Due to the outrageous price of paying someone to do the body work on my car and my previous experience with body shops I was wondering if it's possible for an amateur to do serious body work. I'm talking about welding in new metal in the rear quarters and front fenders, and maybe even the rear panel just below the rear window. I have welded before, just not this kind of welding...

Has anyone attempted this before? If so, what kind of welding equipment do you recommend? Any help would be much appreciated.

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1969 Caprice (It's not an Impala darnit!)
427/M-20 Finally!
12-bolt 4.10 Posi
13.45 @ 105

1966 Caprice
396/325 TH-400
15.38 @ 97.4

Andy and Nick's Muscle Car Half-way House (http://www.public.iastate.edu/~amcarthu)

I taught myself how to weld doing this. I have a lincoln weldpak 100. Works great for me. There is a learning curve. Try it with old panels or something. The heat warpage is the hardest part to get a handle on, and not just on the welding any grinding u do. You'll find out how good u are when u try to straighten out what u've done. Also ask for advice on where to put seems etc. found out the hardway that u should stay away from body lines at all costs. There are easy places to finish and ones that take days to put the lines just so again. If your like me and try to do everything yourself, it can be done, but you will make mistakes. Once you've learned how though you can take on all kinds of real interesting projects.

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64 malibu ss 283 & glide
70 C10
87 Firebird Formula
70 GMC stepside
previous chevys
68 SS396 chevelle
72 malibu w/cowl induction,sunroof, and a/c
68 chev impala
http://communities.msn.com/Mytrucksotherstuff
http://communities.msn.com/rustymalibu

Had a friend help me weld in new cab corners on a Chev truck. He used a 3" disc to cut the old metal out. Then used a mig welder on the new pieces. He cut them slightly large, then bent them in so they tucked behind the old metal. The weld filled it in and he didn't have much to grind. People that know what they are doing make it look it easy!