55.2-59 go easy please

[FAKKY]

ok
really struggling with my body work lately ...... this is my first truck and literally do everything on the ground. But I also dont seem to have the knack for it. My thought originally was I could fix the small imperfections with bondo as unless your really good everyone has to do tht anyway. But see my issue below.

I know (now) that the answer is probably I should have done this in 1 piece .... and I should have used a piece of machinery that I didnt have to get the bend better - but it seemed ok by standing on it over pipe - but then tightended up after final fitting and stretch of lip.

Anyway ......
My question is - is there anyway I can pull the center "divot" out more in center to get the original bend/curve better back into place ..... eg weld something onto the surface and use winch or slide hammer ??
Basically to reduce needing 1/2" bondo in that deep part.

*sigh*

[FAKKY]

pics

[dsraven]

it looks like there has been some shrinkage in the area, probably from welding, so it will need to have some hammer on dolly work across the weld seam in order to stretch the metal back out to where it was before welding. heating the metal while welding usually causes the weld area to shrink when it cools-more than the surrounding metal does, so the seam ends up actually shorter than the surrounding area. I would try that-be aggresive with the hamme on dolly so the metal can expand

[FAKKY]

Originally Posted by dsraven

it looks like there has been some shrinkage in the area, probably from welding, so it will need to have some hammer on dolly work across the weld seam in order to stretch the metal back out to where it was before welding. heating the metal while welding usually causes the weld area to shrink when it cools-more than the surrounding metal does, so the seam ends up actually shorter than the surrounding area. I would try that-be aggresive with the hamme on dolly so the metal can expand

But its effectively sealed right .........
Even if I cut the other side open for an access panel ..... could end up having same issue there when I weld it back up

[leegreen]

give yourself a break, everyone starts somewhere and everyone has messed up a panel worse than that getting started. That door is not an easy repair.

Did we see this door before with a prior repair?

Unless you have already hammered on it a lot that is probably shrunk along the bead of the weld. There is not enough metal there so it is pulling the door flat.
The solution is to get a dolly behind the weld and hammer the bead, hammer on dolly so you get a good anvil like 'ting' and slowly tap your way along the weld from edge towards center. concentrate on the weld bead and and an inch or so either side - the area that was heat discolored after the welding.

Push out with the dolly firmly. As you slowly stretch the metal back it will relax the panel and it will curve back out. It will take a bunch of tapping away, but you should see it start to move after a couple minutes. Pounding harder wont help.

If you can't get your arm and a dolly back there make up something sturdy that will reach in there, like a truck leaf spring mounted in the vice and slide it through the window slot, balance the door on it and hammer at the point of contact



It is also possible that the metal is stretched, but that will only happen if you already hammered it too much or you tried to weld in too large a patch. Welds shrink as they cool, because metal gets softer as you heat it and it expands as you heat it....the soft metal is crushed together with the expansion then it gets hard again faster than it shrinks as it cools. if that makes any sense. We can talk about how to shrink if you find stretching does not work.

[mongocanfly]

I agree...needs hammer and dolley..that weld seam needs stretched..
Trying to pull on it will make a bad situation worse

[FAKKY]

Originally Posted by leegreen

give yourself a break, everyone starts somewhere and everyone has messed up a panel worse than that getting started. That door is not an easy repair.

Did we see this door before with a prior repair?

Unless you have already hammered on it a lot that is probably shrunk along the bead of the weld. There is not enough metal there so it is pulling the door flat.

Yeah this is my second attempt. Same thing happened first time maybe worse.
This time I went slow and did in sections and allowed cool down

Still just ended up looking like that so .... just a bad day after spending 3 afternoons working on it.

[mr48chev]

That is somewhat typical of running too long of a bead at one time and getting the panel too hot.

Right now, hopefully Martin Sr checks in and sees it and offers his ideas on how to go about fixing it. It's not going to be an easy process though.

[_Ogre]

Quit trying to metal finish your truck. No way to get in there with the dolly, fill it and see what it looks like. At some point you have to realize that you are not a pro and just go with it.

Or spend the next 10 years cutting out non-perfection.

[FAKKY]

Originally Posted by _Ogre

Quit trying to metal finish your truck. No way to get in there with the dolly, fill it and see what it looks like. At some point you have to realize that you are not a pro and just go with it.

Or spend the next 10 years cutting out non-perfection.

Moving to new house (FL ->WA) next few months. Hoping to have a garage. Not that working on the ground is causing this - but being able to pull the entire door off and apart I might be able to get a dolly behind it and give it a go with the window and window mechanism removed.

Just kind of been a bummer. I worked on the engine and transmission and got that working 2?years back. Then slowly just spent a little bit of time here and there on the metal as mainly been fishing ...... but just cant seem to get the hang of it.

[leegreen]

Filling that would not be a failure just traditional hot rodding, anyone that disses it has either never built a car with their own hands or is a tool.
Do what you are able but finish your truck and drive it.

What I see here looks pretty good, nice solid weld, clean panel that just needs the last touches.
If you really can't get inside with a dolly, I see two options:
fill it up and fix it better next time.
slit it along the weld with a thin cutting disk until it pops out. Do 3-4 single spot tack welds spaced along the slit and let it cool totally. Grind the spots flat, let it cool, evaluate. add another 3-4 spots and repeat. Keep going until it starts to pull flat. fill what is left. seal from inside.

[FAKKY]

Originally Posted by leegreen

Filling that would not be a failure just traditional hot rodding, anyone that disses it has either never built a car with their own hands or is a tool.
Do what you are able but finish your truck and drive it.

What I see here looks pretty good, nice solid weld, clean panel that just needs the last touches.
If you really can't get inside with a dolly, I see two options:
fill it up and fix it better next time.
slit it along the weld with a thin cutting disk until it pops out. Do 3-4 single spot tack welds spaced along the slit and let it cool totally. Grind the spots flat, let it cool, evaluate. add another 3-4 spots and repeat. Keep going until it starts to pull flat. fill what is left. seal from inside.

thx man

[mongocanfly]

or...when you move, keep your eyes open for donor parts as you travel crosscountry, lots of good steel once you pass thru Ok..might find you a good door that doesnt need major surgery
bottom line is , its hard to do it right when you have no access ..
ive got a similar weld ill be making on a upcoming project, where i wont have any access to the backside of the weld, ive been thinking about making a access hole where i can get my hands in there to it, then making a cover to go over the hole, held with screws, not weld
you might could do something similar in the lower portion of the door, cut a access hole,
then make a cover for the hole, or mount a speaker in it ..something along those lines..

[FAKKY]

thx all
packing up to move the entire house from FL to west of seatlle in 2 weeks

Hope to buy a house with a 2+ car garage sometime in next 6 months - and give her more attention when IM not fishing.

[_Ogre]

well, i quit going to fl cuz it got expensive to winter there. 5 years ago, fakky and i were supposed to meet up at his place, until i messed up my back putting a roof on a shed. now i winter padre island tx, but my son lives in west seattle. we may meet up eventually, i'm headed out there next week. where abouts are you looking? be prepared for sticker shock...

[FAKKY]

Originally Posted by _Ogre

well, i quit going to fl cuz it got expensive to winter there. 5 years ago, fakky and i were supposed to meet up at his place, until i messed up my back putting a roof on a shed. now i winter padre island tx, but my son lives in west seattle. we may meet up eventually, i'm headed out there next week. where abouts are you looking? be prepared for sticker shock...

I forgot about that - wow time flies - yikes
Wife and sister went out there to scope it out as we are moving there simply as its one area of the country we haven't lived. We love mountains and hiking and fishing though so that also added in.

Sequim,WA backing onto the olympic peninsula is the goal. Yes everything has gotten crazy on pricing - I forgot to grab my coffee going down to pick up a welding gas tank refill - decided I needed one ...... a 50c coffee and a 50c bacon biscuit ... $9 ....... about dropped it and ran.

Houses seem ok - high - but they are high here in FL too. Might rent for a few months but got to live somewhere

Yes anytime drop by !

[_Ogre]

Originally Posted by FAKKY

Sequim,WA backing onto the olympic peninsula is the goal.

I have a nephew in Humptulips. Sequim is the closest civilization to him

[FAKKY]

Originally Posted by _Ogre

I have a nephew in Humptulips. Sequim is the closest civilization to him

He like it there ?
Worried a bit about the rain - but figure if I have a big shed - good days for truck work

And rain never stopped me fishing only lightening

[FAKKY]

When I transport the vehicle ...... there are large gaps in doors/windows due to

1) Old car
2) Most doors/windows dont have the factor seal in place now whilst working on them
3) Gaps from adjusting lower skins and so on

Was thinking about putting some carpet protector/wrap around the widows for transport .... but not sure how well will hold 10 days on road.

Thoughts of caulking with a cheap silicon caulk all the windows and doors apart from drivers side door ? Cant see why not ?

[_Ogre]

my bad, i'm thinking of Hoquiam down south, BUT i have another nephew in port townsend and friends in port ludlow. it's definitely rainy there but i don't see much difference from florida, other than the occasional snow and cool weather. i believe mr48 lives up on the peninsula