How to diecast repair with JB weld

[moparmat2000]

Hi Y'all,

I am going to start this thread about doing repairs on die cast parts you either arent ready to replace because of cost, cant replace because of availability (non existant) , or you just want to fix it.

I am going to show a start to finish on a 1969 barracuda taillight housing. I am leaving the chrome in its faded condition and am only concerned about the corrosion on the housing. This housing will eventually get replated with a spray on chrome (spectrachrome) or receive an etch primer and get painted body color.

First pic is what i started out with. It is definitely pretty crusty.

 

[moparmat2000]

Once the housing to body gasket, and lens to housing gasket is removed, i used aluminum tape over the faded chrome to protect it for the next step to see just how bad it really is. I put the part in my sandblast cabinet and stripped and cleaned it removing all the corrosion in the pits and such. As you can see its full of holes. At this point most people would say F##K it, and pitch it on the scrap pile. But what if you need to fix it, because your hard earned cash needs to be spent somewhere else, or you cannot find a decent replacement.

 

[moparmat2000]

This is where JB weld rides in for the rescue. I started by taping off the holes on the lens side, and mixing small batches of the epoxy, and filling the housing from the back being sure to fill in all the pitted areas as well as the spots with the holes. After letting it dry i sanded it smooth.

 

[moparmat2000]

After that, i applied jb weld to the lens side of the casting, sanded it smooth, and taped off the chrome for the next step which will be an application of a tough water resistant epoxy primer.

 

[mopowers]

Nice repair! A coat of paint and they'll look as good as new. My friends and neighbors give me **** for doing stuff similar to this to "save a buck." Some people just don't realize that repairing items like this is half the fun of building these cars for most gearheads. Nice job!

 

[moparmat2000]

These housings new repop are $400 a pair. Since we are going to concider painting them body color along with the bumpers to save a few dollars until money can be spent on new ones, i felt this is a good temporary solution.

So concidering that new taillight housings are $400, new reverse lamp housings are i think $200, and bumpers are $275 each. So paint it all body color for a monochromatic look and save $1,150 to use on other stuff like engine, or suspension, or interior work, and replace these pieces with new chrome later on as a budget allows for it.

 

[moparmat2000]

If all you have is small pitting, and intend to rechrome the part you can also look into a product called muggyweld. That product will take chrome plating.

 

[moparmat2000]

Time for primer. This a tough as nails fluid resistant epoxy. It should be plenty good to protect this from future issues.

 

[Tsully]

Matt
Once again great job!!! As bodyman of over 25 years and now an insurance adjuster...I will say again great job!!! People can say what they want and call it "Saving a BUCK"...I call it saving a part from the trash heap to wind up in China as a spoon!

Keep up the great work!!

Todd

 

[dano]

Nice work. Some parts there are no repops of, ask my Dad with a 66 Coronet 500 that has lots of one year only trim.

 

[moparmat2000]

Finally, a nice scuff of the primer with 320 sandpaper and a shot of krylon bright aluminum rattle can silver paint. Reassemble with a decent used lens and new gasket.

Additionally the taillight lens can be sanded down with 400 grit sandpaper and sprayed with automotive clear enamel, or buffed out with a micro polish kit to make it nice and shiny.

 

[moparmat2000]

Now these are by no means perfect however they are better that they were, and will work until we can afford new replacements. I still may bead blast the chrome, and apply a coat of epoxy primer over it, scuff and add a sandable hi build primer over the top and paint them body color.

If rechroming is in your plans take a look at muggyweld super alloy 1. This can be applied with a torch and mapp gas, and being as its metal, it can be used and the part rechromed afterwards.

I will be buying a small muggyweld super alloy 1 rod and flux kit to mess around with some other pitted castings i have to see what i can repair.

 

[moparmat2000]

Anybody else try this?

 

[moparmat2000]

Anybody else try this?