how would you guys handle these holes ?

Working on a older pick-up bed. Id say its a 9/10 in quality.

I have 2 huge low crown panels (bed sides) , each has 12 7/16 holes in it. 24 total (dually fender once bolted on)
The panels are very nice shape and need little more than some high build primer and blocking other than the holes.
There is no access to the back side unless I cut 24 larger holes on the inner panels. I might be able to get a one for two deal on the access holes.

So here's what I'm tossing around:

Dimple the areas slightly and fill the holes with duragl***.

Weld the holes up, and fill the whole damn panel. It will warp the **** out if it.

Weld the holes up and cut 24 dolly access holes in the inner panel, metal finish as best as possible. Still have to fill the whole damn panel. And them weld and finish the inner panel.

Cut 24 1" holes in the inner panel and bond a small piece on the back side of the panel. & fill over the holes.
Plastic plugs for the access holes.

As much as I hate it, I think the first option is probably the lesser of all the evils.
Not sure how that will hold up.

 

How did the installer of the fenders get to the backside of his bolts? Can't you get back there the same way to hold a dolly for hammering smooth?

 

It was some kind of riv-nut deal.
No way back there unless I cut my way in the inner panel.

 

You should be able to weld up the holes if you take your time and use some heat sink material around them as you weld without causing too much warping. The other methods seem kind of half ***ed and are way more likely to map when the panel starts moving around due to changes in temperature.

 

Buy or make little circles tack them in and then use the duragl***. If you dont fully weld them youll have less warpage. Im not an expert but id think it would be better then just muddin over them.

 

And a **** load of rust forming betwen all of those tacks.

 

if I had 12 7/16ths holes to fill I would get 12 7/16ths circles of the proper gauge sheetmetal and weld them all up solid. in my world that is the only way to do it.

 

Yeah, weld em up. If you get low spots borrow a stud gun. If you get high spots get a shrinking wheel. A skim of bondo over the whole thing is better than holes filled with fibergl***.

 

x-2

 

I believe welding them up is the only 100% acceptable way to close the holes. If the holes are the battle that I win, the bed will be the war that I lost.

100% chance its warped when I'm finished, 50% chance its beyond my skills to get it back and That's going to wreck it.

Cutting 24 relatively huge holes in the inner panels for access to dolly the bed sides means that much more work on top of the *** ache Ive already got. It's a hell of a lot more work to close them up again, finish and body work that. Plus there's beads and contours involved.

I might be making it worse in my head than actually doing it. But I think I can strip & refinish the bed at least 6 times before I even come close to the same amount of work as welding them little turds up.

It really just needs to primed and blocked to be ready for black paint, its that nice,,, well except for the holes.

Edit, added response.
Ok, there is no way that a stud gun will bring those shrinks back out, its just not going to happen. It will probably make many oil can spots pulling those back up. They need to be streched by hammer and dolly on the HAZ of the holes & patches. That hammer and dolly work will be a two person job. I have a stud gun and shrinking disk that gets used plenty.

 

I think you will find the head of a roofing nail to be just about the right size to fill a 7/16" hole. Weld solid a dab at a time. You won't need a stud gun to pull out low spots, just use the nail shank. Hammer the low spots. When you cut off the nail shanks try not to get em real hot. Skim coat and move to the next project.

 

Exactly what I would do!! Haha


Taking the hamb to the streets

 

roofing nails. great idea. be sure to get galvanized nails and breath the smoke that the welding process creates.

 

Oh here we go.

 

Contrary to your ***umptions, not all roofing nails are galvinized, not all welders are ignorant, and not all grammar is unnecessary.

 

Another vote for 12- 7/16 plugs of the same gauge metal and welding them up... one spot weld at a time moving from #1 to #12 then back to #1 starting at 12 o'clock then 6 o'clock the second p*** 1 o'clock the third p*** etc till its filled. I question if you warp at all if you let things cool enough.

 

Weld them up. I've used a transmission dipstick as filler metal. Slide it in (sideways so the dipstick would be flat with the car not straight in) Tack the spot where the body overlaps the dipstick. bend off the excess while it's still red hot. I do them all like this and then go back and grind off whats left and weld whats left. May have to still move to differnent areas of the panel so as not to warp it.

You dont need access to the back of the panel to weld the holes up.

You don't have to use a dipstick, I do because I have them available. You could cut strips of metal also...

 

what about a friend to do it for you or dare i say take to body shop. shouldn't cost that much to fill them and you finish bodywork.

 

I'd cut 12-7/16" piece of metal, then I'd tack a nail in the center of each to ue a a handle. Then just hold them in the hole and tack weld them until all the tacks meet. Usually wont get distortion if you tack and cool as you go.
Once they're welded jut break the nail off and grind them smooth. A little filler and good to go.

 

Hey,

Ain't no way I'd go the ''Kitty Hair/Tiger hair'' & filler route on a clean panel on that truck!

Pratice welding flat sheet with 7/16 holes filled with washers to that I.D. Use .023 wire with a tack, pause & cool method to control warpage.

You can do this !

" Meanwhyle, back aboard The Tainted Pork "

 

If you take your time and weld it properly you'll get hardly any warping, and there is always ways to fix it, just gotta work them out, you an use a nail gun and hold the nail pulling it out while tapping around it to get the body work right. Is there any way to get a big lever up in there? Ben if you cut 1 hole
In the back and use a long lever to shrink the warpage out.

 

Vicky, you never mentioned if the rivnuts were still in place, I kinda doubt they are, with the options you listed for fixing it. If they are, I would say either lock***e or cross thread bolts into the holes, cut them flush and weld to fill...with tack welds, of course, otherwise... do what you have to do to sleep well at night. Welding is great for the guys who can do it, I would probably warp it too. I will say a nice copper heat sinkwill help some, if you can get it close to the hole, since you can't put it behind it...

 

If this was open on the back side, id have no trouble or any second thoughts about any if this.
I have quite a few special made dollies to get in some Wierd places and around corners.

There is a chance I can separate the wheel house from the bed. That maybe more work than cutting access holes. It's not the cutting of the holes its the putting back.
That will be a total of 48 holes to finish. All of a sudden my cherry bed is all but swish cheese.

 

get some of these. the red ones were someone elses s****, and the yellow ones I bought as a kit at a swap meet.

 

Hey, 31Vicky;

While welding is preferred, would soldering in the small rounds work? Esp if it's in an area that doesn't flex much? I wouldn't think that'd warp much. & I suppose you could solder over everything again, & file it off like lead. Although the softer lead based solder would be nicer. Just use rosin solder only.

If not, why?

Marcus...

 

'Lead' is also known as Body Solder.

I'd just tig weld in some small discs ...real slow like. Having no access to the back to stretch the weld is a bummer! Pics would help for brainstorming purposes.

 

solder them

 

plastic Xmas Tree clips