I'm in the process of cleaning and painting the entire underside of the car in rust proof paint. It's not gonna be a show job by any rights but I'm more concerned about laying on the paint to seal it all up. So I've got a MIG sitting right there and most of the parts are going back to bare metal anyway so it got me thinking.
I do want to run big power through this car down the track so its probably worth it. Its now or never since the car is 100% stripped bare and the underside is clean as a whistle.
I cant see any problem in doing it. Actually I found up the back it looks as though one of the trailing arm mounts has peeled up on one corner. Its all sitting fine and everything but it might be on its way to tearing the mount off. It may not have been caused by torque from its last motor (338 stroker), it could have been a factory stuff up or some idiot bent it, im not sure. But if that was stitch welded it would stay put.
I'm happy to put the time in, but I just wanna make sure i get it right. I was planning on going around the entire car and stitching every place (inside and under) where 2 pannels overlap. Is there anything I should know about this? Roughly how long and far apart should I do the welds?
Marty
Stitch welding
Started by
_QIKSLR_
, Dec 15 2005 07:15 AM
10 replies to this topic
#2
_Yella SLuR_
_Yella SLuR_
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Posted 15 December 2005 - 07:48 AM
Torries are notorious for ripping the rear trailing arm mounts off.
Welding, watch your heat, or you'll buckle panels. 25mm weld, 25mm miss. You can then go back over and fill it in. Also use a wet rag to cool the welds and help control the distortion.
Not 100% sure, but that's how I'd tackle it, somebody else may have more precise info.
Welding, watch your heat, or you'll buckle panels. 25mm weld, 25mm miss. You can then go back over and fill it in. Also use a wet rag to cool the welds and help control the distortion.
Not 100% sure, but that's how I'd tackle it, somebody else may have more precise info.
Edited by Yella SLuR, 15 December 2005 - 07:52 AM.
#3
_Yella SLuR_
_Yella SLuR_
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Posted 15 December 2005 - 10:31 AM
Cheved would be the man to ask for a definitive answer on this.
#4
_82911_
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Posted 17 December 2005 - 11:31 AM
If you are referring to stitch welding the floor pan to the sills and the inner sills to the outer sills and I assume you are... Then think carefully before you tackle this job...
The weld will reinforce the shells strength, no doubt about that. BUT it will also burn off and seam sealer or factory applied anti-corrosion barriers within the seam. This allows the now burnt and oxidised metal a great place to start rusting away from the inside to the outside, almost undetected!
Take a look at how many old improved production cars are rusted out in the sills...This is why.
A better option , I think... Stitch on the mounting points for the trailing arms, and put a good quality rollcage in it, If you are going to go fast later on as you say,, then you will need a cage anyway!
BTW...
Who can weld upside down anyway!!!! Ouch.. ouch!!
Cheers Greg..
The weld will reinforce the shells strength, no doubt about that. BUT it will also burn off and seam sealer or factory applied anti-corrosion barriers within the seam. This allows the now burnt and oxidised metal a great place to start rusting away from the inside to the outside, almost undetected!
Take a look at how many old improved production cars are rusted out in the sills...This is why.
A better option , I think... Stitch on the mounting points for the trailing arms, and put a good quality rollcage in it, If you are going to go fast later on as you say,, then you will need a cage anyway!
BTW...
Who can weld upside down anyway!!!! Ouch.. ouch!!
Cheers Greg..
#5
_jap-xu1_
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Posted 18 December 2005 - 10:00 AM
welding upside down,gotta love the tig for that job 
#6
_QIKSLR_
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Posted 21 December 2005 - 12:40 PM
hmmm, its a tricky one... Do I thrash the crap out of it and bend things (manual trans, spooled diff ect) or do I weld it and have it rust out? Either way the shell is gonna get hurt..
What do you think the likely hood of it rusting from the inside out is? Providing its sealed up with sealent and or paint on the outside where possible and always garaged?
PS: Is there a technical reason why you can't weld up side down? (im serious). I'm not worried about crawling around under the car, I've been doing it for ages cleaning it all. The sparks dont worry me.
What do you think the likely hood of it rusting from the inside out is? Providing its sealed up with sealent and or paint on the outside where possible and always garaged?
PS: Is there a technical reason why you can't weld up side down? (im serious). I'm not worried about crawling around under the car, I've been doing it for ages cleaning it all. The sparks dont worry me.
Edited by QIKSLR, 21 December 2005 - 12:41 PM.
#7
_QIKSLR_
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Posted 21 December 2005 - 12:48 PM
The only problem with putting in a serious weld in cage, is its virtually impossible to get engineered... And if I get pulled over and defected its kinda hard to pull out a full welded cage. I've got a bolt in half cage atm, which is noticably improve the handing, but obviously theres alot more to be gained with a better cage. I was thinking getting a bolt in front half and adding a taxi bar and bolt on intrusion bars, but if I go that far its gonna be cams/andra aproved and I doubt it would be up to scratch..
#8
_Yella SLuR_
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Posted 21 December 2005 - 02:05 PM
Introduce welded cage to Mr. Grinder, that will get it out!
#9
_82911_
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Posted 21 December 2005 - 03:19 PM
Aaah the old argument... race car v's street car!!!
The sad fact....
Your street car will never be fast enough or handle as well as it could.
Your race car will never stay cool in traffic nor get more than 2km's/litre!
Welding upsidedown suxs said the man with the burn marks down his jumper!
Try it you will see!!!
Cheers Greg..
The sad fact....
Your street car will never be fast enough or handle as well as it could.
Your race car will never stay cool in traffic nor get more than 2km's/litre!
Welding upsidedown suxs said the man with the burn marks down his jumper!
Try it you will see!!!
Cheers Greg..
#10
racean69
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Posted 21 December 2005 - 11:30 PM
When mig welding overhead try turning the wire speed back a little or run with a bit more "stick out". Well worth trying.
By reducing the amount of wire going into the weld pool you will reduced the amount of splatter(provided the weld area is clean)and weld hang.
By reducing the amount of wire going into the weld pool you will reduced the amount of splatter(provided the weld area is clean)and weld hang.
#11
_QIKSLR_
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Posted 23 December 2005 - 09:04 AM
Yeh but I was more refering to if I got a canary for the full cage i'd need to be able to temporarily remove it for the purpose of passing the pits, angle grinding it off and welding it back in doesnt sound good.Introduce welded cage to Mr. Grinder, that will get it out!
With the rebuild im doing atm, the main goal is to end up with a good solid base for the future. Good straight and strong body, big fuel system, re-wire ect. It's only gonna have a worked 308 and toploader in it for now, but atleast if its got good foundations I can take it further later. Eg Put a nuts motor in it and make it a dedicated race car or if the cops get really bad tone it down a bit.
So what I'm getting at is I don't want to have to start over again if I decide to step it up a notch later on. Its pretty much now or never with alot of this stuff.
Thanks for the welding tips. I'll definatly be wearing a thick jumper and lots of protection heheh.
I think I should stay away from the sills, but there are plenty of other parts which I could stitch up like the chassis rails and inner guards ect.
Edited by QIKSLR, 23 December 2005 - 09:06 AM.
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