General Tech Body Work

[Stephen]

I have zero (0) experience with body work, so I'm looking a for a little advice. On my Samurai the rear quarter panels have rusted away from the inner fenders. I would like to put in a patch to fix this. If I were to find another Samurai that had good rear quarters and inner fender, would it be best to cut out the rusty section and then replace with a corresponding good section? Should I only worry about cutting out an area roughly equivalent to the rusty section on the good vehicle, or should I over lap by a large degree? Or would it be best to just use new sheet metal for the whole thing?

Thank you.

 

[OrvisKrawler]

I wouldnt spend too much time on it, its a wheeler right? just cut out the rust replace it with the same part steel off the other sami weld it up and call it good, it will be a lot easier to weld it overlap than to do a butt weld, depends on how you want the finished product to look and how much if any filler you want to use as far as that goes

 

[Stephen]

I wouldnt spend too much time on it, its a wheeler right? just cut out the rust replace it with the same part steel off the other sami weld it up and call it good, it will be a lot easier to weld it overlap than to do a butt weld, depends on how you want the finished product to look and how much if any filler you want to use as far as that goes

It is a wheeler, but also a DD and I generally like the vehicle, so I want it to look quality.

 

[mbryson]

It is a wheeler, but also a DD and I generally like the vehicle, so I want it to look quality.

The patches tend to rust easier due to overlapped metal and associated dampness collecting there. If you do patch like that, use the HELL out of seam sealer to seal the area after welding.

It's usually easiest and cleanest to just replace a 1/4 panel or fender or what have you at a time. If you're going for "good", I'd get a new 1/4 panel or whatever. A 1/4 panel for a Sami can't cost much more than the Sami, right?

(1/4 panel likely $250 or so, Sami $200ish? )

 

[Stephen]

The patches tend to rust easier due to overlapped metal and associated dampness collecting there. If you do patch like that, use the HELL out of seam sealer to seal the area after welding.

It's usually easiest and cleanest to just replace a 1/4 panel or fender or what have you at a time. If you're going for "good", I'd get a new 1/4 panel or whatever. A 1/4 panel for a Sami can't cost much more than the Sami, right?

(1/4 panel likely $250 or so, Sami $200ish? )

We are talking about the rear quarters of a hard top. VERY expensive part and VERY hard to replace the whole piece.

 

[OrvisKrawler]

We are talking about the rear quarters of a hard top. VERY expensive part and VERY hard to replace the whole piece.

now im confused, I thought it was the rear quarter by the fenders?? isnt that what you said? take some pics of the area...

 

[Stephen]

now im confused, I thought it was the rear quarter by the fenders?? isnt that what you said? take some pics of the area...

The bright area:

 

[SAMI]

What he's saying is that you can't just go and purchase a replacement rear quarter panel for a tin top samurai.. It's all one piece. So, cutting out the cancerous section and replacing will be the cheapest/easiest option..

 

[Stephen]

What he's saying is that you can't just go and purchase a replacement rear quarter panel for a tin top samurai.. It's all one piece. So, cutting out the cancerous section and replacing will be the cheapest/easiest option..

Thank you Mr. Goates. That is exactly what I mean.

 

[OrvisKrawler]

ahh i see, yeah just cut out the bad, replace with new pieces cut out of your other body, if you want it to look good butt weld it with spot welds, your pieces will have to be cut out of the other body perfectly or close to it but it will look the best when your done welding and grinding and will need minimal filler, that is probably your best bet for what you wanna do

 

[ALBO1023]

If the whole 1/4 outer panel is seviced buy it new make two cuts through the window opening and one through the rocker and replace the whole thing. use weld thru zinc primer between the panel seems and do a butt joint with backing at all the cuts when you have the outer off use appoxy primer on all the inner areas. use a resistance spot welder if you can get access to one. Traditional plug welds cause hot spots and can rust but will work if you take the extra time to make nice welds. for the time and money you are going to spend don't cut corners if you keep it for any amount of time you'll do it right or you'll do it agian. I work at Dave's Body Shop and we speacilize in doing this stuff in collisions. I am more than willing to tell you the proper steps to do to it so it will last.

 

[iamsparticus]

i agree with orviscrawler, i used to work at a body shop, and the only way to make it clean and look good is cut it out and use the other body panel, or shape new sheet metal and butt weld it and it will grind down smooth

 

[OrvisKrawler]

before you spend so much time and hard work on somthing like the job mentioned by albo I would seriously consider what the future of your rig is going to be, is it goin to be something that is always going to be a DD or will it become a trail rig thats going to see some abuse, are you planning on keeping it for a long time, or are you going to sell it in a couple years and get something else? all things to consider.. if you just cut out the rust areas and replace it it will more than likely last as long as you have the rig

 

[SAMI]

Unexplainable, but Steve has every intention of taking this little rig to his grave.

 

[BCGPER]

Being a Tin-Top, if this is a keeper (I think every Tin-Top should be), I'd be shopping for a clean body. Not a real easy find, but it can be done and you'll be time and money ahead replacing the entire thing. Judging from the photo, you have more problems sprouting up other than just that highlighted area. I think if you just patch things up, you'll be chasing problems for years to come.

Unexplainable, but Steve has every intention of taking this little rig to his grave.

 

[Stephen]

If the whole 1/4 outer panel is seviced buy it new make two cuts through the window opening and one through the rocker and replace the whole thing. use weld thru zinc primer between the panel seems and do a butt joint with backing at all the cuts when you have the outer off use appoxy primer on all the inner areas. use a resistance spot welder if you can get access to one. Traditional plug welds cause hot spots and can rust but will work if you take the extra time to make nice welds. for the time and money you are going to spend don't cut corners if you keep it for any amount of time you'll do it right or you'll do it agian. I work at Dave's Body Shop and we speacilize in doing this stuff in collisions. I am more than willing to tell you the proper steps to do to it so it will last.

I may take you up on that. As I said, my knowledge of body work is ziltch.
The donor Samurai is a soft top. So I would only be able to get from that bend in the body above the fender flare down. I don't know if that makes it more difficult?

before you spend so much time and hard work on somthing like the job mentioned by albo I would seriously consider what the future of your rig is going to be, is it goin to be something that is always going to be a DD or will it become a trail rig thats going to see some abuse, are you planning on keeping it for a long time, or are you going to sell it in a couple years and get something else? all things to consider.. if you just cut out the rust areas and replace it it will more than likely last as long as you have the rig

Being a Tin-Top, if this is a keeper (I think every Tin-Top should be), I'd be shopping for a clean body. Not a real easy find, but it can be done and you'll be time and money ahead replacing the entire thing. Judging from the photo, you have more problems sprouting up other than just that highlighted area. I think if you just patch things up, you'll be chasing problems for years to come.

I baby my Samurai compared to many other people. Hell, I almost broke my arm once keeping it from slowly tipping sideways in the Wedge on Golden Spike. Stupid, yes, but no dents! I've had it for over ten years now, so it's not going anywhere.
I'd love to find another clean tin top, but thats a pretty hard prospect. In all honesty, the body is ok aside from where the rear quarters meet the inner fenders. I replaced the front clip this summer and coated the whole thing with bed liner, so thats good. The rockers are pretty hammered, but I'm going to be cutting them out and putting in sliders. There is some surface rust in a few places, but some hard work with some polishing compound should get that out. It's due for some new paint once the rear quarters are fixed, so I'm hoping to be rust free by 2011.

 

[Tacoma]

nice Photchop, Stephan.

And BCGPER is right. I have done just enough bodywork to know that I hate it and it sucks, and it never ends once you start. New body, or wheel the wee out of it as it.

 

[Stephen]

nice Photchop, Stephan.

Thats an example of my 1 min photoshop skills (including save time).

And BCGPER is right. I have done just enough bodywork to know that I hate it and it sucks, and it never ends once you start. New body, or wheel the wee out of it as it.

I look at this project from two angles. It's cheaper to do the patch work than find an elusive clean tin top. Second, I have my 510 which needs some body work as well. I'm more willing to 'learn' on the Samurai because it's never going to be pretty. The 510, on the other hand, needs to look good or my wife will beat me.

 

[Tacoma]

ahh

well, then you better love those vehicles. Bodywork sucks.