metal work
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Lead Driver
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 7,184
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From: Near Los Angeles
metal work
I need to replace the bottom left corner of the cowling, below the antenna, on the door side. That means I need a patch plate to weld in, and that plate will need to have two rolled edges. Are there any tips to bending over two edges 90* to each other? I have looked at the patch panels at LMC and couldn't find one that might supply what I need.
Thanks.
Thanks.
Laughing Gas
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 995
Likes: 317
X2 - More recently I've ran into a situation buying stock steel flat sheet metal for patching/welding at the local hardware store there was something strange about the alloy and the weld did not want to take smoothly vs the old sheet metal I was welding to even though it was same thickness. I've done a fair amount of body fab and hadn't run into that but I had a stock of sheet metal from 15-20 years ago and finally had to buy some new. Guessing it probably came from China and who knows what the makeup of it is. So yea, can't go wrong using pieces cut from original metal. As far as duplicating a rolled or bent edge it can be tough to get the radius to match but if you get it close and you aren't too picky it works. Where two 90 degree bends come together at a corner you'll need to notch the metal so it can be bent without distortion or interfering with adjacent piece then weld the joint. The original cowl would have been formed on a big press in one shot.
Moderator & parts slinger
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 50,205
Likes: 5,797
From: S/W Missouri, Polk county
I have a 79 parts Bronco that is my patch panel provider. Roof, hood, door skins all nice big flat patch piece metal. I also have a parts cab, but it is getting pretty cut on here lately. I plasma cut and weld a lot of different metal at work, I see some varied reactive differences based off of who (which vendor) provides us what metal and where it probably comes from. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iron_a..._United_States
Laughing Gas
Joined: May 2021
Posts: 1,163
Likes: 360
From: Anderson, California
I would venture to say that you might consider a cordless sheet metal nipper and cut a cowl off of a clean Calif pickup.
I didn't even know that there is an "ipull-upull" recycle yard in Sacramento, until I found it during a search for something.
I am constantly looking thru Pick-n-Pull website for the northern Calif, yards. Then pulling actual pieces is a booger most times.
If you patch in a piece of cowl, will you be using Panel-Bond if possible ?
I just recently pulled an upper trim for the passenger front fender, and the pickup had an intact cowl and cab.
Gosh, it saddens me to see these intact pickups go to the crusher.
I didn't even know that there is an "ipull-upull" recycle yard in Sacramento, until I found it during a search for something.
I am constantly looking thru Pick-n-Pull website for the northern Calif, yards. Then pulling actual pieces is a booger most times.
If you patch in a piece of cowl, will you be using Panel-Bond if possible ?
I just recently pulled an upper trim for the passenger front fender, and the pickup had an intact cowl and cab.
Gosh, it saddens me to see these intact pickups go to the crusher.
Moderator & parts slinger
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 50,205
Likes: 5,797
From: S/W Missouri, Polk county
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Lead Driver
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 7,184
Likes: 382
From: Near Los Angeles
Yes, seeing a good vehicle go to the crusher is moving experience.
Hopefully I won't need the rolled edges on the patch panel, but I'll find out when I begin the work. There are still a few of our era trucks around in the yard in s.cal., but you have to search for them. Generally, just being in the yard depresses me. They are disgusting and treat their clients like thieves, their parts like gold. Core charge? are you kidding me? for a used part? Here in Cal. they demand you open your tool bag for them to inspect before you leave. That is in violation of the law. Once I got fed up and refused to open my bag. They threatened to call to the police and I told to do it. I was just tired of their aggressive behavior. They told me that I could never return to the yard. But I do.
Anyway, if I don't need the rolled edges, I'll just weld in a patch and bondo over it with some self etching primer.
Hopefully I won't need the rolled edges on the patch panel, but I'll find out when I begin the work. There are still a few of our era trucks around in the yard in s.cal., but you have to search for them. Generally, just being in the yard depresses me. They are disgusting and treat their clients like thieves, their parts like gold. Core charge? are you kidding me? for a used part? Here in Cal. they demand you open your tool bag for them to inspect before you leave. That is in violation of the law. Once I got fed up and refused to open my bag. They threatened to call to the police and I told to do it. I was just tired of their aggressive behavior. They told me that I could never return to the yard. But I do.
Anyway, if I don't need the rolled edges, I'll just weld in a patch and bondo over it with some self etching primer.
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Laughing Gas
Joined: May 2021
Posts: 1,163
Likes: 360
From: Anderson, California
Bonus: My last few treks into Pick-n-Pull, I have not been asked to open my tool bag which is a red Craftsman cloth bag.
I was conversing with a guy in P-n-P late last year, and he was "too-organized" with a nice back-pack having tools individually stored in order. Omg, then there was me, cussing away in frustration as I was 'digging' desperately hoping to find what I was after.
If it just weren't for Stupid, but I didn't know I needed a 5/8 to remove a hood hinge from the Cab for my '62 shortie gasser.
That guy came up with a metric size hex-sided socket the squeaked over the 5/8" bolt head. _ _ was a great day to be alive.
I was conversing with a guy in P-n-P late last year, and he was "too-organized" with a nice back-pack having tools individually stored in order. Omg, then there was me, cussing away in frustration as I was 'digging' desperately hoping to find what I was after.
If it just weren't for Stupid, but I didn't know I needed a 5/8 to remove a hood hinge from the Cab for my '62 shortie gasser.
That guy came up with a metric size hex-sided socket the squeaked over the 5/8" bolt head. _ _ was a great day to be alive.
Moderator & parts slinger
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 50,205
Likes: 5,797
From: S/W Missouri, Polk county
Or I just take a small backpack with a 2 crescent wrenches, one is standard, one is metric.... Also a pair of vice grips, wire cutters, regular pliers, and 2 screwdrivers. One phillips, one flat tip and a bottle of water.
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