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View Full Version : Rust patching and hack-welding.

handrail
02-28-2005, 09:00 AM
Some of you may know that I'm into old cars...old BMW's specifically.

I though I might share some of the work I did this weekend on my red one.

While replacing the clutch slave cylinder on the red 02, I noticed a small spot of rust on the frame rail. A little picking, proding and wire-brushing later and I had uncovered this nasty cancer:

http://www.carlweetabix.co.uk/images/rusthole.jpg

Following the frame rail patch directions (http://www.bmw2002faq.com/body_and_interior/frame_rail.html) from the bmw2002faq.com site, I set to patchin'.

Here are my custom made patches:

http://www.carlweetabix.co.uk/images/frontpatch.jpg

http://www.carlweetabix.co.uk/images/rearpatch.jpg

Welding it in place is ridiculously difficult, plus I am a level 1 amateur welder at best. I still have to weld the other side, slow going while sprawled under the car with a welder mask, work light, grounding strap and the welding pistol. Soon it will be completed and painted and I can finish the damn brakes and clutch. I'm still learning to weld, so this process takes a while. I've since cleaned up the welds a bit.

http://www.carlweetabix.co.uk/images/patch.jpg
Kurtis
02-28-2005, 09:08 AM
what did you cut the custom patches with?
handrail
02-28-2005, 09:29 AM
the patches were just scraps of 16 ga. steel i had taken from my parents farm in IL. they were L brackets and i hammered them flat. i cut the notches with my dremel and then hammered them into shape while holding them with my bench vise.

i've still got to notch a few more spots and hammer them down so they touch the frame rail then i'll weld them to the rail to keep all the seams water tight and keep the rust from getting worse. it will all get undercoated as well.
Kurtis
02-28-2005, 10:37 AM
ah cool, i figured it was steel, and it looked like it had been hacked with a dremel. i bet that took forever to cut that thick ass steel with a dremel... aluminum rocks :)
mike
02-28-2005, 07:21 PM
Looks like you need to practice your welding skills... j/k Glad you brought life back to the 2002
Rich
02-28-2005, 08:54 PM
I still think it is more fun to cut things apart then put them back together....but that is just me.
Kurtis
02-28-2005, 09:58 PM
yes Rich, we know... don't remind us of the incident with the puppy...
Brian
03-01-2005, 11:30 AM
Poor Snuffles... :-(
handrail
03-01-2005, 01:57 PM
Looks like you need to practice your welding skills... j/k Glad you brought life back to the 2002

yeah, it's pretty much the ugliest weld i've done so far. i'm ok at welding on flat pieces on a table, but it's too hard to get in there at the right angle while lying on the floor.

i need a hydraulic lift.
Rich
03-01-2005, 02:53 PM
i need a hydraulic lift.


Who doesn't!!!!!
mike
03-02-2005, 08:46 AM
Ugly but functional... what i tell myself about some of the women i see at last call.
PennyManDeux
03-02-2005, 07:47 PM
http://www.thetechlounge.com/forum/showthread.php?p=13831#post13831

:-P
mike
03-03-2005, 09:12 AM
dont judge a man by his mohawk.
PennyManDeux
03-04-2005, 12:02 AM
I like the hawk! But you shoulda had it for longer. Your head is pasty :-P
handrail
03-06-2005, 08:23 PM
a few more pics of my latest progress.

The angle grinder helps to make crappy welds look semi-presentable.

http://www.carlweetabix.co.uk/BMW/rustpatch_grind.jpg

i had to lay down some extra beads here. i kept melting through the original base metal. i'll grind down the excess and it will look pretty nice. then rust seal, primer and undercoat and i'm done.

http://www.carlweetabix.co.uk/BMW/rustpatch_under.jpg
NO TACT
03-09-2005, 10:42 AM
Nice work.
mike
03-09-2005, 10:49 AM
I like the hawk! But you shoulda had it for longer. Your head is pasty :-P


I was lifeguarding that summer. Lots of sun as you can tell. The pic was taken the day after i got scalped
PennyManDeux
03-09-2005, 11:54 AM
Yeah, I figured. How long did you have it for?

BTW, good work handrail. I think I would be too afraid to do anything like that on my car. Have some pics of the rest of the car?
handrail
03-09-2005, 12:38 PM
yup, here it is when it isn't in pieces.

http://www.carlweetabix.co.uk/images/02_autumn.jpg

that's mine in the front of the line:
http://www.carlweetabix.co.uk/archives/locomotive_02s_small.jpg

http://www.carlweetabix.co.uk/images/bimmer_side.jpg
Kurtis
03-09-2005, 12:40 PM
pssst... I think someone is following you Brad...