body seams

chavis77 · Jun 23, 2008

Hello I like the clean look of having no body seams so how or what to use

I tried some seam sealer out of a caulk gun tube on a test spot tonight but did not like the out come so I'd like to know what yall have in mind thanks

TN1776 · Jun 23, 2008

The seam sealer out of a tube is not made for smoothing body panels and hiding seams, just sealing seams up. Body filler (bondo/rage/etc) would most certainly crack pretty quickly so it's probably out. I'm by no means an expert but it seems to me that you'd have to either weld them together or smooth them out with lead/body solder, or some combination of methods. Any hod rodders on here? They are probably the experts.

jkskier · Jun 23, 2008

anybody ever use lead for that purpose? or is that pretty much dead...thought that was what they were saying on one of the car shows

75bronco08 · Jun 23, 2008

lead is the best but need to find a body guy that deal in it.its not as easy as it looks.i would weld them up.then grind them out smooth.just dont get it to hot or you will cause it to warp.them final coat of bondo.

302fix · Jun 24, 2008

I've seen it done on a classic Cougar and it looked fantastic and has held for several years without cracking. I believe he used body filler but he wasn't giving up his secrets (may have been lead).

POR makes a pretty serious filler that may hold up better.

I think it would look awesome! Shave the door handles and fill the seams. Give it a shot and post some pictures.

brian72 · Jun 24, 2008

my quarters are filled and smoothed (bondo)...looks real good

Crap...I found a crack 3/4" long the other day....

Explorer · Jun 24, 2008

75bronco08 said:
lead is the best but need to find a body guy that deal in it.its not as easy as it looks.i would weld them up.then grind them out smooth.just dont get it to hot or you will cause it to warp.them final coat of bondo.

I agree. Leading is fine, just a lost art. Eastwood makes a nice kit. Shaving door handles etc. would definatly make for a clean look. The problem with welding up the seams is if you ever have to replace anything, you're in a world of hurt. Great if you are into show&shine, but not practical for 4 wheeling. Just finished restoring a Karmann Ghia, which is a one piece body. Believe me , it much easier to replace a fender or rocker when they are separate parts.

Big_chuck73 · Jun 24, 2008

I used my 110 mig welder fill the seam and give a strong bond, then smoothed over with bondo.

Silverhorse · Jun 24, 2008

Nice work!

chavis77 · Jun 24, 2008

well I guess my best bet is to fire up my 250 mig esab up and go to spot welding
after I drop my gas tank that I just put in that fil-up hose is a pain

b/c lead sounds like it would be hard to master bondos not easy but its easy to sand and redo

broncosam · Jun 25, 2008

I will agree that leading is a lost art. But at the same time it is not as hard as it looks. While I have never tackled a project as large as the seams on a Bronco , I don't think it would be that difficult. I learned to do it when I was a metal repairman at the Ford plant where I worked. You would be surprised at the lead work in some of the vehicles in the past.

Explorer · Jun 25, 2008

Two things that I did not take advantage of. My father was a welder his whole life and I never started to weld till long after he was gone. I spent 30 years working for the telephone company and all the really old cables were lead sheath and I left all the lead work to the "old" guy's. Go for it, life's short, learn different things.

Jfly13 · Jun 25, 2008

When dad had his bronco in the body shop several years ago getting restored he had them weld all the seems. They also did the tailgate seems. Looks really good. Most people think that they are fiberglass. They have held up well for over 7 years.

body seams

chavis77

Jr. Member

TN1776

Bronco Guru

jkskier

Sr. Member

75bronco08

Full Member

302fix

Sr. Member

brian72

Early Bronco Student

Explorer

Bronco Guru

Big_chuck73

Full Member

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Silverhorse

Bronco Guru

chavis77

Jr. Member

broncosam

Bronco Guru

Explorer

Bronco Guru

Jfly13

Sr. Member

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