Repairing holes in body panels

[Chris Bailey]

Trying to determine the best way to repair the holes in the rear bodypanels caused by the steel seatbelt brackets. Was considering welding new aluminum repair pieces, but since I can't weld, seems a bad way to learn. A friend who is a professional welder said I would need to use some body filler anyway after welding. So do I just fiberglass the holes (I've made some bigger than needed by tinkering) or pop rivet aluminum pieces then Bondo? What's the best way to paint afterwards? Any help would be appreciated.

[SafeAirOne]

If I had to do it and I didn't want to weld it, I'd probably just make aluminum flush patches and rivet them on using solid flush rivets, depending on the structure and access behind the holes.

That way, you have to use a minimal amount of body filler and you don't have blind rivet heads sticking out all over the place and everything comes out looking flat and smooth.

[Revtor]

Well, it seems like no matter what route you take you're planning on using filler.

If they're small holes (under 1/2") then you could just use some filler, maybe with reinforcing fibers mixed in. Clean the back and maybe incorporate some glass cloth, yeah.

If its bigger holes and you need real patching then yeah you could rivet pieces in and try to keep it all straight and flush. if you get a nice job done using rivets or even welds.... then do you need filler? It is a Rover after all, a truck that pries itself on not hiding behind facia panels and deep glossy paint. A neat riveted or welded repair deserves to be shown off IMO.

Or get some scrap and practice for a month and learn to weld alum. <- best option.

Or find another tub altogether.

whatever you do, post some pics of the operation!!
~Steve

[Andrew IIA]

Need photo(s). Holes in the body ?? That sounds normal, ignore it. Holes ("Honorable Scars") are better than Bondo.

[SafeAirOne]

Holes ("Honorable Scars") are better than Bondo.

Not these holes--I'm confident they're dishonorable crusty corrosion holes, by the description.

[I Leak Oil]

Mark is right,
There are honorble earned holes and then there are shameful factory ingnorant holes....

[disco2hse]

As an alternative, you could also consider gluing a small piece of aluminium on the reverse side of the hole with epoxy glue, then bogging over that. No rivets.

Guess it also depends on how many rough tracks you intend taking it across. If any, ever.

[Chris Bailey]

Unfortunately the holes are not honorable and I've only made them worse several years ago when I was considering the work. I would prefer to avoid bondo and may try the welding - one more reason to buy a new toy. Will post photos when I can.

[CMorris]

Chris,
The new toy will be VERY expensive (tig welder, do not buy a mig with a spool gun, it will not work on thin sheet aluminum, just not enough control), and welding aluminum is tough enough, welding old thin aluminum adds a whole new dimension. I've done quite a bit of it with a Miller Syncrowave tig, you will get some heat warping, but that usually doesn't look too out of place on a Series truck. I have seen some amazing birmabright welding done with oxy/acetylene......that takes a real old school welder with years of experience, but it's amazing when dome by a skilled person. So, clean up the holes, find yourself an old body panel you can use to make patch panels, then find an experienced welder and let him have at it.........far cheaper then dropping $2K plus on a tig machine.
896289638964

[solihull121]

Google HTS 2000 aluminum repair. They have some pretty impressive videos (also on YouTube) of various aluminum repair demonstrations that look very good and almost too easy to believe. Old school technique with (superior?) new technology using special rods and simple propane torch. I have not used it myself (yet) but bought a basic kit to try on a crack repair in a cast aluminum finned oil sump. Might be worth a try.

[o2batsea]

That or Muggyweld.com. The holes are more or less cosmetic, yes? If so you can fill them with the low heat solder stuff.

[SafeAirOne]

That or Muggyweld.com. The holes are more or less cosmetic, yes? If so you can fill them with the low heat solder stuff.

I've found that on test sections of birmabright, the thin sheet still still suffers heat deformation with the amount of heat that has to be applied to use that stuff, though I may not have been doing it right, either.

Has anyone else used that product on a Rover skin? Any Success?:

http://www.muggyweld.com/

Harbor Freight sells it and I a box of the HF variant, but haven't ever gotten around to trying it.

[I Leak Oil]

I've leaded (tinning these days) traditional steel panels before but I wonder how it would work on birmabright? Anyone done it?

[o2batsea]

The low temp stuff works OK and it doesn't warp the panels when you apply heat sufficient to melt the stuff. Cleanliness is the key. use your dremel to grind out all the grunge from the rotten holes or else the stuff won't stick. melt in enough so that it is a little above the surface so you can grind/sand it back flat. Pretty simple.

[SafeAirOne]

The low temp stuff works OK and it doesn't warp the panels when you apply heat sufficient to melt the stuff. Cleanliness is the key. use your dremel to grind out all the grunge from the rotten holes or else the stuff won't stick. melt in enough so that it is a little above the surface so you can grind/sand it back flat. Pretty simple.

Yeah. This thread has motivated me to try the stuff to fix a 3 inch tear in my driver's door skin at the handle hole. If I can get a few free minutes, I'll do it and post the results here.

If it works decently, it may be just the thing to solve the OP's problem, though I don't know how it'll work in the vertical position (at least I can take my door off and do it flat!).

[o2batsea]

it'll work vertical. It doesn't melt like runny, more like mayo.

[jac04]

There are a lot of automotive panel bonding adhesives available, as well as epoxies. Unless it is a real high-end restoration, I would make a nice aluminum patch, and bond it (and rivet if desired) in place. DIY and functional. A step above this would be to do something like what Mark recommended in post #2 - a flush bonded & riveted patch.

For reference, Eastwood has a 'kit' available to make flush bonded & riveted repairs:
http://www.eastwood.com/ew-no-weld-panel-repair-kit.html

[o2batsea]

Here's my take on rivet patches:
http://www.defendersource.com/forum/showthread.php?p=465514#post465514