The 1947 - Present Chevrolet & GMC Truck Message Board Network







Register or Log In To remove these advertisements.

Go Back   The 1947 - Present Chevrolet & GMC Truck Message Board Network > General Truck Forums > Paint & Bodywork

Web 67-72chevytrucks.com


Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
Old 06-25-2019, 10:19 AM   #1
1971Stepside
Almost Satisfied
 
1971Stepside's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2002
Location: Springfield, MO
Posts: 2,926
Valley in my door skin weld

I really took my time and was careful welding in this outer skin. It was a challenge to set in the correct position due to the back side bottom of the door already being cut away, but I made templates from my original door and felt pretty good when it was all done. I tacked in the back patch panel last night and when I clamp the two together I have a pretty good valley in the middle of the door at the weld. I don't want that much filler in the door. What can I do to correct this? Can I pull the panel at or near the weld to pull it out? Cut it out and start over? Thanks.
Attached Images
  
__________________
1971 C10 Stepside. LSx 6.0 with BTR Stage IV, Speed Engineering Headers, 4L80e transmission w/3200 Circle-D Stall. 3.73. Posi. Purchased this truck when I was 17. I started the rebuild (or take apart) in 1993. I have drug it around all over the country in pieces. Finally back on the road in 2021.

"I can't complain, but sometimes I still do. Life's been good to me so far."
1971Stepside is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-25-2019, 10:26 AM   #2
theastronaut
Registered User
 
theastronaut's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2011
Location: Anderson SC
Posts: 3,867
Re: Valley in my door skin weld

Any time you weld the metal shrinks in the heat affect zone, which warps the panel and will cause a valley or low spot. You have to stretch the weld/HAZ the correct amount to reverse the shrinkage so the panel has the correct shape again. MP&C has a really good method of stretching welds here:

https://www.bangshift.com/forum/foru...hing-mig-welds


It also looks like the inner bottom may have been misaligned before tacking it in place. Panels like that are best fitted with the door on the truck so you can have the door properly adjusted, then trim the lower panel so that it fits the door opening correctly. Once the inner panel is properly fitted in place, then you can weld the outer skin on. I like to make taller patch panels for door bottoms so that I can more easily reach the back side of the welds to stretch the weld beads, depending on where the inner access hole is.
theastronaut is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-25-2019, 10:52 AM   #3
1971Stepside
Almost Satisfied
 
1971Stepside's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2002
Location: Springfield, MO
Posts: 2,926
Re: Valley in my door skin weld

Thanks! In the photos above the inner panel is not tacked in at all. It was still the original metal.
__________________
1971 C10 Stepside. LSx 6.0 with BTR Stage IV, Speed Engineering Headers, 4L80e transmission w/3200 Circle-D Stall. 3.73. Posi. Purchased this truck when I was 17. I started the rebuild (or take apart) in 1993. I have drug it around all over the country in pieces. Finally back on the road in 2021.

"I can't complain, but sometimes I still do. Life's been good to me so far."
1971Stepside is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-25-2019, 03:51 PM   #4
KMC3420
Registered User
 
KMC3420's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: Harrison, AR
Posts: 1,069
Re: Valley in my door skin weld

Hard to tell how big of a “valley” is there. Can you put a straight edge over the worst valley? Also, is the original door edge and the patch panel aligned flush?
__________________
Keagan
68 SWB C-10 original 350 A/C 503 Mean Green
KMC3420 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-25-2019, 04:58 PM   #5
MP&C
Registered User
 
MP&C's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: Leonardtown, MD
Posts: 1,630
Re: Valley in my door skin weld

If you looked at a top-down view of that area of the door, it would show an ever so slight crown, or an arc. When you weld sheetmetal the weld and Heat Affected Zone will shrink when it cools. So absent any planishing effort, along this length of the weld the shrinking causes it to lose some of its length. So in essence, you arc becomes a straight line, or as you noted, is pulled into a valley. Planishing or stretching of the weld is needed.
__________________
Robert
MP&C is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-25-2019, 10:46 PM   #6
MP&C
Registered User
 
MP&C's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: Leonardtown, MD
Posts: 1,630
Re: Valley in my door skin weld

Quote:
Originally Posted by KMC3420 View Post
Hard to tell how big of a “valley” is there. Can you put a straight edge over the worst valley? Also, is the original door edge and the patch panel aligned flush?


Copying the rear profile to the front shows it well.... looks like the front has more of a valley than the rear..


Name:  Door Repair 5.jpg
Views: 499
Size:  34.6 KB
__________________
Robert
MP&C is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-25-2019, 11:49 PM   #7
KMC3420
Registered User
 
KMC3420's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: Harrison, AR
Posts: 1,069
Re: Valley in my door skin weld

Quote:
Originally Posted by MP&C View Post
Copying the rear profile to the front shows it well.... looks like the front has more of a valley than the rear..


Attachment 1914323
Yes, I see it now after you zoomed it in. That cannot be filled with any type of body filler, and expect it to last. I think this is a good example of planishing as you go would have yielded much better results. I can’t tell if there is any avenue to planish, but he does state that the back side of the door has been cut away so a bit of hammer on dolly is in store, it appears.
__________________
Keagan
68 SWB C-10 original 350 A/C 503 Mean Green
KMC3420 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-26-2019, 07:44 AM   #8
nsb29
Senior Member
 
nsb29's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2014
Location: new smyrna beach fl / 29 palms cal
Posts: 1,727
Re: Valley in my door skin weld

Hopefully he can still get to it I found that was the hardest part of replacing my door skins is accessibility for planishing
__________________
Hand made A/C vent manifolds for 64-66 trucks adapts any aftermarket A/C to OEM vent
nsb29 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-26-2019, 09:08 AM   #9
1971Stepside
Almost Satisfied
 
1971Stepside's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2002
Location: Springfield, MO
Posts: 2,926
Re: Valley in my door skin weld

I'm at the point where I think I will replace the whole skin. I'm not a metal fabricator or body man, so stretching this weld would be a stretch for me I'm afraid. I have a good buddy that owns a body shop, but I don't want to tie up his guys. So much to learn about this stuff for sure.
__________________
1971 C10 Stepside. LSx 6.0 with BTR Stage IV, Speed Engineering Headers, 4L80e transmission w/3200 Circle-D Stall. 3.73. Posi. Purchased this truck when I was 17. I started the rebuild (or take apart) in 1993. I have drug it around all over the country in pieces. Finally back on the road in 2021.

"I can't complain, but sometimes I still do. Life's been good to me so far."
1971Stepside is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-26-2019, 02:14 PM   #10
mongocanfly
Post Whore

 
mongocanfly's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2015
Location: Alabama
Posts: 14,557
Re: Valley in my door skin weld

Sounds like itd be easier to find another door
__________________
Mongo...aka Greg

RIP Dad
RIP Jesse

1981 C30 LQ9 NV4500..http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=753598
Mongos AD- LS3 TR6060...http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...34#post8522334
Columbus..the 1957 IH 4x4...http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...63#post8082563
2023 Chevy Z71..daily driver
mongocanfly is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-26-2019, 04:46 PM   #11
nsb29
Senior Member
 
nsb29's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2014
Location: new smyrna beach fl / 29 palms cal
Posts: 1,727
Re: Valley in my door skin weld

Even a full skin has to be welded. if you look at my home page go to album and you can see where the whole skin stopped, but you can get to it for planishing
__________________
Hand made A/C vent manifolds for 64-66 trucks adapts any aftermarket A/C to OEM vent
nsb29 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-26-2019, 04:47 PM   #12
nsb29
Senior Member
 
nsb29's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2014
Location: new smyrna beach fl / 29 palms cal
Posts: 1,727
Re: Valley in my door skin weld

Quote:
Originally Posted by mongocanfly View Post
Sounds like itd be easier to find another door
Yep. $$$
__________________
Hand made A/C vent manifolds for 64-66 trucks adapts any aftermarket A/C to OEM vent
nsb29 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-22-2019, 06:54 PM   #13
Ulf
Registered User
 
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: Sweden
Posts: 19
Re: Valley in my door skin weld

I think that bodyglue is a better alternative for doors.
If you want to weld, spotweld with about two inches interval, cool it, grind it, hammer and dolly as you go. A slow process that will give the best results.
Ulf is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-22-2019, 08:29 PM   #14
nsb29
Senior Member
 
nsb29's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2014
Location: new smyrna beach fl / 29 palms cal
Posts: 1,727
Re: Valley in my door skin weld

Quote:
Originally Posted by Ulf View Post
I think that bodyglue is a better alternative for doors.
If you want to weld, spotweld with about two inches interval, cool it, grind it, hammer and dolly as you go. A slow process that will give the best results.
In order to use body glue you have to offset one panel and have an overlap, the combination of the to layers of door skin and the panel adhesive creates a thick area that shrinks and expand definitely than the rest of the panel. The results will be a ghost line in the paint where the seem is.
__________________
Hand made A/C vent manifolds for 64-66 trucks adapts any aftermarket A/C to OEM vent
nsb29 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-23-2019, 04:17 PM   #15
Ulf
Registered User
 
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: Sweden
Posts: 19
Re: Valley in my door skin weld

Yes, you are right. Every method requires knowledge and skill. I have´nt experienced ghostlines. Personally I dont like bondo since it tends to sink after a while if you apply it in thick layers. Led is a better alternative if u know how to prep the surfaces before and after.
Ulf is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-23-2019, 06:20 PM   #16
nsb29
Senior Member
 
nsb29's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2014
Location: new smyrna beach fl / 29 palms cal
Posts: 1,727
Re: Valley in my door skin weld

Well if you’re using panel adhesive you ant using lead lol but to lead a panel that size you’d have a lot of warping
__________________
Hand made A/C vent manifolds for 64-66 trucks adapts any aftermarket A/C to OEM vent
nsb29 is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Bookmarks

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump


All times are GMT -4. The time now is 06:43 PM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.11
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions Inc.
Copyright 1997-2022 67-72chevytrucks.com