What to do about this ??

[bigdaz27]

My Granada needs a little tlc it's never had any welding before so a good start I suppose I think I've been to at least 10 body shops and I'm getting a little frustrated

I either get sorry insurance work only don't want to know because it's not there idea of a prestige classic car

Or they clearly don't have the skill set to do the job, now I want it done right and look like its never been or at the very least look neat, now do I keep looking for someone do to the job for me or buy a welder practice and do it my self I'm quite a hands on person and have taught my self to do lots of things like reinstalling a fire place in my living room building engines and lots of other things so I'm sure I could tech my self to weld even tho my last attempt was a bit of a disaster I never really practiced just thought it looked easy and just jumped in hacking at the car with a grinder and welder properly made an ear of it, anyway with the wounders of the Internet and YouTube and being older and having more patience and not having my nagging ex wife lol

I would be grateful of any advice here's some photos so you know what I'm dealing with I removed the paint and under seal the last photo is the one I'm most concerned about its the end of the sill inside the rear wheel arch

[katana]

You've two requests - safe and like its never been touched! IMO for a DIY'er, you may achieve the first but it is unlikely you'd get the second. I've seen some atrocious welds on these pages and people are chuffed to bits with their skills, a professional would probably be kind and wait till they left before cutting it out and doing it again!

Replicating OEM is tricky as it varied from sub standard (it was the 70's!) to reasonably good and sometimes a good welder is too good ie. a perfect 'stack of pennys' TIG pass looks fabulous but for a exhibition type car it would be completely wrong.

Your Sig location don't help - there could be someone close by that could recommend a bodyshop or be able to do the job?

[bigdaz27]

Changed the location, that's what's put me off doing welding before I'm not sure I would get it to look as nice as I would like and safe of course, it's just very frustrating keep going around body shops getting the same answer, the mot runs out the end of July so need to find some one soon, I went to see someone today who said he could repair the sill end and the bits of rust on the arches for £60 if I did the grinding and filling which seams to cheep to me, he said it would only be a couple of hours work and he would grind out the rust and put a neat plate over,I'm guessing it would be an mot type repair, he was uses oxi oxy acetylene type welding which put me of a little

[katana]

I'm struggling to identify where the 'serious' / 4th picture is? Unless the element is structural ie. chassis legs, suspension / engine mounts etc. its not necessarily an MOT fail!

Remember that at one time not too many decades ago ALL welding was gas! And even now quality bicycle and Kart frames are still gas brazed together. If matie can show you some of his work, I don't think £60 is too cheap / unreasonable if it keeps the old bus on the road.

[Vista]

As Katana has said, welding is a practical skill and whilst a novice can pick it up to a basic level, to get a good finish takes training, experience and regular practice. 

 

There is nothing wrong with Oxy Acetylene welding in the hands of someone good at it, my craft apprenticeship was as a metal smith and I covered Gas, Tig and Arc welding amongst many other things. Back then I could get a very good finish with an O/A set................but controlling the amount of heat you put in to the panel is much much harder than with Tig or Mig hence it's not commonly practised on sheet steel as thin as a car panel.

 

Personally I would try and seek out a classic car restorer rather than a conventional body shop, the latter are just interested in easy insurance money these days. A random google search reveals this place as a possible option

 

http://www.hightone.co.uk/

[bigdaz27]

Here's a better photo, everyone seams to do mig welding so I assumed that was the best way

[weepeeps]

If you put Oxy acetylene near that arch you'll ripple the panel. The other areas would be fine with it. Even tig can ripple a panel with the heat build up. Buy a mig welder do it yourself it's really not hard the secret is to weld pause weld pause to the same timing as you say those words. Do this for no more than an inch at a time then allow it to cool completely( never quench it or blow compressed air on it). The metal must be super clean both sides with a 1 mm gap on all sides of your ( butt welded) patch , buy argoshield or even better argoshield light not co2. Practice on some sacrificial metal before you go near the car. Like most things in life the key is in the preparation.

[Danish]

If you want to take it to a professional, go with personal recommendations. I sent my car to a guy based on a recommendation from another forum member.

[bigdaz27]

I think high tone was the first one I tried they didn't want to do it, I tried somewhere called manor garage to they didn't want to know either

I thought someone that worked on classic cars would be the best people to try but apparently not, I went to one body shop and the chap said it wasn't worth doing and to pack the hole with Seam sealer and fix the arches with fibreglass lol, another said they would only do it if the painted it to he refused point black to leave it in primer which makes me a little suspicious, I plan to get the car resprayed next year once the rest of the body work is sorted,

[HotRodMatt]

You could try and contact a local classic car club and ask them for recommendations.

[Rally Pack 2000]

 

I either get sorry insurance work only don't want to know because it's not there idea of a prestige classic car Or they clearly don't have the skill set to do the job

 

I couldnt stop laughing when I read this. Half a world away and the BS is all exactly the same!

[Rallyman]

Hi

 

I would dig the crap out and clean it up then LEAD it. Trouble is not many people can lead it these days but its low heat and a great finish when done properly. You need to come to Yorkshire Lad.

[HotRodMatt]

I think Frost Automotive Restoration Techniques does a home lead loading kit. You could have a look on youtube and google to get an idea of what's involved in the application.