Welding Body Panels-Any Tips ?

[itsmecord]

So as the title says I am looking for some tips on welding body panels.As it stands I am working on my wifes 72' Karmann Ghia.The car suffered some MAJOR nose damage when it met a deer.We picked the car up for $250 AKA dirt cheep for a ghia.To be honest we thought we got a better deal than we did.The car looked like an easy nose job would have it in tip top shape,but upon further inspection (at home) we found it needed the nose job,floor pans.rocker,rear fender work,and a few other little rust area's replaced.None of it is a bid deal and considering how hard these cars have become to find we still came out ok.
Here is what we have to work with.





---------- Post added at 11:29 PM ---------- Previous post was at 11:24 PM ----------

In picture 1 and 2 you can kinda see a line from the hood to the headlight area...this is a BAD previous nose job.So I cut out the P/O's welds to evaluate the damages....It turns out this car had been wrecked a few times and had received multiple "attempts" at being restored.We found the car had 14..yes FOURTEEN layers of paint,and so far i have removed 25 lbs. of bondo from the car. Here is the car with the fender removed.

[Gadget]

Looks like you'll be busy for awhile. Also looks like a fun project.

---------- Post added at 07:50 AM ---------- Previous post was at 07:48 AM ----------

If you have a TIG welder here is an article on tacking that might be helpful. It references stainless but tacking is tacking.

Tacking article

[itsmecord]

I have not worked on the car much...We really started busting tail the other day on it,and since then put it between 2 big tree's and stretched it out a little to make up for what the collision did to it.I have the nose hammered back into shape and only need to weld the seem shut.The fender has turned out not to be a big issue,after I cut it off I got out the body hammers and beat it back into shape,and welded it back on to the car.I am in the process of Frenching the tail lights,and will hopefully before we move to wyoming for college get the headlights started...we will be doing porsche style headlights that lay back.Soon I will get some pics of what it looks like as of now, ALOT BETTER !

[arandall]

Cord:
Aren't the "Porsche" style headlights identical to all the old stlye VW beetle lights?
I bought a set from a wrecker, and believe it or not, am considering putting them into my '47 Chev. business coupe - haven't quite decided yet.
Too bad VW parts don't come cheap like they used to "back in the day"!!

Cheers,
Art R.

[itsmecord]

At a glance yes,but to a person that knows and really takes the time to check it out they are different.The porche ones don't have the turn signals integrated if I remember correct. And they would look sweet in you rig !

[robrob]

Take a look at these Eastwood.com welding helpers:

The first two are copper backing tools to help prevent burn through:


Welders Helper 3X3 Set Flat/Curve/AngleCop Plates

4 and 8 inch magnetic Copper Butt-Weld Backer set

These are panel clamps to precisely hold panels in while MIG welding:
Intergrip Panel Clamps Set of 4

Eastwood.com has a lot of great stuff for car restoration.

Rob

[itsmecord]

Wow,the eastwood site look's strikingly similar to harbor freight.Thanx for the linx.

[vault]

MIG is the way to go for auto sheet metal. Make sure you have a good seam other wise you will have the tendancy to slow down too much to fill in the gap and end up melting a hole in it.

[itsmecord]

Thanks for the tip...I know all to well what you mean LOL !

[robert]

Also try 0.23 wire it will help with burnthru, you can weld really thin with that wire.