My chevelle is getting repainted. Was almond fawn, going to be silver blue metallic.

I want the side moldings removed which we agreed upon some time ago. Today when I dropped the car off he said he coudn't guarantee anything as far as filling the holes was concerned. Too many he said, too much area to cover. Yes I do indeed want those moldings removed anyway, I told him. And now I am a little sick about the paint job.

What I am wondering is, what is the best way to fill those holes. There must be a few good tips I could pass on to him from you all.

Thanks, overday

------------------
Paul

What It Is
64 Chevelle
327 - TH350

If you want your paint and bodywork to last there is only ONE solution.

Weld Them!!!

Otherwise they will crack!

------------------
X-Ray View of my Chevelle :D (http://www.normieschevelle.com/sideview.jpg)
Getting Closer (http://www.normieschevelle.com/passfull.jpg)
my baby in primer (http://www.normieschevelle.com/prime/primerdrv.jpg)

I'll second that weld'em. It's the only sure way. Just be very careful about getting the panel too hot.

Lance

absolutly weld them! fillers will pop out. might take a year, but they will.

------------------
I couldn't repair my brakes, so I made my horn louder. :D Honk if you love peace and quiet.
Junk is something you've kept for years and throw away three weeks before you need it.
www.EINSTYN.com (http://www.EINSTYN.com) updated 6-7-02 TC#1460, VCEA#2
. . _________ . . . . . .. _________
.../___---___\ . . ____/|__|__\___\
(OO[=====]OO) {_______________|
.{}.............{}.....O...............O....
1970 Chevelle 454 Wagons

Soldering works also (70/30). Just like leading. I have a large 300 watt iron. It works great for non structural joints. If you ever wanted to put the molding back, you just heat the solder out, drilling them out would be too much work. soldering with and electric iron will not warp the panel. The key is NON STRUCTURAL, I've shaved molding, handles, sidemaker lights, etc. Especially on a classic car, if you ever wanted to go back to original, you can. Welding is MORE PERMANENT. Just make sure you tin the surfaces properly.

Get a copper hammer and use the copper as a backing to weld the holes. It acts as a heat soak so the metal does not overheat and you cannot weld the copper to the steel body. It takes less than a minute per hole to fill them in and another two to three to grind the weld flat. That is less than 5 minutes on every hole so it is not expensive or hard. Of course this assumes your interior is out!

------------------
Redrum (or Mike)

68 Corvette - 383 CI, 427 HP, 700R4, 12.56 @ 108 MPH
69 SS Chevelle - 502 CI, 610 HP, 2004R, 1320 unknown
97 Z-28 - totally stock still under 14,000 miles

"Oh, you hate your job? Why didn't you say so? There's a support group for that. It's called EVERYBODY, and they meet at the bar."
*Drew Carey

[This message has been edited by Redrum (edited 06-12-2002).]

Does anyone else find it hard to believe that a professional bodyman would not know how to fill small holes? Seems like pretty basic stuff.

------------------
Mat Ellison
Lincoln, Ne
70 SS 396 Chevelle
62 Impala Sport Coupe
2001 Grand Prix GT
Aces #2424
http://www.geocities.com/elliboom/Mats_70_Chevelle.html?994781720927

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by ELLI:
Does anyone else find it hard to believe that a professional bodyman would not know how to fill small holes? Seems like pretty basic stuff.

<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>


My thoughts exactly.


------------------
My Web Page (http://www.landry-family.com) (updated 05-22-02)

"Back home from Chevellabration!"

Chad Landry
TC Member #643
ACES Member #4556
'68 El Camino, 357, L31 Vortec heads, 700R4, 8.2 10-bolt, 3.55 gears, Auburn Pro Posi.

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by ELLI:
Does anyone else find it hard to believe that a professional bodyman would not know how to fill small holes? Seems like pretty basic stuff.

<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

I am compelled to respond.

Well Mat, I guess It depends on what planet you are from. Where I come from things must be a little different from your world. eg: There are not scrap yards full of 64 to 72 Chevelles or streets lined with garages, speed shops, etc. filled with everyone and everything you can imagine. Here I kinda live in a "do it yourself" world where you borrow from every resource to get a job done. In my world it is pretty easy to come up with a "how do you" question. I would have to ask "does anyone else find it hard to believe that you would take exception to my question"

overday

PS

Thank you to the Kind Souls who responded with their constructive remarks. The information is appreciated and helpful

[This message has been edited by Pablo (edited 06-11-2002).]

The consesus appears to be that welding (or soldering) the holes is the best route. What is the best method of welding? Can this be done carefully with an oxy-acetylene torch? I too need to fill some small holes, both in the bed where the prior owner decided he needed some tie-downs and where the body moulding that was deleted.

I thought about using a small rosebud tip and just braise them closed and then grind down the excess. Should I still use a copper hammer, or would that be the course of action for arc or mig welding?

Just wondering.

Tim

TIMC,
I would try and find a MIG welder if I was you. Gas welding will get the panel hotter than you want it to be. The copper backing plate would actually work against you if you're gas welding I beleive it would work like a heatsink and make you heat the panel more than you would without it.

Lance

Pablo,

I think the implication was that your paint guy should have known this, not you, since the reference was to "a professional bodyman". No one is attacking you or your question.

JackRabbit

Hey Pablo cool off a little bit. Then go back and read my post. In no way was I cutting you down at all. This is post number 315 for me over the past 4 years, and most of them have been questions on how to do stuff. My response was expressing my surprise over the fact that the professional body man who is doing your car does not know how to fill holes. Not that you were stupid for not knowing how to do it. I am sorry if I offended you in any way, but I think if you go back and read my post carefully you will see that I meant you no disrespect. But With that I will have to say, if your body man does not know how to fill small holes and not have them pop, you may want to be very cautious about his work.

------------------
Mat Ellison
Lincoln, Ne
70 SS 396 Chevelle
62 Impala Sport Coupe
2001 Grand Prix GT
Aces #2424
http://www.geocities.com/elliboom/Mats_70_Chevelle.html?994781720927

I just completed welding about 40 trim holes on my 67 EL Camino. I used a MIG that I bought for the same price a "professional body man" quoted me to do the job. It did require some time and research as all projects do, but now I have another tool and more knowledge to boot.

"More dangerous than before" - Danno

good job, good investment too. now you are ahead of the game. http://www.chevelles.com/forum/biggrin.gif

------------------
I couldn't repair my brakes, so I made my horn louder. :D Honk if you love peace and quiet.
Junk is something you've kept for years and throw away three weeks before you need it.
www.EINSTYN.com (http://www.EINSTYN.com) updated 6-7-02 TC#1460, VCEA#2
. . _________ . . . . . .. _________
.../___---___\ . . ____/|__|__\___\
(OO[=====]OO) {_______________|
.{}.............{}.....O...............O....
1970 Chevelle 454 Wagons

I know everyone says to weld them and i'm doing that on my 55 now but twenty years ago the body man put fiberglass mat on the inside of my 64 moulding holes then filler outside and they're still holding never popped or cracked. The cars been street driven and drag raced also been media blasted and still no signs of a problem.
Good Luck
BobH