Defender grille project

[series2]

I need a little advice or help with modifying a Defender grille panel. I need to cut 20mm off the top edge, then seam weld a piece of flat ali sheet at 90(ish) degrees to the cut. I need to know how I can do this without distorting the panel.

The grille panel is about 1.8mm thick ali. this is a one off, and I need to get it right first time as the grille panels are expensive, even second hand.

I have mig, could possibly borrow tig to do the job, but only limited experience of welding ali.

 

[Hitch]

Could it not be folded instead?

Im not 100% sure on what ally these panels are made from, but may need
warming slightly before bending...

 

[series2]

Could it not be folded instead?

Im not 100% sure on what ally these panels are made from, but may need
warming slightly before bending...

It's a bit of a complex shape, I'm not saying that re-working the panel would not be possible, but it would require shrinking as it was folded, and that is way beyond my panel beating skills.

 

[hotrodder]

Forget trying to use a MIG for this, if it can't be reshaped without welding then you'll be needing a TIG or oxy fuel.

Need some pics, preferably with some doodles that show where you need to cut or bend it. Doubtful but may be able to use a hammerform to make the reshaping a virtually skill free operation compared to free handing it

 

[series2]

first attempt at MIG on ali

Well, I decided to 'have a go' at modding the grille frame, and it worked. I'll admit that it's not the prettiest bit of welding I've ever done, but it has full penetration, and I managed to do it without blowing holes.

The frame is 1.5mm thick, and the added piece was 1.6mm, I started by using half inch tacks about 3 inches apart, allowing it to cool between tacks, then progressively filled in between, again allowing time to cool.

I would have much preferred to use TIG, but I don't currently have access to one. As the weld won't be visible, I'm quite satisfied with it, and it beats the £100+ I was quoted by a local firm.

With this result, I may practice a little more, as It wasn't as difficult as I thought it would be.

The bit that I cut off.


The weld.


Look! No distortion!

 

[Shox Dr]

A bit late now, and as you didn't one. But I had to repair a few of the panels on my LR while rebuilding it, and it TIGs very nicely.

Anyways you did it, nice one. Why the mod?

 

[series2]

My Sahara uses defender grille and light surrounds, but the grille by defaullt sits flush with the front, and the lamp surrounds don't meet it as nicely as I would like (don't know if it can be seen very well in the photos). However, the main problem is that as the grille is only supported at the sides, it develops a 'smile' in warm weather as the grille sags.

Because of the massive wheel arches, the lights are mounted higher than on a defender, so in order to get the frame to fit I had to chop it, also had to cut it to fit around the winch, so there's really not much of it left now!

I'll chuck another picture up when i've fitted it.