5 GT Turbo 11 years later silver bullet comes home

[Duncan Grier]

The rear line is above the bonded section as per picks below which potentially gives me some options but am fully exposed

Think spot welder 'might' reach but triple layer, plug weld or use a proper bonding glue?

Or the other lines leaving the good bit in / or not but no access to behind to help spread welds if pulled in too much bla bla bla

 

[Duncan Grier]

Throw your thoughts in but decided to walk away today and think it over and over but can prep and get cradle in next time

 

[Turbell]

If the forwards most red line is where you want to cut to rid the rot, and the passenger side is good, as much as I want to say chop, chop, and the likelihood of a roof skin falling on your lap if it goes tits up......I think, in your shoes I'd section it in, split into three, do worse first, IE the bit that's rotted away from the inner......I change my mind like I change my pants and socks on this conundrum.....every week

 

[Turbell]

I think it comes down to how confident/competent your are butt welding panel thickness metal without distortion.
I've welded up aerial holes, rebuilt sections of gutter , but never gone that deep into a skin.
End of day proof will be when it goes to topcoat.

 

[Norwich Nick]

My brain says keep the cut forward of the bonded section. Maybe use the bottom of the aerial hole as a datum point if you decide to go straight across.

Think it wise to just do the sections as turbell suggested, it’ll give you a feel for the overall repair. If it goes wrong you’ve still got the option to move your cuts back and go again if needed

 

[Duncan Grier]

Thanks both, if go all in one or sections the line cut will be a commited cut of the donor part, if nearer the front line no option after.

My main concern it the lack of access to stretch the weld if it does contract too much....mig welds are quite hard at the best of times and would be more grinding flat as I go and no not going to get any dolly behind

Im ok as a non professional at butt welding French tin but this makes my full sill cut weld of silliness seem easy

I typically go with a good 1mm gap and mildly confident one weld at a time cut out if it pulls but my urge is strong to cut the lot off and work it out as I go......

Never got to grips at min power on the welder with 0.8 wire but then never tried 0.6 which might help prefer a touch hotter and shorter burts touch more wire speed. But the speed of fail goes up a few levels lol

Hoping work eases this week and we can all have a good laugh at the mess I lake of it

 

[Turbell]

Fuck it, go big or go home.

 

[Duncan Grier]

You all heard it on here @Turbell made me do it

 

[Steve Swan]

Get a hold of a bit of 28mm copper pipe and flatten it out. if you're going to go in sections, clamp or jam it up under the weld area to act as a heat sink and to prevent burn through, First time I tried this, when welding up redundant holes was a revelation, nice flat welds that required minimum dressing. 28mm flat gives a nice thick heat sink.
Have a little practice on some offcuts to dial in settings. may take an evening to set it all up, but will save several evenings, when it gets to final finishing.

 

[Duncan Grier]

Another advantage of cutting further back is this also

Fully agree getting some practice in off the car to setup be time well spent

 

[paulseabrook]

I'm intrigued to see how this goes, looking at mig welding my roof skin on in a few months. I had the same amount of rust on the pillars, this with having a sunroof, I also made the choice to replace and treat the rest of the gutters etc.

 

[Duncan Grier]

So in tonights 90mins of fun

Removed the rest of the cradle....looks the right call



Then finished separating the top section, got some hammer and dolly action around the edges before quick flap wheel on any of the spot welds still a bit proud and quick part prep



With replacement sitting loose got the spot welder out and looks like it will give me the option to use


And one step closer to cutting the top out


Might just work lol

 

[Duncan Grier]

Now another decision as while the spot welder has most of the access needed I still have the holes from the removal to deal with

Make your view be known

1. Fill holes off the car with some copper backed section, and spot weld onto car
2. Just plug weld directly onto car
3. Spot weld and plug weld also onto car

 

[andybond]

This picture looked suspiciously like a play button that I didnt try and click on 3 times

 

[Steve Swan]

Now another decision as while the spot welder has most of the access needed I still have the holes from the removal to deal with

Make your view be known

1. Fill holes off the car with some copper backed section, and spot weld onto car
2. Just plug weld directly onto car
3. Spot weld and plug weld also onto car

3. Welding holes and spotting on welds may be problematic. Spot where you can plug where you can't

 

[Duncan Grier]

Cheers @Steve Swan yep never seems to join as well through weld, plan if filling holes off the car was to spot weld between on fresh metal lets see

Also never tried to spot weld with 3 layers.....might be a non starter or level 10 setting

 

[Steve Swan]

It's got to be clean clean, if it's not then its a loud bang and a hole, plus the smell of burning flesh.

 

[Turbell]

Now another decision as while the spot welder has most of the access needed I still have the holes from the removal to deal with

Make your view be known

1. Fill holes off the car with some copper backed section, and spot weld onto car
2. Just plug weld directly onto car
3. Spot weld and plug weld also onto car

4. Weld holes up and metal bond it on.

 

[DaveL485]

I'd plug the existing spots and spot on fresh metal I think.

 

[Duncan Grier]

Close to a final bit of hammer and dolly action before some hydro80, primer. Then prep areas for spot and plug weld



Once in will remove top section but leaving in as reference point while doing the cradle