you to use the smallest patch you can, what do they tell you to do with the weld seam? If they don't mention it, they are not a good source for recommendation.

I prefer to tell someone to instead look first and foremost at where the weld seams will be located and to see if you will have room from the back side for planishing the weld to remove distortion (hammer and dolly) after welding. If there is little access for planishing, perhaps that location is not ideal, look for another. If the panel in question locates welds where the factory put them, and this limits/eliminates weld distortion through the middle of the panel, why would you want that headache of getting the quarter panel straight? If you already have the full bed side, I would only be doing it one way, just like the factory did.

[nsb29]

I give up you can buy them books and send them to school and all they want to do is eat the teacher

[blazer2007]

Originally Posted by nsb29

I give up you can buy them books and send them to school and all they want to do is eat the teacher

That,s too bad, you had lots to contribute to this thread.

[blazer2007]

Originally Posted by MP&C

For everyone that tells you to use the smallest patch you can, what do they tell you to do with the weld seam? If they don't mention it, they are not a good source for recommendation.

I prefer to tell someone to instead look first and foremost at where the weld seams will be located and to see if you will have room from the back side for planishing the weld to remove distortion (hammer and dolly) after welding. If there is little access for planishing, perhaps that location is not ideal, look for another. If the panel in question locates welds where the factory put them, and this limits/eliminates weld distortion through the middle of the panel, why would you want that headache of getting the quarter panel straight? If you already have the full bed side, I would only be doing it one way, just like the factory did.

Thanks, I,m glad I asked before cutting everything up, I will weld the top close to the top body line where the chrome trim will hide that. On the sides can get in some to planish or dolly.

[MP&C]

If you have your heart set on welding in a patch, try to avoid sharp corners. The inside corner tends to amplify the warping (into a pucker) as you're getting shrinking that occurs from two sides in close quarters. A wide sweeping curve would help to curtail those, so the shrinking effects are more equalized from one side of the weld seam to the other. You'll still need to planish the weld to take care of the weld distortion from shrinking, but you efforts will be easier with better consistency. Note I did not say easy, just easier than had you used sharp corners....



What welding method, MIG, TIG, O/A???

[blazer2007]

Hopefully last question . When butt welding the panels where I can,t use clamps or magnets ,what would you suggest ,I,ve seen tabs tacked on the inside or outside to keep the panel flat when stitching the weld. I do have experience with butt welding, some with good results and some with bad ,I don,t do it enough

[mongocanfly]

For everything I couldn't clamp I used magnets...