1969 Plymouth Barracuda Restoration Thread

Question: ...... this is the front surround housing nose panel. I'm not sure how to go about fixing the broken mounting holes for the headlight housings. Any and all suggestions welcome.

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Nice work on the door, it looks great.
As far as the mounting holes go, I'd say you'll need a tig and some small patch peices.
 
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MJM said:
Question: ...... this is the front surround housing nose panel. I'm not sure how to go about fixing the broken mounting holes for the headlight housings. Any and all suggestions welcome.

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If it were me I would use fine wire and MIG weld the ones that are split but still there. The others with metal missing would require making a small patch with a new hole and welding that into place..
 
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DanMcG said:
Nice work on the door, it looks great.
As far as the mounting holes go, I'd say you'll need a tig and some small patch peices.
Click to expand...

I was afraid someone would say tig weld, lol. All I have at the moment is a flux core mig welder.
 
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'68 Coronet R/T said:
If it were me I would use fine wire and MIG weld the ones that are split but still there. The others with metal missing would require making a small patch with a new hole and welding that into place..
Click to expand...

If I could find 025 flux core MIG wire I'd give it a try but they don't seem to make it anymore. The holes I've been welding closed on the fender lips I used 030 flux core. I've been lucky so far that I haven’t had any blow thru's. I'd be pushing my luck to try with the wire I have. The metal around the broken holes is very thin,

Thank you both for the replies,
 
Make yourself a copper backup as a heat sink. I use L copper pipe cut to length and then cut again to flatten, then shape for what ya need.
Just a thought.
 
DanMcG said:
Make yourself a copper backup as a heat sink. I use L copper pipe cut to length and then cut again to flatten, then shape for what ya need.
Just a thought.
Click to expand...

You know, that just might be worth a try, good suggestion. Just so I'm clear on how to do this...........do I place the copper behind the area I want to weld up and then make a quick trigger pull against my material and let the weld bleed away from the material I'm welding on?
 
MJM said:
..........do I place the copper behind the area I want to weld up and then make a quick trigger pull against my material and let the weld bleed away from the material I'm welding on?
Click to expand...
I'm not following you on the bleed away part.
Just to be above board here, I use a tig and on sheetmetal I need hours and hours of practice until I become ok at it.
but I use the copper to help prevent blow thru, I clamp the copper to the backside and then weld away. It lessens the chance of blow thru, but only a little bit.
 
Drilled out existing filler that was used for the door moldings that ran the length of the door, and other misc holes.
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Countersunk drilled holes
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Welded up the holes and dressed them up.
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Holes completed
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The fun continues. I've spent my time going after those little details that never where done for the first paint job. They have always bothered me so, I went beyond my capabilities and went for it.

First up is the drivers remote mirror hole that had buldged out from tightening the mirror down. To combat that happening again, I fabricated a metal backing plate out of 1/8" flat stock. Beat it into shape to fit the contour of the door. Glued it in with sealer.

Before
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After
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Next up is the drivers side fender at the top where it meets the door. Over the life of the car, the point was worn down, so a little weld puddle, then shaped the weld. When I pull the drivers door again, I'll shape that contour. Have already taken enough material off of the fender.

Before
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Welded up
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Weld dressed
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Now on to drivers door gap. After spending a good 5 hours trying every possible position, I could not achieve a good gap at the 1/4 panel. I thought I had it figured out earlier in this thread but, I remembered I had an issue with the wind-wing gaps being incorrect. After reinstalling the wind-wing, setting door to rocker panel, door to 1/4 panel, then front fender to door, the gap problem was the 1/4 panel. Sorry Tex, I had to slice it.

Used masking tape as a guide to follow the body line. Clinched my teeth a cut it.
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Welding up after hammering the new gap position.
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All welded up
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Weld planished and dressed.
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Now on to welding up a Lot of holes that where made to pull dents in the old days. I welded up around 20 holes, and left 5 holes I could not get to the back side to apply epoxy over the weld. I'll just have to use fiberglass filler for those holes. In reality, the 1/4 panel should be replaced. I thought about putting the project on hold until after Christmas when I treat myself to a real gas mig welder with 023 wire. It's not easy welding with 030 fluxcore, but I'm getting it done.

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