If you have the money - get yourself a 220v model. I have a 110 and use my buddy's 220 frequently.
The 110 is nice for sheet metal. As that's as far as she'll penetrate! In other words - if you want versatility in your welder - I would get a good Lincoln or Miller 220, you can still turn them down to do sheet metal (did my El Camino doors with the 220) and you can weld the big stuff too (we did our chassis on the 59 with the same welder we did the doors on the El Camino with).
As for the thickness of this old metal - it's much thicker than the new sheet metal!!!!
Having no sheet metal welding experience I started by filling cracks in my cab. Worked great. Then I went on to fix tears in my fenders, holes in the cab, cab corners and now welding 1/8 metal to sheet metal for the suicide doors.
Get out there and try it. Practice, practice practice.
- Ryan
