Automotive Bodywork and Rust Repair

by Matt Joseph

  made uniform with a hammer and a

  was spent answering my questions,

  all, you paid for all of it—and often,

  special die that Matt had fabricated

  and stopping work so that I could

  this is the best way to go. It all

  for this purpose.

  photograph it.

  depends on the soundness of the old

  Finishing details and features

  quarter panel, the quality of the

  were added to the new splash shield.

  Making Panels and Trim Fit

  replacement panel, and the logic of

  Two three-dimensional strap holes

  where you have to weld in the new

  were formed near its bottom edge.

  From replacing quarter panels to

  metal. It is possible that there are

  Wire edging was completed around

  making grille or headlight trim sur-

  features of the old metal that are

  an indent in its top edge, which con-

  round pieces fit properly, autobody

  sound, making them superior to their

  tained turns that were too sharp for

  panel work constantly requires adjust-

  counterparts in the replacement

  AUTOMOTIVE BODY WOR K AN D R UST R E PAI R

  103

  CHAPTE R 1 0

  Quarter-Panel Replacement

  Part of this quarter panel’s lower

  1

  section had already been removed

  to gain access for a structural repair to

  part of the unibody. Now, tape was

  applied to it to indicate the cut line for

  removing the rest of the quarter-panel

  metal that would be replaced.

  Cutting out a quarter panel with

  2

  a plasma arc torch is fast and

  accurate. With a car stripped as far

  as this one is, there is no reason not

  to use this technique for this job.

  Even a good quarter panel can

  4

  have problems. It pays to

  correct the obvious ones before you

  install it. This panel has bulges

  The almost-removed quarter panel is shown here, dangling (just for my

  generated by stretched metal.

  3

  photograph) from the rest of the body. Note that the worker is wearing

  Shrinking the metal with a shrinking

  gloves, a welding helmet, and dust mask. That kind of protection is a very

  hammer saves time later, when it will

  good idea when you use a plasma cutter.

  be more difficult to gain good access.

  panel. This may be the case with

  have a place(s) in your approach to

  like inner wheel housing attach-

  regard to the positions of character

  cutting out an old quarter panel. One

  ments must be confirmed for align-

  lines, or of accessory mounting

  that is not described there, the old

  ment and contact, before you weld

  points that have to match other fea-

  air-chisel method of separating large

  in a new quarter panel. It is much

  tures in surrounding panels. Every

  metal sections from panels, is pretty

  easier to correct structural issues

  partial panel replacement has its

  obsolete, but sometimes has a place

  before a quarter panel is mounted

  own logic and imperatives. Where

  in cutting out areas in some quarter-

  than after. In most cases, any sup-

  you cut and weld in new metal may

  panel constructions. Plasma arc cut-

  porting structure behind quarter

  be an easy decision, or it may

  ting is often the fastest and best way

  panels is at their edges. The excep-

  take considerable forehead-wrinkling

  to sever old quarter-panel metal.

  tion is monocoque quarter panels,

  thought.

  Any supporting structure behind

  where a skin is stretched over struc-

  Any of the metal cutting tech-

  a quarter panel that you replace must

  ture during manufacture to give

  niques described in Chapter 4 may

  be repaired if it is damaged. Areas

  rear vehicle quarter areas added

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  AUTOMOTIVE BODY WOR K AN D R UST R E PAI R

  S P ECIAL P ROJ ECTS AN D P RO CE DU R E S

  buildup in your welded joints. Some

  of the tips in Chapter 8 help you to

  avoid unnecessary welding heat

  buildup. Anything that you can do

  to reduce it saves you time, by limit-

  ing metal distortion. This also

  improves the quality of your work.

  Shrinking and stretching are

  often needed to make a quarter-

  panel replacement work. Remember,

  quarter-panel replacement is a fairly

  advanced job, one that should only

  be attempted after you have mas-

  Here, you can see how rough

  It is best to cut a temporary line

  tered basic metal working and panel

  5

  6

  this panel is. Unfortunately,

  into either the old or the new

  welding skills.

  there was no other choice for this

  panel, for a trial fitting. After that, you

  application. Reworking this panel,

  can refine the fit of your seam and

  Door Re-Skinning

  before it was installed, saved time.

  make your final cuts.

  Door re-skinning was once a

  structural strength. An example of

  easier to correct many of these prob-

  fairly common procedure in automo-

  this construction is the Jaguar XK-E.

  lems before you attach new metal,

  bile repair and restoration work.

  Although it is almost impossible

  rather than after.

  About the third time that I re-

  to duplicate monocoque construc-

  Good panel fit is critical, before

  skinned a door, I did it right, and was

  tion in repair or restoration work,

  you attempt to weld in new quarter-

  able to complete the job acceptably

  dealing with it does dictate the use of

  panel metal. Usual practice is to

  and in a reasonable amount of time.

  special measures that are beyond the

  hang and position the new quarter

  Those first two times…well, I don’t

  scope of this book. Just remember

  panel in place with Clecos, and then

  want to talk about them. Let’s just

  that if you ever encounter mono-

  to weld it with lap (or occasionally

  say that a Three Stooges comedy rou-

  coque construction, you have to

  with butt) welding techniques to the

  tine has nothing on them, except

  account for it. Semi-monocoque rear

  old metal. Your choices of welding

  possibly being funny.

  quarters are fairly common. How-

  technique and joint type depend on

  In recent years, door skinning

  ever, the amount of structural

  your situation, and on your skills. At

  has become pretty rare in collision

  strength contained in the outer metal

  the high end, this joint is pe
rformed

  work, but it is still performed some-

  in these units is relatively small, and

  as a butt joint with TIG equipment.

  times in repair and in restoration

  they can be repaired or replaced

  In the middle range are lap joints

  work. The reasons for the decline of

  using conventional techniques.

  welded with MIG equipment. And,

  this procedure will give you some

  A key to performing successful

  at the low end are spot-welded lap

  idea of the problems with it. The first

  rear-quarter-panel replacement is the

  joints that have to be slathered with

  is the availability of decent new door

  sometimes disappointing realization

  filler to hide them. Chapter 8

  skins. The ones made by OEM man-

  that reproduction quarter panels are

  describes the relevant fixturing and

  ufacturers tend to be expensive. They

  manufactured to varying standards

  welding techniques for quarter-panel

  also can be hard to find for older

  of accuracy and quality. A few are

  replacement, in detail.

  vehicles. The door skins sourced

  impressively good, while others are

  No matter how careful you are in

  from aftermarket suppliers are often

  nearer to the junk category. It is nec-

  fixturing and welding in new quar-

  more trouble than they are worth.

  essary to know how accurate your

  ter-panel metal, there is always

  Simply put, they frequently do not

  replacement panel is, and to begin to

  cleanup shaping work to do, after it

  fit very well. It can take enormous

  correct any deficiencies in it, before

  is welded into place. The best way to

  amounts of labor to make them fit

  you try to weld it into place. It is far

  minimize this work is to control heat

  properly and look good. Due to their

  AUTOMOTIVE BODY WOR K AN D R UST R E PAI R

  105

  CHAPTE R 1 0

  Avoid economy skins like the prover-

  apart from the top, after windows

  bial plague. After you have removed

  and their trim have been removed.

  the subject door and stripped it of all

  After the old skin is removed,

  removable parts—trim, door handle

  either by grinding its flange or by

  and latching mechanism, window

  prying its edges back, all metal and

  regulator, window tracks, wiring,

  weld residues must be removed from

  etc.—it is time to remove the old

  the core’s flange areas. They should

  skin. After you have removed the

  then be straightened, ground flat,

  spot welds that secure the skin to the

  and smoothed, as necessary.

  door by grinding, drilling (with a

  The new skin should be held in

  After all fold-over flange spot welds

  spot-weld cutting drill), or disc sand-

  the door opening and visually

  have been ground, or otherwise

  ing them away, you are ready to

  checked for contour match against,

  broken, a pair of door de-skinning

  remove the original door skin. This

  and fit to, the metal that will sur-

  pliers like this one helps to remove

  can be accomplished by various

  round it. Then it should be checked

  the skin. This works best after the

  methods, including edge grinding,

  against the core. If you discover any

  edge of the skin has been ground or

  seam chiseling, or seam prying. Spe-

  damage to the core, it must be cor-

  sanded through. Then, the pliers

  cial pliers-type devices that are sold

  rected before you try to fit the new

  remove the remaining folded-over

  to remove door skins work well to

  skin to it. If the skin does not posi-

  metal strip. (Photo courtesy of the

  unfold door skin edges from door

  tion on the core naturally and easily,

  Eastwood Co.)

  cores.

  you have to determine whether the

  Carefully grinding the fold-over

  problem is in the skin, in the core, or

  light construction—an emphasis on

  edge of the old skin is often a good

  in both, and correct it.

  weight reduction—modern doors are

  gambit for starting the skin’s

  Almost all skins come with the

  often damaged in collisions to the

  removal. A grinding wheel or a disc

  90-degree closing bends already

  point that re-skinning them is

  sander outfitted with 24-grit abrasive

  formed at their bottom and side

  uneconomical. It requires so much

  is a good setup for this job. If you go

  flange edges. A skin of this type may

  work to straighten their frames, (or

  this route, be careful to stop grinding

  have a top bend that slips over the

  cores, as they are called in the indus-

  or sanding just as you go through

  core, or it may not be configured

  try), that the labor cost in these jobs

  the old skin’s folded edge. If you

  that way. In either case, a good skin

  makes replacement with new, or sal-

  work slowly and watch carefully, you

  should slip into place over its core

  vage doors, look pretty good. That, at

  should be able to see a dark, early

  easily and authoritatively. Some

  least, is increasingly often the con-

  separation line appear in the folded

  skins allow for limited adjustment of

  clusion of most insurance compa-

  metal as you cut through it. Be care-

  nies. In many cases, they simply will

  ful to stop grinding before you grind

  not pay for door re-skinning.

  into the core’s flange area.

  Door re-skinning is still done in

  Spot welds between the core and

  restoration work, but many restorers

  skin in the door handle area are com-

  prefer to use salvage doors if they are

  mon, so look for and remove them.

  available in reasonable condition. If

  Some doors have internal bracing,

  rust is the reason for re-skinning a

  particularly in their upper areas near

  door, it is likely that the core requires

  the window edges. The spot welds

  These door-skinning pliers do an

  so much work to make it sound that

  that attach these braces to the door

  accurate job of folding the edge of a

  a salvage door looks like a better

  skin will have to be broken. Grinding

  new skin over a door’s edge flange.

  alternative. Still, there are times

  carefully through the skin is one way

  Always begin folding the skin edge at

  when door re-skinning is the best or

  to get at them, without destroying

  its center and work out toward its

  only way to go.

  metal that will be need
ed later to

  corners, alternating from side to side

  The first imperative in this work

  attach the new skin. Sometimes

  from the center, as you go. (Photo

  is to start with a good door skin.

  these attachment points can be cut

  courtesy of the Eastwood Co.)

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  AUTOMOTIVE BODY WOR K AN D R UST R E PAI R

  S P ECIAL P ROJ ECTS AN D P RO CE DU R E S

  their positions on their cores. These

  each area, outward, in both direc-

  cure times, but don’t plan on any

  allow some movement of the core

  tions, to the door’s corners. That

  extracurricular activities too soon

  within the skin’s edge bends, after

  sequence helps to avoid distorting,

  after you have applied them. Door

  those edges are partially or fully

  buckling, and stressing the installed

  skinning that is performed this way

  closed over the core. This movement

  skin.

  often involves two or three people,

  is only possible before they are

  In some configurations, the tops

  and those people tend to move

  welded, or otherwise permanently

  of skins are positioned and secured

  pretty fast, once the adhesive has

  fastened, to their cores.

  by the bracket areas that you may

  been applied. Multiple tools are

  Skins of this type have to be posi-

  have ground through when you

  often employed to bend the skin’s

  tioned in the door jamb before they

  removed the original skin. In these

  edges over its core.

  are fully attached to their cores. This

  cases, the new skin will have brackets

  The other method of adhering

  usually is done by temporarily hang-

  or flanges that mate to them. These

  skins to cores is to weld them in

  ing these doors, before final flange

  may be adjusted for skin-to-core gap,

  place on their bottom and side

  closing is completed. At this point, it

  and then secured with sheetmetal

  edges, after those edges are fully

  should be possible to move these skins

  screws or by welding them. Once

  closed. This can be done with spot,

  on their cores vertically, laterally, and

  this is done, the door skin flanging

  MIG, or TIG approaches. Attachment

  diagonally by small amounts, to make

  can be completed. There are several

  welds should be made at intervals of

  them fit properly in their door open-

  ways to do this. You can move re-

  every few inches, along each bottom

  ings and to make character lines align.

  skinning pliers along skin flanges to