Hot Rods Patch Panels

I am about to start the patch panels on my Model A and need some advice. Some people have advised "butting" the repair panels as tight as I can, with no gap. Others say to use the clamps that automatically space the joint a few thousands. I have both TIG and MIG machines so thats not an issue. What do you recommend.

 

I have done patch panels about every way you can,when I was young I overlapped them which peoplle rarely do today..I generally butt weld them no. HRP

 

TIG weld butt weld. Bob

 

Butt weld,leave slight gap ,tack with mig then Tig.imo

 

Yep, TIG if you can. skip around the seam so as not to overheat and cause warps...little short welds....Butt the joint up tight and fuse it without filler rod where you can.

 

need filler rod for penetration

 

So you've read about all the options and still not sure. Sounds like you've not actually tried any process yet. My advice is, Do Not practice on your car with the new patch panels. Get some scrap and practice all methods mentioned and keep at it till your happy with your work. What ever method works best for you use that one on your car. You will consistantly get better the more you do.
The Wizzard

 

good advise wizard

 

Yours also;

 

FILLER ROD IS FOR FILLING GAPS....THATS WHY IT'S CALLED FILLER ROD.....with TIG it is best to fuse the base metals together using as little filler rod as you can.

 

2X Practice on scrap. You can warp the crap out of it with TIG or MIG but I would use the TIG much easier to metal finish easier to control heat. Post up some pics. Butt weld with a small gap as the metal tends to draw in.

 

Butt weld with Oxy-Acy. Use very small tip and as little filler as possible. Skip weld around to minimize warping. But, as DdoubleD says, practice, practice, practice first.

 

I'm by now measure the best welder out there. I have only been tig welding about 40 years. I have gotten kind of Fair at metal finish along the way. I have done some fusion welds but end up with metal draw and under cut at the seam. This creates way more finish work for me than I want. I generally pull some .023 or .030 wire out of my Mig machine and gently follow my seam with it. That is on sheet metal pending gauge of given parts. This little wheel well mod turned out kind of Fair. I still did some hammer and file work after this photo was taken.
The Wizzard

 

Looks good! Super Gas??

 

You are correct. Mid 8's. The Wizzard

 

Cool, that was a great father son project my dad and I did. I miss it.

 

Your a lucky guy. I had to do mine by myself. Here it is last March. It was a very good season. Can't wait till spring.
The Wizzard

 

Those zoomies work good with norm. asp. carb? Beautiful car.

 

It's a long story. Short version, Normal headers into a normal collector with a Vortex come to an elbow to a Flat merge collector out via 4 ends. Yep, they work just fine. Note the name. Old habits die hard.
The Wizzard

 

My dad build his own headers and was very particular. Those pics just give me goose bumps, he has been gone 11 years now. I can definatly appriciate what you went through to build those.

 

If you dont have a crankcase evac. pump, consider it. We picked up 30 hp. just by bolting one one. 780 to 810hp.

 

Sorry to hear yo lost your Dad. Sounds like he knew what he was doing. Good headers are not just a bunch of pipe welded together. This set have a very distinctive sound.
The Wizzard

 

Yes I run a Vacc pump.