Wow i didn't think anyone could nearly have as many as me but you're well on the way - 2 sets of alloys, 4 sets of steelies plus about 5 odd ones and currently 108 hubcaps - that's just why our lass chose me
anyway back to the topic... 
General Rescued Panda!
- Thread starter pooroldcodger
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General Rescued Panda!
Wow i didn't think anyone could nearly have as many as me but you're well on the way - 2 sets of alloys, 4 sets of steelies plus about 5 odd ones and currently 108 hubcaps - that's just why our lass chose me
anyway back to the topic... 
Best stop now before Vernon publishes his last stock take
Well the other essential jobs (like re-roofing 2 sheds, decorating the bathroom and fixing various ailments on Mrs Codger's car) have been done and bought me a little bit of time to have a go at restoring my little Panda.Best stop now before Vernon publishes his last stock take
I am unsure whether to buy new sills (as they have been patched already). Whilst I am making my mind up, I also have to start learing how to weld. I have managed to achieve some solid if not pretty test welds using the same gauge of steel as the sills, so I have decided to have a go at the front edge of the driver's side sill where there is a small hole. On the sound basis that as it's already a mess I can't make it much worse, and may even make it better!
So I have cut out the rotten bit and I am now left with a small hole which I have cleaned up (see picture). My question is, as I can get to the front and the back of this place, should I attempt my weld from the front and then grind down, or from the back and then put on a skim of filler?
Any advice as always gartefully received.
Attachments
Looks like you need to cut out abit more as you still have some thin metal around the edges of the hole. I would weld from the outside, trying to weld the inside will be a nightmare.
It looks like it really needs complete sills so you can sort out the inners and edges of the floor properly, a big job, but the only way to make it properly solid.
It looks like it really needs complete sills so you can sort out the inners and edges of the floor properly, a big job, but the only way to make it properly solid.
You are right of course, but I also want the practise of welding in a patch, so I will cut the hole bigger and then attempt the weld, even though I may replace the sills soon. I did buy the car to learn on! And there is a lot of "learning" to be done.
Thanks for your advice.
If you use slightly thicker sheet for the repair panel then it will be easier to weld. (as you can lose more heat into thicker steel)
Always weld thick to thin i.e. form the weld pool on the thicker metal and allow the pool to flow into the thinner.
Plenty of tack welds but not so many that you end up with a raised seam with no penertration
Always weld thick to thin i.e. form the weld pool on the thicker metal and allow the pool to flow into the thinner.
Plenty of tack welds but not so many that you end up with a raised seam with no penertration
Thanks guys. I'll give it a go this weekend all being well.
The steel sheet I have hit is about 1.2mm.It seems about the same as the panel was originally. I can shape it with a hammer in the vice so it seems workable.
What the heck. The car's a mess so I can only improve it! Well that is the plan anyway.
The steel sheet I have hit is about 1.2mm.It seems about the same as the panel was originally. I can shape it with a hammer in the vice so it seems workable.
What the heck. The car's a mess so I can only improve it! Well that is the plan anyway.
pandamaniac
Established member
What are you using.
TIG
ARC
MIG
Dragonman practised on bean cans before he tried his car!
Dave
TIG
ARC
MIG
Dragonman practised on bean cans before he tried his car!
Dave
I am using MIG.
My brother always used to tease me that Fiats were made of bean cans. Maybe Dragonman knows something !
Seriously, yes I saw John's comment about practising on cans - that's good going. I did try a couple but blew a whole in it.I'm going to have a go anyway.
pandamaniac
Established member
I'm hedgeing my bets as I have a MIG welder, and a Clarke AT131 which ARC welds and TIG welds, and my son has just spent £600 on a super dooper ARC/ TIG welder.
We also have ARGON at £46 a refill so I expect perfection when he starts my Panda.
Only one problem and that his welding course only teaches him to weld 6 mm plate!
FIAT steel is 0.8mm
Dave
We also have ARGON at £46 a refill so I expect perfection when he starts my Panda.
Only one problem and that his welding course only teaches him to weld 6 mm plate!
FIAT steel is 0.8mm
Dave
My Gran always used to say, (amongst other things):
"If you can play the piano you'll always get asked to parties" (parties were a bit different in those days!
I have a feeling that learning to weld is a bit like learning the piano in that respect. My son and his mates are watching my progress with worrying amounts of interest.
They also want to get their mitts on my little Panda and "slam it" in their terminology.
"If you can play the piano you'll always get asked to parties" (parties were a bit different in those days!
I have a feeling that learning to weld is a bit like learning the piano in that respect. My son and his mates are watching my progress with worrying amounts of interest.
They also want to get their mitts on my little Panda and "slam it" in their terminology.
pandamaniac
Established member
My wife wants to slam mine to the scrap yard, which to my mind isn't lowering it
Dave
Dave
Hey, just catching up with this - good luck with the welding :worship:
When I first got Lucy (2005) I couldn't get anyone to weld my inner sill (one of it's fails) and bought a MIG welder. I couldn't get full sills then (are they available now..?) and had to cut a patch out of the outer. I then bent back the mid sill plate (dealers wanted over £120 for this alone!) I was then able to do a fair job of the inner sill repair. It was awkward lying on my back dealing with the falling flash but I did manage to get a satisfactory repair even though I'd never used a Mig before. I did warp the outer sill replacing the cut out section but they don't test warped panels lol
I'm thinking of adapting the cider press into a stand at either end so I can get a shell up in the air and swivel it as it's so much easier to do underbody work.
I did my minivan years ago by rolling the stripped-out shell onto tyres - you could get away with an arc welder back then ha ha
all good stuff lol
When I first got Lucy (2005) I couldn't get anyone to weld my inner sill (one of it's fails) and bought a MIG welder. I couldn't get full sills then (are they available now..?) and had to cut a patch out of the outer. I then bent back the mid sill plate (dealers wanted over £120 for this alone!) I was then able to do a fair job of the inner sill repair. It was awkward lying on my back dealing with the falling flash
but I did manage to get a satisfactory repair even though I'd never used a Mig before. I did warp the outer sill replacing the cut out section but they don't test warped panels lol I'm thinking of adapting the cider press into a stand at either end so I can get a shell up in the air and swivel it as it's so much easier to do underbody work.
I did my minivan years ago by rolling the stripped-out shell onto tyres - you could get away with an arc welder back then ha ha
all good stuff lol
I have now read and watched so many you tube videos and written articles on MIG welding I've got information oiverflow, but it's so useful. There is so much to learn about heat management, wire speed, voltage / amp setting, travel speed, shielding gas etc. etc.
Then on top of that is safety.
I read somewhere that you should use weld through primer on the reverse side of the repair piece (assuming that you woun't be able to prime the reverse side once the piece is welded in).
However I also read that you shouldn't weld galvanised steel because it gives off carcinogenic gas. If you were welding a body panel on a vehicle, wouldn't that be galvanised?
Also I read that weld through primer also gives off the same gas. So what do you do?
Having just got myself in to a false alarm health panic at the docs I am very concious of this.
So what are the views of the "welding meisters" on the forum?
Then on top of that is safety.
I read somewhere that you should use weld through primer on the reverse side of the repair piece (assuming that you woun't be able to prime the reverse side once the piece is welded in).
However I also read that you shouldn't weld galvanised steel because it gives off carcinogenic gas. If you were welding a body panel on a vehicle, wouldn't that be galvanised?
Also I read that weld through primer also gives off the same gas. So what do you do?
Having just got myself in to a false alarm health panic at the docs I am very concious of this.
So what are the views of the "welding meisters" on the forum?
No galvanizing on Pandas so no worries there, if you do have galvanised metal you need to make sure you grind it all off before welding. Weld through primer is a good thing to do, but not entirely neccessary, filling the cavity with waxoyl afterwards works just the same.
I used weld though primer on mine and it never gave off any nasty gas, would be abit silly if it did. I would be more worried about setting things on fire and getting rust/metal/dirt in your eyes etc than fumes really.
I used weld though primer on mine and it never gave off any nasty gas, would be abit silly if it did. I would be more worried about setting things on fire and getting rust/metal/dirt in your eyes etc than fumes really.
A good point. I guess if there was some galvanising on Pandas then all this welding wouldn't be happening at all!
Yes I am being careful about the fire aspect. My brother told me that in the old days when he was a mechanic (not a welder I hasten to add) more than one car ended up with smoking carpets when a chassis repair had got a bit "warm".
Yes I am being careful about the fire aspect. My brother told me that in the old days when he was a mechanic (not a welder I hasten to add) more than one car ended up with smoking carpets when a chassis repair had got a bit "warm".
It'd be great to do a full resto - acid treat and then have bottom 9" galvanised, though sadly my dreams of winning the lottery have been dashed by the price hike...
Mk2's were except the doors I thought? Except the last ones (18 months in the UK) where the doors were
Mk2's were except the doors I thought? Except the last ones (18 months in the UK) where the doors were
I thought this was the case too?
Mk2's were except the doors I thought? Except the last ones (18 months in the UK) where the doors were
Nope, they would hardly rust at all if they were, plus you would have to clean it off to weld, which I have never had to do.
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