Metal body panel holes

C

clutchdust

Millionaire Playboy
Joined
Mar 27, 2008
Messages
1,728
Location
In transition
As you may deduce from the title, this is not a Corvette related topic.
I have steel headlight buckets for my Datsun I'm getting ready to install. Prior to painting though, I had a local shop sand blast them to remove rust. I knew I had a few pretty bad spots but by the time I got them back there were three or four dozen holes where the rust was so bad the sand blast just went completely through the metal. It's not terribly bad, biggest hole is about the size of a pencil eraser and most are little more than pin holes. But the metal is still pretty thin there.
So what I'm thinking is I have basically two choices. First, patch the underside with FG and then bondo smooth on the top side. Second, and I think this is the better choice, fill the holes with lead. More specifically lead solder. My thinking is I won't have radically different expansion/contraction issues with a metal filler like I could with fiberglass and bondo.
But I come here to listen to the voices of experience. If it were your project, what would you do?
 
Well Marck, we know what you would do. I'm talking about a cheap and quick fix that will be "20 foot" good.
Besides, 1) my MIG isn't that good a welder, and 2) I'm not that good a welder.
 
clutchdust said:
Well Marck, we know what you would do. I'm talking about a cheap and quick fix that will be "20 foot" good.
Besides, 1) my MIG isn't that good a welder, and 2) I'm not that good a welder.
Click to expand...

Sounds like the FG/Bondo fix will be 20 ft good, cheap and quick.
 
Use epoxy primer or some self etching rattle can primer first, then Bondo .... It's probably not what I'd do but you're asking for cheap and quick ... Bondo is hygroscopic so seal the metal first.... They sell the round headlight buckets for air cooled beetles, these are cheap and might work after some cutting and welding ...
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top