How do I find a good welder for all these DSE parts?!?

[BA.]

I'be been trying to think of where I can take my 69 carcass for a bunch of welding of the tubs, frame connectors, full-sail quarter panels, the rear shock mount, firewall plate, etc.
The DSE shop is an option I guess, but, that's quite a haul from here.

I really don't know how to find someone competent enough to do all that around here though. Any idea's?
I'm just south of Dayton Ohio. Cincy and Columbus and both about 30-40 miles away.

Thx!

[aonghus]

you think you're far away....... lol

If I could, I'd prefer to have DSE do the actual work for me.

as far as work like that goes, start investigating hot-rod type speed shops, collision centers dont want to touch that kind of thing, and many smaller body shops may not have the expertise to do em.


then again, i just went and bought a miller 175 ;)

[baz67]

BA.,

If you are the adventurious type, just buy and welder and off you go. I did mine as my first project and it turned out fine.

[parsonsj]

I second Brian's recommendation. I taught myself to weld for my current project too.

You can do it. We can help.

jp

[CAMAROBOY69]

I third that. I also taught myself to weld on my own projects. Now look....I can weld a new quarter panel on a car in a little over 2 hours!!
Thats even with a flux core mig welder. Its a lot easier with a good mig welder that uses gas.

[speedster]

Hey CamaroBoy69 -
Unfortunately, even if you wanted DSE they couldn't. They were my first choice and Kyle or Stacey (can't remember which one) said they were out something like 18 months to 24 months with jobs.

[CAMAROBOY69]

So you going to do it yourself then? :)

[Bigblue73]

Where are you located and will you travel? We have two guys in our shop that weld on the side. They are qualified, I will attest to this. Hell they may even come to you. Both used to work for Jerry Bickel Race Cars. He pays his folks peanuts, that's why they work for the company I work for.

As far as teaching yourself. Go ahead and warp your rearend housing like I did. For me it WAS a great learning experience. I'll never do it THAT way again.

[O&C Racing]

BA:

Shoot me a PM with your contact info. I'm from Dayton and can put you in touch with some quality people up there.

Curtis

[6'9"Witha69]

You can do it. We can help.
Is this Home Depot now?!?!?! j/k

I am buying a welder and will teach myself. I have taken tips from friends and this site. Look in the Fabrication Forum. People give out tips all the time there.

[jeff s]

You could bring it to us. We have experience with the DSE stuff. I've got a guy that can transport reasonable, last summer was $300 for a car from Cleveland to us.
www.schwartzperformance.com

[parsonsj]

Is this Home Depot now?!?!lol, I make my wife and kids crazy walking around saying stupid commercial tag lines.

Kidding aside, the site is a hell of a lot better than Home Cheapo when it comes to helping guys build hot rods. So get cozy with your local welding supplier, snag yourself a welder, some steel, a book, and get going. If you want, most local community colleges offer welding classes.

Or find yourself a good pro ... but get started. And be sure and post some pics as you go. We love that.

jp

[OHCbird]

What ever you do, don't be afraid to pay for quality if you go that route. If you pay for it, demand it. I have sourced a few things out- once I learned my tolerance for my own inabilities.