Do it your self sheetmetal repair??

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Nitrous340Dart

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Hey guys,
I found some nasty rust and had a few question on how to repair it? First has someone replaced this much metal of the inside of their fenders? What gauge metal is the best to use for the inside wheel well? What size welding wire and what type for a mig welder? Is solid .035 ok or would a dual-shield or something work better?

Thanks for the help!

1968 Dart 039.jpg


1968 Dart 020.jpg


1968 Dart 041.jpg
 
I want to say 20 gauge sheet metal? I used parts from a local salvage yard to patch my passenger side. If you pull metal from a newer car to use as a patch, make sure to do some test welding because the metal on these old cars is fairly soft compared to the metal used on newer cars
As for the welder, I used .030 flux cored wire BUT, gas shielding is the way to go for less splatter and rework. Don't forget to make sure the connections are set correctly for your wire whether it be negative work clamp or positive work clamp.

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the top picture is the splash shield which is removable. You could either fabricate the missing section or find a replacement.

The hole in the inner fender should be too hard to fix either. You could do it in two pieces to duplicate the overlap.

Use shielding gas if at all possible with .025 - .026 wire. It's a little easier to do sheetmetal with smaller feed wire.
 
I didn't know that was a splash shield and removable! That makes life a lot easier. I asked FLYBOY for a picture of his and it didn't look the same. The holes in the engine compartment are no brainers. Thanks
 
Virtually all a-bodies have them. Keeps crap off the doors. The screws and washers are usually covered in undercoat. The tab hanging down from the fender at the top is one of the mounting points. The seal on the right side seals between the shield and the fender. It's removeable and replacements are available through Restoration Specialties. In fact, if you remove your fenders, the shields will remain in place on the car.

In the foreground of the pic below they're getting some paint.

scottinbooth.jpg
 
don't forget if you use metal from newer cars it is usually galvanized and the smoke is toxic.
 
I believe 18 gauge sheet metal is what you want to weld back in there. I found a place that sold me scraps for real cheap by asking the guys at the local welding shop who could sell me some scraps. Make sure you cut back to clean un-pitted metal and wire wheel both sides until they are nice and shiny.
 
you should be able to go to a salvage yard and find some plastic splash guards off a little newer model they fit the same and then theres never anymore rust, I did have to replace the metal that the splash guard screwed to. As for sheetmetal,, If you have a batch of rust that size in one spot i am sure you have more else where. I would go buy a 4x4 sheet of 16 guage and cut it with a cutting wheel on a grinder. I use a a bit thicker steel so I can carry the heat from the new steel into the old stuff. I use tri gas and 035 wire. The old steel will need to be cut back and cleaned until its clean metal or your weld will bubble from the contaminates. Hope this helps. If ya need anymore help dont hesitate to ask, I replaced my whole car from above the wheel wells down and Im sure others here have done the same

good luck
 
Dodge (Dart) splash aprons are different than Valiant (Plymouth) aprons. If your car is a Dart you need a Dart apron.

I recently put a 70 Dart nose on a 72 Scamp and wanted to use the Scamp plastic aprons be they were different and I had to use the Dart aprons.

Chuck
 
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