I'm repairing my Inner Sills and floor on my resto project car, I've been told to get 20 gauge mild steel for the repairs, is this what you guys would use?
Mind you its not like I'll be doing it myself yet, only had the welder 2 days
20 gauge sounds a bit thin. An older car would normally use 16 gauge (approx 1.5mm) for the inner sills and 20 gauge (approx 1mm) for the floor. Mind you the Sierra has modern construction so might well be different. Not a lot of help - but I tend to cut a rust bit out and measure the thickness with some vernier callipers, then use something about the same size for the repairs.
Thanks for the reply, I'e got some 20 gauge and also got some 18 gauge, I'll cut out the rusty bits and check the thickness of it, the peices i've got to cover the holes in the floor are L shaped and measure 80mm wide in total with a 30-50 split on the each side of the L 30mm going onto the floor and 50mm up the inner sill, this covers the crap easily and I'm going to put this all the way along the inner sill and floor.
I've treated all the rust with Krust and will cut out as much of it as I can, I'm thinking of painting it all with Hammerite on the inside and Waxoyl on the underneath outside, Would you do this or use something else? Also where can you get Seam Sealer from? I've done some online searches but can't find it anywhere.
The welding is coming on a bit also, I have found it alot easier to hold the torch over on angle to the right and pull towards me, this way I can see the wire coming out and the weld alot better, befor eI was holding the torch straight in front of me and could'nt see the weld just the end of the torch.
I'll try and take some pics of my welds so you can give me some tips on how to improve
For painting, I tend to paint inside and outside with a zinc rich primer, then Smoothrite. The outside gets undersealed as well (body shultz is great stuff to have in your hair).
I'm not sure where you'd pick up seam sealant other than your local automotive paint shop. I found a couple of tins in the garage. One is made by TEX and has the code QSEAM, and the other is Starchem with the code SEALER-GREY if that's any help. Both of them have "brushable seam sealant" written on the side.
Nipped in my Local Auto store and asked the guy behind the counter, they had some, but it wasn't in the body repairs section where I looked the other day. It's the Tetrosyl Brushable stuff.
Whats the Zinc stuff you use? Is this paint on aswell? I've got some Smoothrite for the inside and Waxoyl for the out side.
have you got a local car panel place?? my local is avenue panel and they do all kinds of sealer, primer, underseal. you name it they seem to so it lol. might be worth a try
I couldn't find too much local to me either, but found a good website. Check out www.frost.co.uk for seam sealer and loads of other restoration stuff. I know I sound like an advert for them, but I've ordered a few bits from them and, so far, they've been really good.
Hi
I have just finished my land rover bulkhead and bought a cartridge of seam sealer. good stuff. bit like applying silicon sealant and just as messy
but looks good when painted over.
Some of the metal i replaced is zinc plated steel. Fine in theory but i discovered it probably needs special primer as the paint will peel off as a film if disturbed. Worth watcjing for.
ian