Plan Of Attack on metal panel?

[supermerle]

I hope to get some help on which way would be best to straighten Qtr. panel out? I just got a stud gun and hope this will help me get a few bumps out of the metal.

I have two humps in first pictures and I'm going to place some studs around the bumps (to hold on to)so I can hammer the humps down?

Would heating and shrinking be better?

Also going to use studs along patch panel seam (third picture)so I can try to fit my HAZ on the weld job.

I have some oil canning; too, in front of the humps to the left of the second picture and do I use stud gun for this or heat and a rag to take oil canning out?


I know I should've done this before I put Qtr. panel on but I didn't have the tools at the time to do it right. Thanks in Advance!

 

[MP&C]

Merle, first off realize it is next to impossible to accurately read a panel from using pictures and not miss something. So take this all with a grain of salt, it may not apply exactly to your situation, but generally would describe what should have happened during a typical installation as you have done.

First, no welding operation causes a permanent stretching effect where you should automatically jump in there with a shrinking disc, or more heat. Heat caused the issue to begin with, so unlikely a stud gun will help either...

Now for an example of what I feel has happened here, grab a piece of 8-1/2 x 11 copier paper, and lay it flat on a table, with the long side in front of you. To simulate the part of the quarter panel that is farther away from the weld, lay a book on the edge of the paper farthest away from you. This is to keep the paper flat, as there is no distortion that far away. Now, looking at the edge of the paper closest to you, this is our "simulated" weld seam. As the heat from welding causes shrinking, we need to take this edge and decrease the length. So place your left thumb on top of the lower left corner of the paper, and your right thumb on top of the lower right. Slowly push these corners together to simulate what occurs as the weld seam shrinks...

You should see some puckers appear, perhaps even an up and down wave of puckers. This is what will occur to your quarter panel if just welded and no planishing or insufficient planishing of the welds and HAZ takes place. The weld and HAZ is shrinking, and thus the long weld seam is also shrinking in overall length. The puckers and waves in your quarter are likely just outside of the HAZ, as the weld and HAZ are shrinking and the panel just outside of this area is not. So as the opposing forces react, puckers are the result. Fix it by stretching the weld seam and HAZ.


As a refresher:

http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showpost.php?p=1191485&postcount=156

 

[supermerle]

MP&C
How would I stretch it since I've already install the Qtr. panel and have no way of getting to back side of the panel? I was just going to bondo but now I would like to get it straighter if I can?

 

[MP&C]

Is that a Dodge Ramcharger? At first glance I thought it was a pickup...

I did a GM extended cowl repair that required isolated inside/outside access to planish the welds. In this case, my nephew held the dolly on the inside on the weld dots, we would planish, move to the next dot, etc, then grind the dots down prior to welding the next ones to insure the dolly has free access for the next ones. As he was holding the dolly, I did some very light taps from the outside until you could hear the ping of an on-dolly hit, then smack it with a bit more force once locating where he was holding the dolly.

Filler use was limited to a slight bit of evercoat 416 metal glaze (mostly to address grinding marks), which sounds like what you're looking for.

 

[supermerle]

MP&C
Its a 1976 International Harvester Scout Terra. I got a wave in the panel were I tried (welded) a lower Qtr. panel on the bottom. I was thinking if I could weld a trailer hitch ball on a long steel rod I might be able to snake it up and around the wheel well and do some dolly work on the wave? I did planish the weld dot when I did the repair but you can see what the result where. Would the spot welder with just the heat tip used on the high spots shrink the panel enough to help what I've got? I have trim thats going to cover most of it up but was just trying to make it as straight as I can before skiming it with bondo. I'm probably pizzing in the wind but I hoping for the best. Thank you for all your time on this project!

 

[MP&C]

Merle, before shrinking anything more, I'd would recommend making some profile templates (perhaps of the quarter on the other side, if it is indeed in good condition, or use the door opening to trace onto a pattern...).. to see what the issues actually are. I would not recommend any shrinking at this time until you find out whether the high spots are actually high. In relation to the low spots they are high, in relation to the front edge of the quarter, they may be level or low. Additional shrinking of "high spots" may severely flatten out the panel if they are not actually high. Make your profile templates both vertical and horizontal. Once you can see what is what, then decide which action is needed...

 

[Crusty Nut]

MP&C, Thanks for taking the time to explain this. You are a good teacher, and you know what your doing. It is rare that somebody possesses both skills.

 

[MP&C]

Thanks CN.

Merle, any update?