MIG for vintage car restoration?

[scourtaud]

Hi to all,

I'm new to the forums, I've got a 1973 superbeetle convertible (first car, passed down from my father 15 years ago) and I've begun the restauration process, its not in a bad shape but some areas need attending for the swiss equivalent of the MOT (just moved there from france where its a joke).

Having read just about every line of the MIG section of the website and quite a bit of the forums, I'm looking to buy a MIG welder very soon because my brother has a cheap one that he uses with no gas wire (bimax 150) and I believe this is not appropriate for good gas welding.

The need it mostly for bodywork, nothing heavy (thick) and I'm considering buying a GYS SmartMig 162. I've already found a supplier for Linde Gas (82% argon / 18% CO2).

I'm not looking to branch out too much from car repairs, I work with computers...

Would this welder be a good choice? If not, then which one would be a good choice (staying reasonnable in price)?

Thanks for all the help

Sebastien

 

[cumbriasteve]

Welcome to the forum:

The GYS is a good choice for your task, in fact within the price range I doubt you will find better, a few members have them and rate them highly.

 

[scourtaud]

Thanks for the quick reply, I now feel even better with my choice so I'll order this tomorrow and soon start to learn welding techniques in practice rather than theory.
I'm quite sure I'll be back with questions and need for advice and I'm sorry I chose to join an british forum rather than the french one but the french welding forum has mostly pro members and some if not most don't like newbies.

 

[cumbriasteve]

We like newbies here, especially the one's who stay and join in with the chat, it's a friendly forum with lot's of varied experience available.

Don't forget to put up some photo's of your project..always enjoyable seeing what other's are doing.

 

[the snooper]

Thanks for the quick reply, I now feel even better with my choice so I'll order this tomorrow and soon start to learn welding techniques in practice rather than theory.
I'm quite sure I'll be back with questions and need for advice and I'm sorry I chose to join an british forum rather than the french one but the french welding forum has mostly pro members and some if not most don't like newbies.

welcome to the forum we have members from all over the world, no need to apologize as said above it is friendly place

 

[scourtaud]

Its nice to feel welcome... Thanks to all of you, its good when you're trying to learn a new skill to find a place where you can find help and advice.

Here are a few pictures of the car at this stage :

Stripping of the paint was a bitch, there's still a little left...

There are a few rusted pieces that need to go and a 1" hole in one of the seals juste beneath the passenger (right) door water evacuation hole. The full album at this stage is here : https://imageshack.com/a/tN3z/1

 

[Kent]

Thanks for the quick reply, I now feel even better with my choice so I'll order this tomorrow and soon start to learn welding techniques in practice rather than theory.
I'm quite sure I'll be back with questions and need for advice and I'm sorry I chose to join an british forum rather than the french one but the french welding forum has mostly pro members and some if not most don't like newbies.

unsociable lot

 

[norlander]

good choice on the Gys, I have the 162 so if you have any questions when you start using it let me know. The bug looks great stripped down-thats how I would drive it around LOL,but I'm a biker.

Yes I find the french a bit less than friendly on forums.As you work with computers, log on to their forum and rename every thread AGINCOURT/WATERLOO.

 

[scourtaud]

unsociable lot

good choice on the Gys, I have the 162 so if you have any questions when you start using it let me know. The bug looks great stripped down-thats how I would drive it around LOL,but I'm a biker.

Yes I find the french a bit less than friendly on forums.As you work with computers, log on to their forum and rename every thread AGINCOURT/WATERLOO.

I won't judge them, they are mostly professionnals and have chosen their predicament. They don't want or like people doing their job as a hobby which I can understand but I'm still gonna do it because its juste a car, not a plane or a spaceship.

I ordered the 162 this morning and it was shipped this afternoon so I'll be learning soon.

As for the car, I do like the looks stripped down and no paint but this is sooooo far from road legal its not even an option to keep it this way. And the swiss really are no fun on this.


P.S. Maybe this thread should be moved to learning MIG since that's going to be most of it or I can start a new one if its better (don't know the rules here yet)

 

[norlander]

There is another gentleman who is new on here and has just bought the Gys 162, here is one of his threads

http://www.mig-welding.co.uk/forum/threads/help-needed-with-my-gys-smartmig-162.53874/ maybe you can join in if you have questions when your 162 arrives.

 

[ms08]

Another newbie here - have some repair work to do on a Saab 9000 - holes under rear arches. Looking at option to pay local garage or do it myself - I generally do all my own car repairs. Did some arc welding on a Mini many years back - new sills floor pan etc - I still have the machine tucked away somewhere and Mini passed the MOT but can't say what the quality of welds was like . If I DIY then need to buy a machine - was looking at Clarke but then read this thread and the GYS 162 looks interesting. Couple of questions - is gas essential - I can see the benefits - looking at You Tube..... or will self shielding wire be ok for small jobs? Need to balance how often I am going to use it against level of investment. It also seems that car repair welding is not the most popular occupation of the average hobby enthusiast welder?

 

[norlander]

I get on OK with Fluxcore on my Gys, lots of people detest FC, I used to, but the kit has come on a bit since I first used it, and, I buy my fluxcore from my local pro welding suppliers, so its usually better stuff than what you get from Halfords or the DIY sheds-and -it was cheaper!.
Gas is much nicer, and gives better looking results of course and does not need cleaning up if you can afford it.Fluxcore is smokey, and not good if you are welding in a garage/workshop.Fluxcore tends to be hotter, so care is needed,the norm is 0.9, but you can get 0.8 which could be more suitable for car work.
So, if inside, go for gas if you can, if outside, use Fluxcore.
The gasless torch set up from Gys makes life a lot easier if using fluxcore.
Yes, a lot of the car lads turn to DIY as once you start investigating rot n rust the job gets bigger, so does the estimate, and the bill could be more than the value of the car.

 

[Kent]

I have no issues at all doing car work for myself, the issue is honestly you never know how long your going to be on it and it is not without risk as regards fuel tanks, electrics and such

 

[scourtaud]

Before I even decided to go with the GYS 162, I was sold on using Gas since I'm completely rebuilding the car so it is as close to perfect as possible after 42 Years.... In the overall budget of the restoration, a gas bottle and a 1 year contract with Linde represents 140€.
If its worth doing, its worth doing well...

The other reason I decided to go with Gas is I have little to no experience with MIG welding so I'm getting the best setup I can afford and justifiy (good mig, good wire, gas, good mask) so I put all chances on my side.

My little brother maintains gas is useless and is quite happy with his flux core cheap MIG but he mostly changes hidden parts on old Range Rovers.And even then, does very little welding since the whole car seems to be bolted/riveted together.

 

[norlander]

140 euros is a good price and you will be glad you got gas,you can use the finer 0.6 wire with a gas set up, if you have a delicate job. Plus you can do stainless if required.

 

[norlander]

I have no issues at all doing car work for myself, the issue is honestly you never know how long your going to be on it and it is not without risk as regards fuel tanks, electrics and such

Yes, agree, I'm doing a job on a small tipper truck and a tractor at the moment, easy, because you can see where the fuel tank etc is and there is no insulation and stuff to catch. I still go cautiously though, I think hydraulic fluid can light up well? so need to watch that as well as fuel lines.
And one gent on another thread related how a tyre went bang when he was welding on a car.Need to be careful out there.

 

[scourtaud]

Using the finer wire was the plan for the bodywork where the metal is quite thin (1mm maximum).

I didn't know I could do stainless with the same gas (82% argon, 18% CO2) but its good to know because I'm planning to use the MIG to silence my exhaust further.

 

[Kent]

Yes, agree, I'm doing a job on a small tipper truck and a tractor at the moment, easy, because you can see where the fuel tank etc is and there is no insulation and stuff to catch. I still go cautiously though, I think hydraulic fluid can light up well? so need to watch that as well as fuel lines.
And one gent on another thread related how a tyre went bang when he was welding on a car.Need to be careful out there.

Yeah that last point on the tyre made me go a bit cold having spent quite a time between a wheel and the inner arch of old Bedford trucks welding when I was younger and more flexible! Still had a tractor jump burning into the workshop once on its shorting starter motor, welding silly little brackets on for extra lights nothing of a job really so I didn't do the full battery off etc (live and learn).
My real turning point came trapped in a pit with a burning fuel leak though not really done many after that

 

[scourtaud]

Good news, the MIG has arrived... its a nice piece of kit but frankly they could deliver it with the wheels assembled...

Fitting the first wire was a little tricky, it unravelled quite a bit before I could see my mistake and get it in place...

I got the gaz (2.4m3) but as you can see on the picture, they gave me the wrong debiliter (not sur of the word) since it was all in bar and not in l/min and it was missing the plug for the tube between the bottle and the MIG so I had to go back and I now have the right parts but had to get back to work so I'll be trying it out later tonight.

 

[the snooper]

Good news, the MIG has arrived... its a nice piece of kit but frankly they could deliver it with the wheels assembled...

View attachment 63205

Fitting the first wire was a little tricky, it unravelled quite a bit before I could see my mistake and get it in place...

I got the gaz (2.4m3) but as you can see on the picture, they gave me the wrong debiliter (not sur of the word) since it was all in bar and not in l/min and it was missing the plug for the tube between the bottle and the MIG so I had to go back and I now have the right parts but had to get back to work so I'll be trying it out later tonight.

gas regulator