Hood holes / hood scoop

[bandit]

I am replacing a hood scoop but it is going to leave some rivet holes because the new scoop is slightly smaller. I could use epoxy filler but I am worried about the heat on the hood, especially in winter, cracking it from contraction and expansion of the hood metal. Has anyone had issues with standard filler or have any tips?

 

[bandit]

bump

 

[roadrunnerman]

Can you take some galvinized metal behind the hole and spot weld them shut. The weld won't stick to the galvinize metal and then you can grind them smooth.

 

[bandit]

Nice idea with the galvanized backing pate. Never thought of that. The holes are only about 3/16" wide so not huge holes so that may work. I only have an arc welder and not a mig. You think that could do the job without burning through?

I was just looking up about using solder too but there seems to be debate on using it for only leveling and not necessarily filling holes. Would be nice to use with the galvanized metal idea if I cannot use my arc welder on this.

 

[roadrunnerman]

Don't know if the solder idea would work,i've never tried it for that.If you can't find anybody you know that has a mig or even a flux-core welder that you can use, then maybe you can try the solder but i would solder the under neath of the hood and make suer the metal around the hole is clean,then you can fill in and smooth the top side of hood.But i would try to find a friend with a welder first.

 

[bandit]

I found a conversion kit to add mig to my welder for $121 with shipping so going to pick it up. I'm sure I will have plenty more uses for it down the road. Thanks for your help.

 

[roadrunnerman]

Glad i could help in some way.I did my 4x4 ramcharger with a flux core welder then bought a mig welder to do my 69 RR. That was one of the best things i bought. I'm sure you will find many uses in the future.

 

[wannadrag]

You could also take the easy way out.If you can get at the holes from the back side clean the areas down to bare metal and use some fiberglass type filler on the backside with some tape covering the holes on the topside.Then some minor spot filler on the topside with some touchup paint and good to go.This way would save you from possible warping or burning the paint off.

 

[bandit]

Wouldn't there be a concern of cracking or separating with hood heat/expansion and general hood flex from opening? I would do this on other parts of the body if I had to but I think the hood is a different beast?? Maybe not??? Just want to make sure once it hits paint, I do not have to do it over in a year. Never has done bodywork on a hood before.

Thanks for the tip. I will def keep this in mind if I have issues with the welding, but I really want to learn how to do it with the mig now. I could use this skill a lot moving forward and one I need to know anyways. My biggest concern like you said would be warpage and any sign of that I am moving on to try the fiberglass filler. This is a second hood that will need full repainting either way when I am done, so although I do not want to screw it up, it will not be the end of the world.

BTW, Wannadrag, did you go to the IOLA car show this year? I drove up there but was very disappointed in the major lack of Mopars there. If you are a Chevy or Ford man you were loving it. Chevelle and Mustang parts on every corner..... Did I miss the hidden corner of Mopar parts and cars?? I can say out of the thousands of cars shown there, I saw maybe 15-20 Mopars total and not one table selling Mopar parts exclusively. Maybe we need to drive up there and take over that show next year. I've already got a box of extra parts I could unload. We could sell them for 500% markup there with that competition. haha jk....

 

[fatecaptured]

Can you take some galvinized metal behind the hole and spot weld them shut. The weld won't stick to the galvinize metal and then you can grind them smooth.

am i reading this correctly??

weld does stick to galvanized metal. As a matter of fact 50% of the welding in our plant is galvanized. The parts get machined, sent off to be galvanized or zinc plated and then finish welded. It does make a nasty smoke and spatter sticks more than raw metal, but it can be welded very easily.

 

[fatecaptured]

if u want to use a metal backer than weld wont stick to, use a thick piece of aluminum, copper or brass.

Stainless can be welded to steel and galvanized is just a zinc coated steel.

 

[bandit]

Since starting this discussion I have looked up videos where they were using aluminum or copper as the backer for this. Once I get the mig conversion kit, I'm going to do some test welds anyways before hitting the hood and have a lot of galvanized scrap(old ducting and fencing pieces) around so will try it. Maybe the lower mig weld will not stick to it??? If not I'll have to find some kind of copper piece to use.

 

[snakeoil24]

If you have old pennies you can use that or a piece of copper pipe just flatten it.

 

[fatecaptured]

doesn't matter where u set ur welder at, galvanized metal will without a doubt stick to steel when welding. Yeah anything copper , doesn't have to be an inch thick . But it will get hot so if u better have a good plan to keep them penny's in place as u weld..

eastwood sells copper backing plates. aluminum works good too, just go to the hardware store and find something that'll do the trick. I wouldn't use penny's , but thats me.

 

[bandit]

Thanks for the advice. Like you said, I just need to figure out how to make a backer stick to the bottom while welding now. I'll head up to the hardware store and figure out some kind of rigging.

 

[roadrunnerman]

am i reading this correctly??

weld does stick to galvanized metal. As a matter of fact 50% of the welding in our plant is galvanized. The parts get machined, sent off to be galvanized or zinc plated and then finish welded. It does make a nasty smoke and spatter sticks more than raw metal, but it can be welded very easily.

I just did some hole filling on my inner door jam when i drilled out the old floor. I had the backside of the rocker open so i took a piece of galvinized metal to put under the hole and then welded the hole closed. When i got done with one hole i just "popped" the galvinized metal off,did not stick. If you take a grinding disc to the surface of the galv metal then yes it will stick, but if you don't then it won't stick to the weld.

 

[fatecaptured]

I just did some hole filling on my inner door jam when i drilled out the old floor. I had the backside of the rocker open so i took a piece of galvinized metal to put under the hole and then welded the hole closed. When i got done with one hole i just "popped" the galvinized metal off,did not stick. If you take a grinding disc to the surface of the galv metal then yes it will stick, but if you don't then it won't stick to the weld.

I respect u Roadrunnerman, but you got lucky. Hopefully your welds hold.

Galvanized can be welded and has been welding and have welded it (without grinding it) for 12 years. I mean no disrespect and i'm by far not as knowledgeable as the majority of the forum, but welding is my trade and I just don't recommend that practice.

 

[roadrunnerman]

No disrespect taken fate,maybe i did get lucky but after i filled in the holes and ground the welds smooth none of them fell thru.The pieces i used were some old joint braces and they were pretty dirty.My respect to you for your opinion as well.

 

[RGAZ]

Use a copper backer-plate and fill the hole. This is the correct way to do this repair. I recommend a THICK piece of copper since they get hot really fast. BTW-pennies aren't copper (someone asked that once)

If you don't have a MIG or TIG, and you are desperate, don't use regular body filler. Use metal-to-metal or a metal-based filler. ONLY if you are desperate. It will fail eventually.

Don't try leading it.

Now, for the red-neck solution. Don't laugh, sometimes simple is the best.

Find a standard nail that fits hole tightly. Weld it in with very little filler-metal. Grind away the excess nail. Voila. Yes, I have done this to get by for smaller holes where you can't get to the back.

Good Luck,
Randy

 

[benno440]

yeh dont use galvanising the weld will stick, use copper aluminium etc. and use a MIG, TIG would be even neater though then fill and smooth wil body filler