body filler to use on a series truck

[rejeep]

not a lot..
little bits here and there..
I am getting it painted and would like to take care of a few little things..

[czenkov]

Series trucks look best with dings and dents - even freshly painted. It will happen eventually anyway - so I embrace it. Sorry no clue on the best filler. I think a lot of people view it as sacrilege.

[JackIIA]

Bondo.

I've used it with fine results. Just make sure it is compatible with your paint selection.

Nothing wrong with using it, assuming you don't go nuts. If it's a concourse, then by all means hammer those dents out, anneal, and repeat!

[siii8873]

Be sure to thoroughly clean the spot of all paint and ruff up the aluminum with some sand paper.

[morgant]

Chapter 3 of the Haynes Restoration Manual for Series I, II & III (http://roversnorth.com/store/p-3013-haynes-restoration-manual-series-i-ii-iii.aspx) mostly glosses over it and really only covers U.K.-specific brands, but essentially suggests some of the finer, more flexible body fillers (since the Birmabright panels have some flex and therefore it can crack). I've not personally tried any filler on mine (still only dealing w/bulkhead emergency patch jobs).

[rejeep]

im really just trying to fill in the holes left in the back door from the spare tire mount..
the PO moved it up and down.. so I have 2 sets of holes..

[Eric W S]

im really just trying to fill in the holes left in the back door from the spare tire mount..
the PO moved it up and down.. so I have 2 sets of holes..

Google welders in your neighborhood. Usually you can find someone who can weld AL and have them weld the holes. Birma is still available but is called something different here...

Ike has some pics of weld repairs on his site.

EwS

[Cutter]

Just buy or make something to bolt into those holes. Accessorize my friend.

[rejeep]

I was thinking about tool racks..

[KevinNY]

I have all sorts of holes in the bed from old rivets holding god knows what. I drilled them all out when I repainted and filled them neatly with rubber hole plugs from the hardware store.

[rejeep]

if it was the bed.. i would agree.. but this is the back door..
where the entire driving population of the US see my rover the most while im slowing down traffic...
at least it should something nice to look at..:thumb-up:

[disco2hse]

I fill random holes with rivets or bolts (depending on size). They don't look out of place.

[CMorris]

Find someone with a decent TIG welder, settings are 90amps / 2.5 pulse per second / 7.5 balance.......get the Birma VERY clean (stainless wire brush and then acetone), use a heatsink on the back of the weld (copper or alum. block), pre-heat the area to be welded (I just heat up the heatsink with a propane torch), 1/16" 2% ceriated tungsten in the torch, and I've used 5356 filler wire with success on small holes and cracks.......if you have larger holes or gaps its best to get some donor Birma and cut a tight fitting patch.
A very good skim coat product is USC Autobody Icing Pt. #26006, available at any good autobody paint supplier and very easy to use.
I agree with others that dents and "character" marks belong on these trucks....however large holes and carved out gaps in the aluminum from ill conceived accessory placement, or whatever it was, gotta go.

[109 Pretender]

Plastic filler won't work well to fill holes as in your situation. Easy solution already mentioned - fill w/appropriate nuts/bolts. Better solution is to have holes welded - if you can find a really competent auto body guy who has experience w/aluminum. If he's not really experienced then you might have bad warpage and/or blow through. Best solution is to replace the lower rear door panel. I think you can still buy skins in UK - however, that particuliar piece can also be made up fairly easily. I had same problem as you at one time. I made a new panel using 3003-H14 alum. which is a good body alum. Birmabrite has more Mg in it and is really close to 6000 series US alum. But, tempered 6000 series alum. work hardens very badly and isn't necessary for the application (totally non-stressed).

Best welding process for body alum. is oxy/acetylene set to a mild reduction flame. Tig hardens the weldment zone a lot - but since it's in a flat area here it could work too.

Good Luck

[Enigma]

I have had good success by glueing on an aluminum patch on the backside with PL Premium construction adhesive. Once set I drill a small hole or 2 and apply aluminized body filler. Ooze the filler thru the small holes to act as a keeper. When all is set sand and prime as usual.

Cheers John

[Tim Smith]

As a kid, I used to use something like this with model airplanes. It may not be the right tool for the job but at least it's something to think about.
http://durafix.com/

I would suggest lead solder if you could find a low melting point stick. At least that is what used to be used before bondo came around. Unfortunately birmabright does not play well with heat so this probably isn't a good choice either.

On my truck, the previous owner's bondo is flaking off in large quantities. I agree that it really isn't the right product because the aluminium is too flexy. Also, at least by looking at my truck, the bondo is shrinking. Perhaps if you have small holes no larger than a dime. Any bigger than a dime and I think your truck would start to look like mine given enough time.