How to fix sheet metal holes?

halfafish said
My new (to me) Dart had trim strip down the sides, at the upper edge of the side panels. It also had a vinyl top once upon a time. Oh yeah, and a Torino hood scoop. The trim and vinyl roof was removed by the PO so I now have dozens of 1/4" holes in the sheet metal, leaking water in when it rains. One of my top priorities is to seal these up so I don't get rust going inside. So far, it looks like I have avoided a rust disaster.

Is there an effective way to seal these up on a temporary basis? The car looks like hell anyway so I'm just looking for something to tide me over till I can fix them right. I was thinking maybe cutting out little circles of duct tape? Haha, this would look like a teenager's first attempt at shaving with all the little band-aids all over... :steering:

Second question, how does one seal them up permanently? I think they can be brazed or welded then ground down? I am a horrific welder so brazing might be more my speed if it works. I think there is danger of warping the body panels if not done correctly? Any help is greatly appreciated.

For temporary fix, get some short strand fiberglass filler. You can pick it up at any auto parts store. It is not hard to work with, it comes with a tube of hardener, just mix and spread on. That will fill the holes, then just sand the filler down flush to the metal and spray some primer to prevent rust from forming.
For permanent fix, I have always used one method for holes 1/4" or bigger. Take a screw about the same size as the hole. Screw it into the hole a bit an then tack weld the shaft of the screw to the body panel. Use a cut off wheel to cut the screw off flush. Then you can use regular body filler to smooth the area, primer, and paint it. I would not use only body filler for a hole that size, there is a chance it could crack or separate from the edges. Any body flex will cause that. By using a screw to fill the hole, there is mostly metal and very little filler.
Just my opinion, others may have different techniques.