Bought a little mig welder to make patch panels for my Toronado project; Can anybody advise what gauge sheet steel I should buy for either floor pan or general body repairs?
David

 

At least18 Gauge!!!

 

19ga is perfect but hard to find

 

I found that 20 gauge was the best to work with. You can by a door or trunk from a wrecking yard and use it for patching

 

If you purchase a door or other panel from a junk yard to use for patch panels, I suggest that you find parts from the 1970's or early 1980's. Modern steel that is currently being used is made differently so I have been told, and is more difficult to work with. Like everything else in life, there are many different grades and types of steel sheet. Using the correct steel to make repairs is just as important as using the correct welding wire for the repair. Don't make a difficult job any harder than it has to be because of the wrong choice of materials. This is the voice of experience speaking.

 

I used to buy Caddy hoods from the yard when I was patching VW floors with a stick and torch, but I would rather start with clean metal while trying to learn to TIG weld.
Lots of carmakers in the past 20 yrs have gone to something that is like a hot dip galvanize and I'm pretty sure that that would give off some toxic fumes....

 

In addition the modern sheet metal it HHS It's thin and not suitible for patching anything. Like side above mid 80's and back if you are looking for patch panel material.

 

Modern cars SUCK at working with the metal.

I have a 80A stick welder, i got so angry at the metal on my dad's nissan, i went out and bought a flux core mig welder to do the patches.

 

Welcome to the site bluecab! Where are you located? I've got a stack of doors going to the scrap yard soon, 1968-72 Cutlass 2 and 4 doors. Then I've also got a couple roofs that I've cut off, 1965, 1970-72 2 and 4 door cars. If your interested I can use a sawzall to cut off/out some sheets for you. Let me know what size(s) you need and I'll send you some pictures of possibilities stacked back of the garage.
John

 

Hey John,
Thanks for the offer, but i'm on the other side of the continent, Massachusetts...
I noticed the other day while in Lowe's that they sell sheet steel, don't remember what gauge, but I really only have a bunch of smaller holes to fix, so I should be able to use that stuff.
As I said, in the good old days (70's) I used to stick braze old sheet metal complete with paint onto the floors of VW's that rotted in the New England winters almost yearly. My giirlfriend, now wife, remembers the wave of defrosted water cascading over her shoes after longer winter drives in my bug.
We finally graduated to water cooled vehicles and have never regretted it.

 

"My giirlfriend, now wife, remembers the wave of defrosted water cascading over her shoes after longer winter drives in my bug.
We finally graduated to water cooled vehicles and have never regretted it."


It must have been love if she stuck with you after that

 

John!

Couldn't help overhearing you have some doors?? I'm in dire need of a door skin/patch/something for the drivers side of my 2-door 72 cutlass?

Do you have any good driver's side candidates?

Thanks John!

-Tony

 

Tony, PM sent!

John

 

Is 19 what was used back in the sixties? Say like my 65 Cutlass hood?

Anyone know for sure?

 

19ga is what the piece I cut out of my 66 fender measured

 

So what gauge is in wide use today? Just curious...

John - do any of your scrap doors have power lock in them? (I doubt it but just have to pose the question...) BTW, I just noticed Medford is under an "Air Stagnation" advisory - do you guys really have THAT much pollution there??

 

[QUOTE=
BTW, I just noticed Medford is under an "Air Stagnation" advisory - do you guys really have THAT much pollution there??[/QUOTE]

I'll take that one. High pressure (record highs-Seattle area anyway)and no breeze. Its amazing to watch the smoke from a chimney curl downward toward the ground.
Its not a normal L/A style smog issue. Its just a really bad combo wood smoke and high pressure.

Thanks gearheads78!

 

Rob, nonhog hit the nail on the head! That plus Interstate 5 running through the valley. Elevation in the Rogue valley is about 1,300, the mountains around the valley are 4,000 to 7,000+ so we're in a bowl. We do have a week or two each year like this. Last weekend it was freezing fog that never lifted all day! Really miserable to do anything outside . But nothing like big city smog, just warning people with illnesses who have breathing problems to not exercise outside. Today will actually be a nice day out. Right now its 23 degrees but clear, predicted to be mid 40's in the afternoon but sunny. So in the sunshine it will be downright nice! Attached are a couple pictures of the sky this morning. Also to keep the thread on topic I did the scrap run as planned but pulled out the doors. Still a lot of usable parts and even door skins that someone may want. John

P1010160.jpg

P1010162.jpg

 

I would say aprox 22ga but I have never taken a gauge to any. its a special high strength alloy so its much stonger per square inch compared to 22 ga mild steel