On Tue, 13 Sep 2005 13:11:55 -0500, "*" wrote:



wrote in article
s.com...
This is probably a dumb question, but can I use either aluminum or
copper flashing materials to repair the rust cancer in my 1990 Bronco.
I know that I can tack steel panels to the existing steel, but the
steel sheet is tough to get while aluminum and copper flashing is
common?

I'm thinking about buying an inert gas wire fed welder for this
purpose, since it is much cheaper than a body shop restoration, but can
it tack dissimilar metals like aluminum and copper to steel, or should
I seek out a dealer who can supply me with, say, 16-gauge steel stock?

My second question is do I need an "English Wheel" to curve the stock
material to fit, or is their a simplier, less costly method? After all,
this is a one-time restoration job.

Why aren't there more books available for auto body restoration?



If you choose to use anything other than same-guage steel, carefully fitted
and welded, you are patching, cobbling, jury-rigging, etc.......NOT
restoring..........

.......and, true restoration books will be a waste of your money and time.

A book I found useful was: Paint & Body Handbook, Don Taylor &
Larry Hofer, HP books. Available from Amazon, $14.95. It
addresses most of the tools, techniques and materials useful for body
repair, including plastic body filler AKA Bondo. Also prepping,
painting, fitting panels, fiberglass, and welding. There is a chapter
specifically devoted to rust repair.

Some would not regard rust work, even pretty good rust work, as
"restoration". So call it repair. Bondo, used properly, is very
useful stuff. A patch starting with any welded-in metal is far
better than stuffing a T-shirt in the hole and covering it with Bondo.

A good rust repair ( or "patch" if you like), even if not of
restoration purity, can look good and last a decade in daily use.