Plugging emblem holes in fenders

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pa340dart

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Any advise on welding front fender emblem holes in 71 dart fenders for use on 70 dart (no holes)
Have copper backing plates etc
and mig welder little experience on sheet metal
Was pipe fitter stick welder
Don’t want to warp them
Thanks
 
A little practice with similar steel and get your mig adjusted. Filled a few holes in my dash that were drilled for switches but large enough a plug was needed. I found it pretty easy with a little practice and tuning. Never used a mig before that.
 
The backing plate makes it pretty simple. Your not going to fill it in one shot. It'll take a few zaps, and let it cool between. If I have access I prefer to weld on the backside. There should be very little grinding on the face of the fender. In fact you may be low, but you're skim coat will fill it in. Pretty simple really. Anything specific you were wondering about, or concerned with?
 
Concerned with Warping the fender
Getting a set with the holes
I Have scrap th practice on
From behind sounds good
Will give a shot
 
Filling the 6x9 speaker holes in the FB rear wheelhouse covers was a bit more challenging. But once you get your torch adjusted correctly it is really kinda fun. Just tack and progress slowly.
 
No torch MiG
Trading member here 71/72 demon ( no holes ) demon decalb as a favor
For 71 dart with holes
I can stay with demon fenders but willing to help member with correct fenders for his dart
Just debating the trade which is fender for fender Equal condition but I’ll get fenders with emblem holes
Don’t want to screw it up welding
Thanks
 
Well it's your car so take your time letting it cool between tacks. The copper backing plate also acts as a heat sink to draw heat away from the weld area. You can hit it with a blow off gun if you want to speed things up. Every time you finish a tack check your wire. Cut the ball off the end and keep a consistent stick out of the nozzle.

Does your machine have auto set, or a wire speed/voltage chart? That'll get you in the ballpark for the wire size your using. After you get used to mig you'll be able to hear what the machine wants.
 
pa340dart said:
No torch MiG
Trading member here 71/72 demon ( no holes ) demon decalb as a favor
For 71 dart with holes
I can stay with demon fenders but willing to help member with correct fenders for his dart
Just debating the trade which is fender for fender Equal condition but I’ll get fenders with emblem holes
Don’t want to screw it up welding
Thanks
Click to expand...

Sorry just my slang. Practice with your mig “Torch” you will be comfy before you know it. My nephew learned in about an hour and welded me up an extended bracket to mount on my Dollie wheels for raising the car to load the drivetrain in underneath. One of the best tools I ever bought. I found it to be much easier on the gas Setup then practicing with flux core wire.
 
Thanks guys I’m gonna drill holes in old scrap fender + practice
Old pipe welder stick 6010 root
7018 cover
Thin sheet metal No experience
Just hesitate on the trade. No holes for holes otherwise equal trade
And to help well known member
 
That's interesting, covering with different rod. Just for looks ? We always used 6013 or 7014 on car projects, for compromise on penetration/appearance.
 
Natural gas lines
Creosote lines
6-12 in diameter
Bevel 601O root burn it in
7018 low hydrogen cover
2 pass Engineered specs
 
Emblem holes? Like 2 or 3?
Dont sweat it. Weld them with copper backing. Little to no warpage.
Lower voltage, higer wire feed.
Practice.
 
The old days we soldered holes. Neutralizing the flux was always an issue. I found applying filler and grinding it back out worked well.
 
6013 was my favorite rod when I used to stick weld about 40 years ago
 

It will help reduce panel heating if you use .023 wire in your MIG. I made a magnetic copper backer by drilling four holes in a 3/16 copper piece and epoxying in some small neo magnets. Works really well and frees up a hand to steady the gun. Also, leave a little more wire than usual (maybe 3/4 of an inch) sticking out of the MIG nozzle when you make the tacks. This also helps reduce the heat. Filling a 1/4" hole will take roughly 6-8 small tacks. Let it cool down, or cool it with an air hose every couple of tacks. A bit of practice first and you'll find it pretty easy to do.
 
ED10E23A-A043-4004-8080-76D6C00268A1.jpeg
Great tip by Garry in AZ. I have been using copper back-up pieces on some of my patch welds, but wasn’t sure how to attach them to the quarter-panels from my donor car, which is from a Dart 270, hence the hole problem. Now I know how I’m going to do it. The magnets will do the trick. One of the reasons I’m doing the whole quarters on both sides is to minimize weld length and the amount of filler I’d need to use. I attached a picture of a test-fit of my left quarter panel, and you can see the holes I’m having to deal with.
 
Eastwood sells copper backing plates with the magnets already in them. A durston tool is also useful sometimes. Once you start welding sheet metal with a backer you won't do it any other way. Backers aren't just for filling holes, I use them on all sheet metal joints when possible. When you use a backer leave a small gap in your fitment, then you are basically filling the void. This minimizes the finished height and requires less dress work before prime. As i said before, weld on the back side when possible. 23 wire(I use it exclusively for body work) centralizes the heat better, but you have to increase your wire speed. Doing sheet metal isn't hard with a mig. It's just about patience and consistency. Work slow, let it cool, and make the same tack every time. 99% of it is patience in panel fitment. Rushed panel fitment will lead to lots of mud magic even if you are God's gift with a welder.
 
Thank you very much
Great hints

Will practice as on scrap as soon as this &&%% Snow melts
3+ inches this morning
Spring. Ha
 
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