Thread: 51 MG restoration.

Into my second panel tonight and will bounce back and forth between them stitching in the angles with mig.
Then I’m going to go back over both joints with the tig and blend the welds into one continuous bead to ensure good penetration. Not the most time eff3ctive way to fabricate, but it’s safe, blow through wise, and I’m not on the clock. Hehe.
And the problem with the curve cuts Roy really is like any time you try to cut a circle with a circular tool, the radius of the cutter works against you on the curve, removing the edges as it turns. Nothing to be done about it short of using a jigsaw, if it was a problem area.

A buddy sent me some tools I’ll be needing soon enough. And very much appreciated receiving.

Old, lead working files and a few holders, one of which articulates to match profiles and curves.
Will make dent taming a little bit more precise. And period correct, to boot.

Nearly completed the rear quarter rebuilds.



Can see I’m still a little proud with the welds, but I’ll file down the rest after I do a bit more dolly work.
Pretty happy with the results so far. Lots of time into these panels now.

These are ready to weld to the wheel wells now and make them one piece rear units again.


Shrinker proved invaluable on the top edge to really pull the rear corner wrap in tightly.
Very little distortion after all that welding, and a lot of patient hammer dolly tweaking.
Nothing some lead and high build primer won’t hide.

Them lead sticks get expensive....and don’t go too far. But its fun to work with ..and still has its nitch .

Just make sure you wash that leaded area with acetone. I put a couple coats of epoxy primer over the leaded areas and bare metal...then apply any needed filler directly over the epoxy. I give the epoxy 24 hour cure @70 degrees before putting filler over it . Then a 2k primer surfacer over the epoxy.

Jigging everything up tight, then adding cleco’s to hold the shapes true. Don’t get in the way like clamps, and because of the way they clip through 1/8th pilot holes easy to replicate exactly on the bench for welding up.

Still need to clean up the hammer transitions on the drivers side, but first, make everything solid.

And to check over all skin alignment too. Fore I finish tying in the front panels.

Every step is getting me closer to the prize.

Originally Posted by MikeB52

Jigging everything up tight, then adding cleco’s to hold the shapes true. Don’t get in the way like clamps, and because of the way they clip through 1/8th pilot holes easy to replicate exactly on the bench for welding up.

Are these "cleco's" basically like pop rivets?

Originally Posted by 32t

Are these "cleco's" basically like pop rivets?

Kind of but they are easily removed--

Yup, what Roy said..
Terrific layout tools.
Been using them for 30 years, when Ive needed them.