First time welder...how hard would this be to fix?

[DarkoNova]

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2011/04/IMG_20110401_143257-1.jpg

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2011/04/IMG_20110401_143303-1.jpg

I got rear ended a couple years ago and had a friend of a friend try to fix it. They basically had a big bottle jack thing (forget what it was actually called) and they put it against the wheelwell in the trunk and pushed the tail panel out. It also ended up poking a hole right at the corner that you can barely see in the first pic above the tail light. Then they drilled some holes in the trunk and used a slide hammer to pull it out. And then they said they were done and left. :Alchy:

What I want to do is get the tail panel from a Camaro to replace this so that I can put the gas cap up between the tails. I'll have to get the trunk piece from a Camaro as well. I haven't looked to see if companies repop just that part of the trunk or if I'd have to basically buy the whole trunk floor. Depending on how hard all that is, I might just try to replace it with a Nova tail panel and do the Camaro gas cap mod later.

Anyway, how hard do you guys think it would be for a first timer to repair that? I was planning on getting a carbon fiber trunk lid from Anvil Auto, too, if that makes a difference. Welder would be something from Eastwood. I did some reading and it seems like everyone said the recommended welder is one that can use .023 wire so I don't burn through the metal, so I was looking at this one:

http://www.eastwood.com/mig-welder-110vac-135a-output.html

It can do .023 wire and is capable of using gas or just using flux wire.

I've welded a few times before, but really just messing around with scrap metal, nothing this big. I don't mind learning, though, and I'd really like to give it a try. :)

[67zo6Camaro]

Thats kind of a trick question. It's do-able with some minor metal working skill. But the question is do you have any experience working with sheet metal and/or welding sheet metal panels? For a beginner it may take a few shots to get it they way you want it.

You have to learn somewhere, so my advise is get a cheap panel from the junk yard and drill similar holes and then dent it up.... go to town learning on the practice piece. Hands on is the best way to learn. Also lots of good DVDs out there that will help the learning curve.

Brett

[DarkoNova]

Kind of. I've pounded out a few dents in my time, but just to get the dent out. I didn't really spend a lot of time getting it looking good. I planned on buying a hammer and dolly set from Eastwood when I bought the welder. Might just get em from Harbor Freight and try to get things as good as I can before buying the welder.

[justasquid]

I've never used eastwoods welders, I've always own miller and used a few lincolns. eastwood basically compares there welders to lincolns, which I have also used and did not care for. Is there anyway you can test one out? Do you have a friend that has a welder available? the reason I ask is most cheaper model welders will weld ok once they are welding, but can be a real pina to get started. They tend to not start a nice clean arc right away. So what you end up with is a bunch of ..pop...pop...pop... then its welding. Its not a good situation for sheet metal where your basically making a bunch of spot welds. But again, I've never used the eastwood welders. But for the price and warranty, it sure is tempting. I would probably try one if I was just starting out welding.

As for the wire size. It is nice to use smaller wire, such as .023 so you can use lower settings, but 030 will work just fine as well. I would stay away from flux core wire for sheet metal work as well.

Personally, I think you will have more issues straighting out the metal than you will spot welding the new panel. If you can dial in your settings to get consitant, fast starting arcs, you will be fine.

[67 ls1 vert]

bring it over to my shop and I'll change it out for you...

I would change it out and cut in the gas cap you want. Much cleaner and less bondo.

good luck with it.

[DarkoNova]

I only had one friend that was a certified welder, but he just moved to North Dakota a couple months ago. So now my only options are buy a welder and do it myself or take it to a shop. I've watched a couple videos on that Eastwood welder and I think the guy compared it to a Miller and said it was just as good.


bring it over to my shop and I'll change it out for you...

I would change it out and cut in the gas cap you want. Much cleaner and less bondo.

good luck with it.

I might actually do that, but it'd be a while. I pulled the engine to rebuild it right now, so it's not drivable. One of the reasons I wanted to get the welder was to do other stuff, too. I still need to weld a patch panel to the floor from installing the TKO, and I wanted to try notching the frame as well. Basically I was going to start with the floor to get some skills going, then do the rear panel, and eventually do the frame.

But if you could do all of that, I might just say "hell with it" and take it to your shop, lol.