lead work
- Thread starter Mustang67Coupe
- Start date
If you have never done lead before forget it. This is an artform that takes years to master. Second it is not the healtheist thing to be doing either. There are much easier ways of repairing your car than this. Just being able to find real lead will be a challenge, if you can even find it. I know most places it is against the law to even use real lead. You can use a product called metal to metal by Evercoat to fill the factory seam. It is a plastic based filler with aluminum powder added. when it is painted you will never know the difference.
fastcoupe68 said:
Well it looks like this is a frustrated and misinformed person....no offense. These days the body solder used is not unsafe as it is a different mixture of metals than it used to be. Eastwood sells a very good comprehensive kit that includes all you will need. Get the deluxe kit with the video and do some practicing. My friend and I did both the quarters on his 67 coupe the right way by replacing the whole panel and then leaded the seams.
It is a little tricky at first but practicing makes all the difference....and if you don't like it you just melt it again and reshape it. If you have some natural ability and patience then you will be able to use the body solder for this rather simple task. My buddy and I like it so much we are going to use the body solder instead of plastic bocy filler for most repairs.
Like fastcoupe68 mentioned though metal to metal filler is really nice and it is the only catalized body filler I will use. We used a very thin coat over the lead to get it real smooth and it is so thing you can see through it tin places.
Don't be discouraged....get a body solder kit and do your quarter panel the right way the first time and you will be much happier.
HE SAID lead DIDNT HE? not body solder two different things. I use the metal to metal in my shop all the time never had a problem. We also do real Lead work and charge 150.00 per hour to do it. Misinformed I dont think so If you feel it is necessary to waste time using body solder on your quater repairs be my quest. I have also used the eastwood product and when it comes down to it I dont see the advantage over the Evercoat product. In my two decades, almost anyway of restoring Mustangs and other Muscle cars, hot rods and customs I have never seen a failure with the metal 2 metal, or shrinkage that you would get with a standard plastic filler. But if you prefer to use the body solder more power to yah. He did say lead didnt he? 
He said lead but that is the old term....all you can get now is body solder. If you don't like to work with it that is fine. I, like you, love metal to metal and it is the only type of catalized body filler I use or recommend but it is not what I would use to fill in the large depression where the upper quarter meets the roof. I understand if you are a production shop that you can't waste the time or convince people that it is worth the extra $$$ but for the restorer who has the time it is definitely the way to go in my opinion. The rear lower corner of the quarter window on Mustangs is a stress p0int that cracks and if you fill it with plastic filler the crack will run a lot farther than if it is lead. I usually drill a whole in this crack, braze or weld it up and then lead over it. The crack may come back (unless you install subframes) but it won't get as bad. I'm didn't mean to insult you and I'm sorry.....but if you have the time and patience then body solder (lead) for panel overlaps is the way to go...in my opinion.
I did not take it as an insult and I dont want to get into a bitchfest as you dont either. But I'm just relaying my personal opinions also, but like I said I have been doing this kind of work for almost 20yrs and not in a production type atmosphere. People pay for the highest quality in my shop and I would not jepordize the quality of my work. When a car goes out of my shop my name is all over it, and I wouldnt use sub par products on a rest that could cost $100,000. If you do the repair or install the quater correctly and weld the factory seam completely across, the same where it attaches by the rear window and trunk area it should never crack. I have yet to see this happen, after countless quater panel replacements on not just mustangs but all types of cars.Like I said before it is a personal choice and I am not knocking yours. I just said it was not necessary to body solder to do it correctly. He did say lead didnt he? I'm just bustin your nuts man. But I do respect your opinion.
I guess the secret is the metal to metal then. From what I have seen when only bondo is used on that joint it ends up in a mess a few years down the road. I have been doing body work for 25 years but for me it is just a hobby and I am so damn particular that I can't find anyone to do things to my standards (that I would be willing to pay for), but you got me on experience so I will yield to your opinion. Do you want this young man trying to patch in a quarter though? Don't you think he should do the full quarter the right way....and use METAL TO METAL?
In most cases I try to do the whole quater. when it comes down to it you are saving yourself alot of body work covering up a patch even if it is done correctly, I will always prefer to do the whole quater unless its just a small patch but you know as well as I do that 9 out of 10 times thats not how it usually turns out and you are better off doing the full quater not even a skin. The full quaters that are offered today are very nice pieces and if you take your time getting the fit right there is very minimal finish work. 
I have had some issues with quarters on a friend's 67 of late so I suggest this young man take his quarter cap with him and check it's fit first.....the passenger side one we just did had the wrong contour and I had to take a cutoff tool and cut a slot back several inches, bend down the panel, fill weld....and use body filler to get the corner cap to match. I was not happy about this so I think one should do as much checking before you are comitted to a certain panel. I also suggest you buy sheetmetal locally with the understanding that if it does not fit well and you haven't beat it up you can return it....mail order does not work well for these situations.
86T-Top
Founding Member
Not to hijack the thread, but since we are talking about quarter replacement and quality I'm gona. I'm getting ready to replace both sides with full quarters, in your experiance what company made the best quality panels. I will take Ronstangs advice and check the quality with the end cap, but my local supplier Glaizers Mustang Barn sells very poor fenders that do not fit. So I am taking a guess that the quarters will probably be junk also. If that is the case that leaves me with mail order, who is good? Is CJ Pony Parts any good?
To get back to the original subject I think I am going to try the body solder kit from Eastwood's first and if it doesn't work out than I will use the metal to metal.
Thanks,
Mario
To get back to the original subject I think I am going to try the body solder kit from Eastwood's first and if it doesn't work out than I will use the metal to metal.
Thanks,
Mario
I dont care whose replacement panel you buy today you are always going to have to fit it and refit it over and over till it is perfect before you do any welding. My best experience with quater panels ( full ) replacements are from a company called KR reproductions they are an overseas company the only kind you will find because no one in the good old U.S.A has deemed it necessary to make them yet and I wish they would, just like they are making fenders and hoods from the original Ford stampings. It would make my life alot easier if they did. You can purchase these from the Paddock, KAR mustangs, Mustang Unlimited and I believe from CJ. Just remember when you get them before the driver even leaves open them up and check for damage because the shipping on these things is not cheap they are shipped oversized. If you are lucky to find a local Mustang store check to see what type or brand they sell to make sure. Out of the countless quaters that we have done at the shop the KR seem to be the best we have found if anyone knows better let me know I would be forever in your debt. Good luck with your projects! One last thing did I mention to check your fit before you do any welding and I mean check everything from your door, body line endcap, trunk and any other thing I might have left out. So what I am saying is CHECK YOUR FIT BEFORE YOU WELD ANYTHING!!!!!!!!!!!!
86T-Top
Founding Member
Fastcoupe68 I just looked through my CJ Pony catalog to see if they sold KR products, and I saw that they sell Ford tooling quarters. Do you have any experiance with the Ford tooling fenders, are they worth the extra money or do they still fit poorly?
Thanks,
Mario
Thanks,
Mario
The ford repos are just plain awesome you will not find a better replacement I have scuffed these thing shot them with primer painted and installed without as much as a drop of plastic on them. The original dies were bought by dennis or daniel carpenter they have the rights to alot of ford part numbers and only wish they had more
86T-Top
Founding Member
Cooll it look like 64-68 coupes have original Ford tooling quarters available from CJ, that might help you out a bit. I think I will caugh up the extra money and use them.
Mario
Mario
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