Panel Repair Advice

Machspeed

Member
Before I go screwing anything else up, I'm asking for help. I started another thread elsewhere on the forums here weeks back titled "Wheel Arch Repair". Prior to asking for advice here, I made some bad cuts and flanged my repair which has caused me some issues. I should have stayed closer to the body line and radius'd the corners. And, I should not have flanged it. Anyway, there was some distortion in the areas where the vertical weld meets the horizontal weld just above the patch panel. In those areas it was elevated leaving the long axis of the horizontal weld a bit shallow. I've taken pictures to hopefully best illustrate. Anyway, I cut the previous attempt out and butt welded the new patch in. After I cut that old mess out, I noted the panel appeared to go back to its normal shape. However, after I welded in the new patch panel it went back to the previous mess....... elevated in those corner areas (I did radius the corners this time) and shallow in the long axis of the weld. Hopefully you follow me here? So, I need to bang this out with hammer and dolly, if that is possible. I've played with it, even using a slapper and hitting the elevated areas while trying to push out on the low area but not really getting anywhere. Maybe I'm not getting after it enough. I'd really appreciate your thoughts and comments on how to best get this panel straight without too much filler. Thanks!
Wheel Arch redo 1.png
Wheel Arch redo 2.png
Wheel Arch redo 3.png
 
Personally I think you did a very nice job. I welded in a pile of those patch panels back in the 80's and 90's. That's a long, flat, and unsupported area of the panel.
 
You don’t want to just “bang it out”, the main purpose of the hammer and dolly is to stretch the weld to counteract the shrinking that has occurred. You know that after the other thread, I just wanted to clarify for anyone else reading. ;) You should hear the high pitched metallic ping to know that you are striking directly into the dolly.

Using the hammer on the inside and hammering outward into the dolly does help to bring the panel outward more readily. Give this a try, let us know how it works.

It does look much better than the first effort, quite the improvement. Soon you’ll be doing it blindfolded!!
 
Thanks, Rusty.

Robert, I beat the crap out of that panel today...kidding. I played with it a little bit today and from your advice was able to improve upon it. It felt pretty good realizing that I was finally getting somewhere. The thing I was doing before was hammering from the outside with the dolly held on the inside. I'm going to massage it a little more tomorrow. I may just be able to get this. Thanks Robert, appreciate ya!
 
Before I go screwing anything else up, I'm asking for help. So, I need to bang this out with hammer and dolly, if that is possible. I've played with it, even using a slapper and hitting the elevated areas while trying to push out on the low area but not really getting anywhere. Maybe I'm not getting after it enough.
Just as when you cut the problem away before, the symptoms went away with it also. The highs and lows you mentioned are the symptoms of the weld shrinkage, so don't treat the symptoms, stretch the weld with hammer on dolly action just like Robert explained and the highs and lows will take care of themselves.
 
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Just as when you cut the problem away before, the symptoms went away with it also. The highs and lows you mentioned are the symptoms of the weld shrinkage, so don't treat the symptoms, stretch the weld with hammer on dolly action just like Robert explained and the highs and lows will take care of themselves.

This is the kind of stuff that makes this forum so great. Thanks, chevman!
 
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