Wheel Well Patch Panels
- Thread starter AYooperA
- Start date
Keith True
Well-known member
Do you really need whole new panels?Looks like you just need to make up some patches to weld in those holes.
Yes that’s what I will do. MIG weld into the better material. There’s a slight radius step and then bends under sub rail. Adventures in welding/fabrication. Finished the fender issues moved on to the body now. Outside of this area the body is in good shape.
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I agree with Keith True, Why replace the fender well(s). On my 29 phaeton, I repaired worse problems that you have. I replaced some of the worst area with new sheetmetal and other smaller places I put some copper material (usually copper water pipe flatten out) and made my own sheetmetal with my Lincoln SP100 MIG with gas. I removed the quarterpanels for better access. I have a lot of pictures I took repairing the serious rust outs. If you want to see them, let me know. BTW, most patch panels are crap.
Rusty Nelson
Rusty Nelson
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Oldbluoval
Well-known member
I’ve done MANY wheel well patches. Cut out only the rot, to good Henry metal, and replace just that! It’s a huge mistake to cut out good metal.
Wrndln, yes more pictures are definitely welcome. I am going to go at just like you and preserve as much original as possible. I would prefer to avoid removing panel rivets if possible. Maybe I could grind & weld/fill up bad areas. I see you are from Minneapolis area. Lived there for 7 years and was in the TCMAC for a while. Moved in 2016 but maybe paths crossed.
gdmn852
Well-known member
Hello, I can say for sure the repro panels have short comings at least on a 31 roadster .As suggested just repair the rusted areas and use weld . The car I am working on was hit on passenger side and they used braze to repair it , weld works much like the parent metal, once braze is used makes it hard to weld .
Oldbluoval
Well-known member
Brazing is a @#?!
I just finished one that had more brass than I’ve ever seen. You basically have to cut out the brass and find good steel. It caused me to have to put 6-8” patches all around as they had used the height of purchased panels as the start point! That’s why I say patch only up to where u find solid steel. Often just 2-2 1/2 “.
I make the patches for the embossings under the wheel wells. That enables me to patch the heights noted above.
Also, 2 1/2” allows access to the subrail which often needs a patch too. Albeit heavier that the skin, it usually rusts out too.
I just finished one that had more brass than I’ve ever seen. You basically have to cut out the brass and find good steel. It caused me to have to put 6-8” patches all around as they had used the height of purchased panels as the start point! That’s why I say patch only up to where u find solid steel. Often just 2-2 1/2 “.
I make the patches for the embossings under the wheel wells. That enables me to patch the heights noted above.
Also, 2 1/2” allows access to the subrail which often needs a patch too. Albeit heavier that the skin, it usually rusts out too.
