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Mon Mar 11, 2013 1:21 pm

Please excuse if this question is silly or Rookie Like; but I am in the Auto Body area.

I would like to fill the holes left on my Super's Fenders once I remove the Stock Blinkers and figure I'd fill them in with Bondo but I also figured that it would need some support behind the Bondo patch that I'd put in. SO I figured that some type of screen material on the underside would do the trick.
Is there such a screen material and if so what is the proper name for such?

If not is there a better way that one of you may know to do this procedure?

Thanks for any help provided

The Auto Body Rook :)

Mon Mar 11, 2013 1:38 pm

Weld a piece of steel in the hole then use filler over the steel.

Mon Mar 11, 2013 1:54 pm

I had hoped there was a way around having to do the weld thing since I don't have the equipment nor the know how but if that is my only option then I guess I'll have to find a welder to do just that.
Thanks Eashan2

Mon Mar 11, 2013 2:33 pm

you could pop rivet the metal in place, or you could bridge the hole with glassfibre mat and resin, or use an aluminium mesh and bondo. None of these will last like a welded repair, but on non structural areas on a daily drive would be ok for a while as long as the underside were sealed to prevent water ingress

Mon Mar 11, 2013 2:36 pm

marklee wrote: you could pop rivet the metal in place, or you could bridge the hole with glassfibre mat and resin, or use an aluminium mesh and bondo. None of these will last like a welded repair, but on non structural areas on a daily drive would be ok for a while as long as the underside were sealed to prevent water ingress

Thanks marklee, I'll look into that tomorrow. Because I sure can't weld 8)

Mon Mar 11, 2013 6:07 pm

subwayaz wrote: marklee wrote: you could pop rivet the metal in place, or you could bridge the hole with glassfibre mat and resin, or use an aluminium mesh and bondo. None of these will last like a welded repair, but on non structural areas on a daily drive would be ok for a while as long as the underside were sealed to prevent water ingress

Thanks marklee, I'll look into that tomorrow. Because I sure can't weld 8)

But just think of the possibilities if you could! :wink:

Mon Mar 11, 2013 6:13 pm

Your local Muffler Shop could weld them closed for you.

Mon Mar 11, 2013 6:23 pm

Mike Fisher wrote: Your local Muffler Shop could weld them closed for you.

Oh nice so glad to hear that. I got a quote from a Local Body shop today and they wanted as much as two new Fenders. Thanks Mike

Glen

Mon Mar 11, 2013 6:42 pm

if you didnt want to go for the welding route (even though it is probably the best :wink: ) you can buy a fiberglass mesh at any hardware store which is nice and flexible and use a structural urithane glue on the bottom side along with the mesh. you just need take a grinder to the underside of the fender, probably a couple inches around the hole, and put your mesh on and then the glue over it and let it dry, you can sand the topside down and actually bondo over the glue. if you do go this route, put some masking tape over the hole on the top side before you glue in the mesh so it wont go everywhere when you apply it. this also should be nice and sturdy and also last a while. but welding a patch in is still probably the best way to go :D

Mon Mar 11, 2013 6:54 pm

eastwood sells a cartridge of no weld body panel adhesive for $20 that can be used with any caulk gun. i would find some donor sheet metal and using the adhesive,glue the metal on the backside of the hole. use the bondo to fill and finish up the area.

Mon Mar 11, 2013 6:55 pm

LOW N' SLOW66 wrote: if you didnt want to go for the welding route (even though it is probably the best :wink: ) you can buy a fiberglass mesh at any hardware store which is nice and flexible and use a structural urithane glue on the bottom side along with the mesh. you just need take a grinder to the underside of the fender, probably a couple inches around the hole, and put your mesh on and then the glue over it and let it dry, you can sand the topside down and actually bondo over the glue. if you do go this route, put some masking tape over the hole on the top side before you glue in the mesh so it wont go everywhere when you apply it. this also should be nice and sturdy and also last a while. but welding a patch in is still probably the best way to go :D

Thanks a bunch low and slow; that is exactly whay I was looking for. I plan to get the car painted early next year but didn't want to leave the holes there in the meantime or go through a big expense prior to what the paint and body work will cost me next year.

Mon Mar 11, 2013 6:59 pm

roadkingdoc wrote: eastwood sells a cartridge of no weld body panel adhesive for $20 that can be used with any caulk gun. i would find some donor sheet metal and using the adhesive,glue the metal on the backside of the hole. use the bondo to fill and finish up the area.

That's a new and fresh idea and still incorporates metal into the equation. Thanks nych I look into that

Tue Mar 12, 2013 6:59 pm

properly applied, the body panel adhesive might be just the way to go. I would make sure everything is clean enough for surgery, though.

Wed Mar 13, 2013 8:37 am

If you don't want to weld it I would agree panel adhesive would be the best route. I can't speak to it being better/worse than welding, but will without a doubt be better than covering mesh with filler, which will likely cause rust in the future and crack if you bump into something :cry:

Thu Mar 14, 2013 6:32 am

thanks Fellas for your replies/tips. i placed the order for the adhesive will be removing those blinkers and will post back the results.

thanks again

Wed Mar 20, 2013 4:04 pm

How about getting some donor metal, cut out a circle that would fit into the hole with a minimum of gap all around. Tin snips and then file to fit.
Get another piece of the donor metal, and make it about 1 inch larger in diameter than the hole.

Using the panel adhesive glue the larger piece to the inside of the fender, making sure you have it centered on the hole. Wait for it to dry and then scrape any glue from the opening that seeped out between the panels.

Apply more glue to the hole patch, and glue it in place.

I would think if you fitted the hole patch really close, when it's all dry it would take a minimum of glaze to fill the seam.

Dan

Wed Mar 20, 2013 5:23 pm

Danpa wrote: How about getting some donor metal, cut out a circle that would fit into the hole with a minimum of gap all around. Tin snips and then file to fit.
Get another piece of the donor metal, and make it about 1 inch larger in diameter than the hole.

Using the panel adhesive glue the larger piece to the inside of the fender, making sure you have it centered on the hole. Wait for it to dry and then scrape any glue from the opening that seeped out between the panels.

Apply more glue to the hole patch, and glue it in place.

I would think if you fitted the hole patch really close, when it's all dry it would take a minimum of glaze to fill the seam.

Dan
Thank you for the tip and I think after reading I'm going to blend the advice and go with a Donor piece of metal that I got do just what you suggested and cut it out to just about fit put some adhesive I got fom Eastwood bondo the area around to fill any gaps and leave it like that till later in the year when I get the entire car painted and then they can fix it right if that temp fix doesn't last out.

But I must say that I appreciate everyones input and I've learned quite a bit on a topic I knew nothing about. Great people on here and that is what makes this site.
Thanks again

I'll post back the pictures how it came out soon

Wed Mar 20, 2013 5:26 pm

beetlenut wrote: subwayaz wrote: marklee wrote: you could pop rivet the metal in place, or you could bridge the hole with glassfibre mat and resin, or use an aluminium mesh and bondo. None of these will last like a welded repair, but on non structural areas on a daily drive would be ok for a while as long as the underside were sealed to prevent water ingress

Thanks marklee, I'll look into that tomorrow. Because I sure can't weld 8)

But just think of the possibilities if you could! :wink:

Really this has made me think about learning just that at our local Community College

Thu Mar 21, 2013 6:59 am

Its easier than most people think. With a MIG just about anyone can start sticking metal together after an hour or two of practice. I taught myself.
Getting things looking professional is a different story, but 95% of welds need a skim of filler regardless.

Thu Mar 21, 2013 7:26 am

Thrasher22 wrote: Its easier than most people think. With a MIG just about anyone can start sticking metal together after an hour or two of practice. I taught myself.
Getting things looking professional is a different story, but 95% of welds need a skim of filler regardless.
Well I plan to enter a class and once I do this I will look at buying a Mig welder since from my understanding it is the best for the thin metal your working with on VW or any car bodies. Thanks for the encouragement