Earlier today I jumped at the chance to be taught a few welding and metal work things from a local ford guy. Great guy, does fantastic work. Before I left I had a enough knowledge and skill from him walking me step by step on how to replace a floor pan on an old falcon. I did the labor, he supervised and made sure I did it a correct way that was as good as the factory. When I went to leave, he asked me if I knew anything about using lead and pointed at the roof line on my Valiant. The three lines in the roof at the rear pillars. He said come on back when you want to learn an art that is being lost. Long story short, I actually have lead, a torch, and the files and metal scrape needed. Turns out my grandfather was one of those guys. I always wondered what those rods were, now I know. So glad I didn't throw them away. Is this something that is still used today on old cars? Or is everyone moving to bondo? Or kitty hair and fiberglass? Given the chance, would this be something worth learning?
Lost art of using Lead and not bondo
- Thread starter Deemo
- Start date
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MOPAROFFICIAL
Oogliboogli
Quick and lighter than lead, I guess.
I would learn how, it's a great skill to have and there aren't a ton of folks that can do it. You can buy body lead or body solder kits from places like Eastwood, the stuff they use now contains less lead than it used to, so, maybe marginally safer. It's not super hard, but it does take practice to be good at it.
The factory used lead for a reason at the quarter/roof and tail panel/quarter seams. Bondo will crack at those locations, there's too much flex. Lead doesn't. The factory could have used bondo in those locations, and instead slung lead. At least on the non-vinyl top cars. It would have been cheaper and easier for them to just bondo all of them, but they didn't.
So is it something still used on old cars today? Yes, if you're trying to do it the way the factory did. Most folks just sling bondo though. Like I said, if you have the opportunity to learn how to do it, learn it. If you don't use it, that's fine. But it's another skill for the tool box. I just did the lead work on the tail panel seams on my Duster. Even my '74 Duster had lead filling in the quarter/tail panel seam. I melted it out when I did the Demon tail panel conversion, and put it back because I learned from my old man, who did it on British car restorations. I'm not great at it, but I was able to get the job done. I left the finish rough in the last picture because I do a little heavier skim coat over the lead work, so when it comes time to be sanding on the car for body/paint work I'm not sanding on lead. You do not want to breathe fine particles of this stuff.
I never hear anyone say, sorry, I can't. Gotta go put lead on my car. Lol. But that work looks fantastic. I'll take a go at it. I just hate using bondo on things, seems like a cheap fix as it will fall off. Crack. And omg does it soak up paint. And then the drying time. I'll be sure and go back out there and learn that. I love being able to do things the way the factory did. And I don't want my paint job flaking up because some issue with the bondo on those stress points.
Another tool in the bag that I'll know how to do. I'm pretty sure I'll need it again some day. Just I never hear anyone asking for that kind of body work. It's always floor pans, quarter panels, and so forth. never lead work. Kinda neat though. Lead to fix dings and scratches in metal.
Another tool in the bag that I'll know how to do. I'm pretty sure I'll need it again some day. Just I never hear anyone asking for that kind of body work. It's always floor pans, quarter panels, and so forth. never lead work. Kinda neat though. Lead to fix dings and scratches in metal.
lol, yeah you certainly don't hear that. And I don't think that using it as the only method of filler is a great idea. It takes longer, it's way more expensive, and then of course there's the toxic factor. So I still use filler for most of the work, I wouldn't use lead to fill a dent in a fender for example. But certain areas, like the roof/quarter seam, tail panel/quarter seam, rocker/quarter seam etc are a great place for it. It won't absorb moisture like bondo can, and it won't crack in those areas that flex. So if you're doing quarter panel replacements it would be a great skill to have to do the seams like the factory did.
If you decide to do such, just the knowledge is worth learning, for obvious reasons...
If you used lead on a blimp, would that make it a led zepplin????
Only, if Bonzo (Zoso..) ., could blow it ,apart.. That Keith Moon, t.v. thing, still cracks me up.... ( Drummers with explosive, is a good thing..., If you are trained for it...)Sorry, O.P...
. Google...."Spinal Tap, 1984 ...drummers, for amusement......)...
question: I reload and make my own bullets, I can get pure lead or lead alloys(with varying levels of tin content as well as other alloys) for less than 1.00 a pound. How many pounds does it take to do the seams mentioned above?
Any skill you can acquire is a good thing. The factory lead on my barracuda cracked. Plastic filler will flex.
I think the reason the factory used lead was because their seems were not completely welded and the lead would be better in that situation than the plastic filler. The lead will actually wick into the open seam and will bond better to the metal than plastic. The scientific label for the wicking is called capillary action and is an interesting phenomenon.
My barracuda was not welded at all on one windshield pillar seam. They tried but didn't get it tacked. That is all they try to do is tack weld the seam.
Modern cars for the most part do not have seams like the old days. If they do, it us a tiny little silicone bronze seam that is beautifully metal finished.
In my opinion, a better option would be weld or braze (silicone bronze is my choice) the joint then use the filler of your choice. Plastic filler, all-metal, kitty hair and lead are all acceptable choices when used correctly.
I think the reason the factory used lead was because their seems were not completely welded and the lead would be better in that situation than the plastic filler. The lead will actually wick into the open seam and will bond better to the metal than plastic. The scientific label for the wicking is called capillary action and is an interesting phenomenon.
My barracuda was not welded at all on one windshield pillar seam. They tried but didn't get it tacked. That is all they try to do is tack weld the seam.
Modern cars for the most part do not have seams like the old days. If they do, it us a tiny little silicone bronze seam that is beautifully metal finished.
In my opinion, a better option would be weld or braze (silicone bronze is my choice) the joint then use the filler of your choice. Plastic filler, all-metal, kitty hair and lead are all acceptable choices when used correctly.
loganscuda
This/These
I never thought of lead. I have filled in gouges on pistons with lead. Bronze blazing before but that never came to mind. Now you got me thinking. Which is probably a bad thing. Thanks.
Hahahaha. Don't be using the stuff on everything. I mean if it works great!! How'd the piston thing work out???
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