Like death and taxes, rust is inevitable in a classic car. The inexorable march of oxidation will take its toll somewhere, and you’re going to have to deal with it. If you’ve got paint bubbling up with rust under it, don’t just slather on some body filler and slap on a quickie coat of paint. That move is for scumbag car dealers. If you are tempted to go that route for the sake of expedience, you aren’t fixing anything, you’re just hiding the real problem.
On the floor we laid out the...
On the floor we laid out the patch stock and drew an identical 3x3-inch shape. Don’t worry about being too exact, the main thing is to make it on the slightly large side.
The real solution is to cut out the cancer and replace the damaged area with real metal. If you love your ride and plan on keeping it, the investment in time, tools, and materials will be well worth the effort to do it right. Our ’68 Nova project car has dealt us several surprises during its time at Outlaw Motorsports in Riverside, California, where our step-by-step restoration is proceeding nicely. Over the past few months, we’ve encountered damage in nearly every part of the body, and we’ve been documenting a variety of those repair procedures along the way. We’ve had to replace some of the sheetmetal, but other areas are salvageable. In the case of the rust in the lower portion of the left quarter-panel, Outlaw operator Ron Aschtgen suggested we save the panel rather than replace it, since it’s easier to save what’s there than replace the entire quarter-panel. (Unfortunately, the right side panel needs replacement and we’ll have the entire story for you next month.)
" …don’t just slather on some body filler and slap on a quickie coat of paint. That move is for scumbag car dealers.
"
We discovered that repairing rust properly with a patch panel is pretty doggone easy, provided you’ve got the right tools on hand. In the case of this quarter-panel patch, we were surprised that the repair only took about three hours, not including stripping and painting. Obviously, a job like this is best done in coordination with a full paintjob or a restoration—which Outlaw Motorsports specializes in. If you don’t have a shop like Outlaw near you, don’t sweat it. This repair is about a “4” on a scale of 1 to 10, so don’t be afraid to dig right in.
This shot shows the extent...
This shot shows the extent of our original damage after stripping the paint off the ’68 Nova, and it also shows the repair stock we’ll be using: a section of the scrapped right-side quarter-panel! It’s perfect because it matches the left-side quarter-panel perfectly (approximately 22 to 24 gauge).
Now it’s time to cut out the...
Now it’s time to cut out the cancerous area with a cutoff wheel. Note how the patch area stops short of the fender lip, leaving the pinch area intact for some all-important reinforcement.
With the rust cut out, clean...
With the rust cut out, clean the area out with some high-pressure air, and use a screwdriver to pry out any crud that has collected. Most patch panels will be in lower extremities where water and other junk collects.
Define the area to be removed...
Define the area to be removed with a T square and a Sharpie marker—the idea being you’ll be able to lay your replacement patch over this to check the shape. A square or rectangle with right angles will make the job of creating a matching panel much easier. This patch will be an easy 3 by 3 inches.
Here’s where a little prevention...
Here’s where a little prevention goes a very long way, so skip this step at your own risk! Thoroughly coat the interior of the patch area with some Eastwood Rust Converter (PN 51483Z, $19.99). This stuff will freeze rust in its tracks by encapsulating it and stopping the oxidation process.
While the Rust Converter dries,...
While the Rust Converter dries, you can start fine-tuning the fit of your patch panel. A 40-grit sanding disc works great. Getting the shape and curve right is an iterative process and it pays to be patient in getting a snug, gapless fit.
After some grinding and a...
After some grinding and a few trial fitments, Ron Aschtgen got the patch panel amazingly close to the size of the hole.
The body hammer from Eastwood...
The body hammer from Eastwood comes in handy here too. As the tack welds proceed, you’ll want to fine-tune the shape of the patch panel as some slight warping will necessarily occur.
With the shape now perfect,...
With the shape now perfect, it’s time to mimic the slight curvature of the quarter-panel. If you don’t have a hammer and dolly set already, you’ll need one for any body repair work. Eastwood has a really affordable seven-piece hammer and dolly set (PN 11979) for $159.99. Here, Aschtgen works the corner of the patch to fit the quarter-panel.
Note that it’s important to...
Note that it’s important to space out your tack welds over time and distance, returning to fill in the spaces after cooling has occurred. Eventually, you’ll have a continuous weld without any warpage. Once you’ve finished your tack welds, grind them flat with a 40-grit disc on a high-speed grinder.
If you’re going to do minor...
If you’re going to do minor bodywork, repairs, or fabrication, you’ll need a flexible hobby MIG welder. The Millermatic 211 ($1,279) is perfect for guys like us; dual voltage means it hooks up anywhere, and the “Auto-Set” feature means setting the wire speed and voltage is as simple as setting the material thickness on the dial. It’s pretty much foolproof. For sheetmetal work, you want a thin .023-inch welding wire.
Heat buildup during the tack...
Heat buildup during the tack welding and grinding process can be easily controlled with a damp cloth in-between welds or grinding sessions. This will minimize warpage and make subsequent paint prep work easier.
Here’s our left-side quarter-panel,...
Here’s our left-side quarter-panel, good as new and ready for paint. Rust won’t be an issue here for another, oh, 40 years or so!
Before welding, fix the patch...
Before welding, fix the patch panel in place with some neodymium magnets—the stronger, the better. These will hold the patch panel level with the quarter-panel while you weld. An important tip here is to make the tack welds quickly, spacing them out and leaving plenty of time in between to allow cooling.
" …we were surprised that the repair only took about three hours, not including stripping and painting.
"
22- to 24-gauge mild steel