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Posted by: cary Feb 16 2013, 07:07 PM

As I'm getting closer to putting some new metal on my restoration project.
I've begun to wonder what folks do to the drilled out parts.
Do you weld in the entire hole?
Which would make a huge weld. Which would make the next restoration (20 years from now) really tough.
Our do you weld in then hole flush. Then drill a smaller hole to weld in.

What's the best practice?

Posted by: kg6dxn Feb 16 2013, 07:56 PM

Most do a rosette weld. The entire hole.

Just restore it properly so you don't have to take it apart in 20 years...

Posted by: Vacca Rabite Feb 16 2013, 10:49 PM

Also, try a spot weld cutter next time. Easier the drilling.

Zach

Posted by: Rand Feb 16 2013, 10:52 PM

Agree, rosette weld and fill the hole, but no bigger than it needs to be. Backing it with a welding spoon helps.

http://www.harborfreight.com/welding-spoon-66785.html

The copper holds the filler without sticking.

Posted by: cary Feb 17 2013, 09:33 AM

That is the spot weld cutter hole. 5/16 Rotacut.

Some the holes get kind of ugly. There wasn't any kind of template used when they assembled these cars. Some of the spot welds are pretty close to the edge.
On this particular part removal I was trying to extract the drivers outer long from a complete side of the car.

I would imagine most folks wouldn't use the part with the outer hole cut in it. Most times that would be the discarded piece.

Posted by: cary Feb 17 2013, 09:40 AM

I'm preparing for the worst.
This will be better than new. Welds and Seam Sealing.

But I plan this to be my daily driver for the next 15 years in Portland. We get a couple inches of rain ................... LOL.
So i'm preparing for the worst.

Posted by: kg6dxn Feb 17 2013, 10:52 AM

15 years of daily driving in the rain? Are you sure this is the best plan?

I love driving my 914. I drive it as often as I can. Driving it in the rain sucks! It has nothing to do with the handling of the car. The wipers suck. The weather striping sucks. I always end up wet...

Posted by: cary Feb 17 2013, 11:04 AM

Going to try ..............

Nothing puts a smile on my face like driving my 914(s).

I've even pondered putting a Webasto heater in it for defrosting in the wet and cold.
There's a couple companies that make a more refined unit now.

Time will tell. I just don't really like new cars. They don't have a soul.

Plus in Oregon we get inches of rain. But no downpours like you guys get. I call it hanging wet. It just keeps coming day after day.
I do have the Powerstroke if it gets too bad.