MGB Project

[dave.g.in.gansevoort]

Oh look, there's a left turn off the destination that this conversation is tending towards - it sure is a nice day out.

To quote Bob Seger:"On a long lonesome highway, east of Omaha..." And you can fill in the rest. I'm getting older and my memory is a little bit rusty... wait, what were we talking about? I'm so confused!

Which reminds me of the time with the lady dentist, the bottle of nitrous, and a bushel of fresh peaches... but I'm much better now!

responses should be is Dave on?

[DanStokes]

Back on the MGB highway.....


As I wait for a rebuilt distributor for the Stang I figured I might as well move along on the MGB. I'm putting off bottoming the left fender until my trusty helper can be here (we're thinking next week sometime - I want him to see the process) so I fiddled with the right fender today. First of all I overbrazed the inside of the weld on the new patch. The weld was kind of pours and I didn't like that so the overbraze is an adequate solution. As I tried to figure out why the weld was so crappy I checked my MIG gas bottle and yep - it ran out at some point as I was welding in the new bottom. So Monday it's off to the welding store.


A couple of pics to hold y'all over as I get back on bigger parts of the project. I primed the inside of the areas I welded on the right fender then coated those areas with spray rubberized undercoat. The hope is for everything to stay rust-free.

The area where I welded out the side marker light:





And the wend across the new fender bottom:

[dave.g.in.gansevoort]

A spare bottle is the answer. Of course that means that you have to remember to get that one refilled before the 2nd runs out. Ask me how I know this...

[DanStokes]

A spare bottle is the answer. Of course that means that you have to remember to get that one refilled before the 2nd runs out. Ask me how I know this...

Yep. I HAVE a spare bottle. But it's MT too. So today is a run to the welding store.

[DanStokes]

Welding supplies update:

The back-up bottle is, in fact, full. However, if you're welding and don't notice that you no longer have shielding gas having a full back-up bottle is not effective. I need to pay more attention.

[SuperBuickGuy]

Welding supplies update:

The back-up bottle is, in fact, full. However, if you're welding and don't notice that you no longer have shielding gas having a full back-up bottle is not effective. I need to pay more attention.

can you be fired from retirement? I think not.

[DanStokes]

can you be fired from retirement? I think not.

I hope not. I'm no longer qualified for any other position. Though judging by the people who wait on me these days that may no longer be grounds for disqualification from a job.

[DanStokes]

As I looked more closely at the right door it's been poorly repaired and I'll be better off if I can find a better candidate. Luckily, my guy in Monroe NC has some to choose from so I'll run over to Monroe area on Friday and score one.

I have a replacement left door in hand and it's pretty good but needs a front corner which is fairly common. So here's the fix:

The damaged area with the damage cut out:




And cut out:

[DanStokes]

Having issues adding more pics:


In weld-thru primer:





And mostly welded in. I inadvertently cut all the way thru the backing piece so I left that area unwelded so I could braze that and have the braze penetrate thru cut thru area. Pic to come.





And from the back: Note the thin brass lines where the cut-thru was fixed. The brass blob is to fix a small area of rust thru in the backing piece. No one will see this as it's the front area of the door.





And ready for finish. I'll need to push a little bit out from the inside so I can use less filler.

[dave.g.in.gansevoort]

Coming along nicely! Someday when you grow up, you might be able to get a job as a body man...

I'm going to be an electrical engineer... just call me Sparky! Don't ask why

[DanStokes]

Coming along nicely! Someday when you grow up, you might be able to get a job as a body man...

I'm going to be an electrical engineer... just call me Sparky! Don't ask why

LIES!!!! You'll never be a body man and I'm allergic to electricity.

[silver_bullet]

Tiger hair is just one of many Evercoat filler products. I would recommend against using Bondo, which is the name of 3M's line of filler products, and would suggest Evercoat instead. Having used both of their normal fillers, Evercoat sands more easily, does not have pinholes that require the use of a glaze after sanding, and holds up under paint better.
Having said all that - Tiger Hair is their most aggressive fiberglass reinforced filler (they also offer Kitty Hair, which has shorter fibers, and a few other fiber filler options). It's meant to be used in instances where you require strength out of the filler - like if you're covering thin metal that has a lot of rust pinholes, or if you have large gaps to fill. It is NOT meant for final application of filler - you MUST cover it with a non-"fiber reinforced" filler after sanding it down to the right shape. In your situation, I'd recommend pulling out the dent as much as you can and then using one of Evercoat's "Rage" line of fillers. Tiger Hair is very obnoxious to use and should really only be used when necessary.

[DanStokes]

Tiger hair is just one of many Evercoat filler products. I would recommend against using Bondo, which is the name of 3M's line of filler products, and would suggest Evercoat instead. Having used both of their normal fillers, Evercoat sands more easily, does not have pinholes that require the use of a glaze after sanding, and holds up under paint better.
Having said all that - Tiger Hair is their most aggressive fiberglass reinforced filler (they also offer Kitty Hair, which has shorter fibers, and a few other fiber filler options). It's meant to be used in instances where you require strength out of the filler - like if you're covering thin metal that has a lot of rust pinholes, or if you have large gaps to fill. It is NOT meant for final application of filler - you MUST cover it with a non-"fiber reinforced" filler after sanding it down to the right shape. In your situation, I'd recommend pulling out the dent as much as you can and then using one of Evercoat's "Rage" line of fillers. Tiger Hair is very obnoxious to use and should really only be used when necessary.

I've used them all. I try to stay away from fillers with "hair" in them because I almost always end up with some of the hairy stuff showing on my final surface and they don't finish up well. I've done well with either Bondo or Evercoat but I've refined my application technique over the years so I pretty much never get air bubbles. The biggest tip I have is to fold in the hardener and not stir it in - any chef can help you master the technique. If the hardener is folded in there's little chance of incorporating air into the mix.

[silver_bullet]

This is why back when I was in the trade, If I were to see any give in a panel that I was working I would allow enough room after the tiger hair filler to put a skim coat of lightweight filler to to the finished feather-edge on the repair.... I never liked using the surfacer in the tubes as it would never harden to my liking and clogged the sanding medium....I also had friends that would mix a bit of fiberglass resin into the filler for a smoother layout on aplication....

[dave.g.in.gansevoort]

LIES!!!! You'll never be a body man and I'm allergic to electricity.

There's only one thing I don't understand: electrical engineers need to use imaginary numbers to make the math work.

That and spraying paint. Okay, that's two things. Imaginary numbers and spraying paint.

And why they're called civil engineers. That's three things, but that's all.

And artificial intelligence. Not that there's much real intelligence in the world. But that's the list. Just four things.
And...