Against the advice of most on this board, I closed the moulding holes on my '68 with an OXY-AC torch. I didn't warp anything and I'm pretty sure they will hold.

Here's how I did it:

Pounded some beer bottle caps flat and welded some carbon-steel rod to the smooth side of the cap. I then fished the rod through from the inside and using my smallest brazing tip, I just put a couple small tacks to hold the cap in place. I then filled any remaining depressions with bronze brazing rod. It worked great! I'm very happy with the results, and I saved myself a few bucks at the same time! If you try it this way, just go really slow and use the least amount of heat you can would be my advice. Lay down a tack and let it cool-off before doing more.

Tim

well at least you had reason to drink some beers while working on your car http://www.chevelles.com/forum/biggrin.gif sounds like it will work! Good Luck!

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Beer caps and a torch?How much money did you really save? http://www.chevelles.com/forum/rolleyes.gif

Actually, I only used beer caps on the holes that go through to the passenger compartment. On the rest I used roofing nail heads with the galv burned off. They get hot real quick so it doesn't take alot of heat to get the rod to stick. They even look sanitary from the back side (although I don't know why anyone would ever look there?).

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>How much money did you really save?<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Well, lets see...My body guy charges $60/hour for this kind of stuff. I had approximately 30 holes, including the holes that were drilled in the bed and under the hood. If you take five minutes per hole, that comes to about $180 bucks plus tax. I paid $60 to have my bottles filled (they've been sitting empty since 1986). $15 worth of rod . I figure I saved about $100 or so, and I have plenty of gas left for filling the holes on your car http://www.chevelles.com/forum/smile.gif

So what's your point? Beer caps won't work? I'll call ya as soon as they crack http://www.chevelles.com/forum/confused.gif

TimC, ya done good! I was using brazing rods long before MIG welders were invented. It's nice to have a ton of money and a fully equipped garage with all the latest gadgetry. Sometimes we do what we have to do with what we have at hand. I recently brazed the antenna hole in the front fender of my current project and used a starter shim as the filler metal. No heat distortion to the fender and with a dab of filler over it, nobody will ever know unless they take the fender off.

Ingenuity and improvising are good things. Don't let the white lab coat nit pickers get you down.

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58 Impala & 96 Imp SS
67 Elco
72 Monte Carlo
78 Vette
92 Camaro