The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Paint and Body Shop factory solder on outer cowl panel

I'm replacing sheet metal on my 55' 1st series did right cab corner today first time I've done this and it turned out great. The Manual shows top of cowl panel is soldered, I'm guessing heat to remove the solder , going back does it get welded ,why did the factory solder in the first place ....thanks for any help....

There are two soldered areas on the windshield pillar one at the cowl and another near where it connects to the roof panel. If you heat it the lead will roll out pretty easy. I don't know how well bondo will hold up there as a replacement due to movement? Maybe someone else who has removed it will have some insight.

They used body lead because there wasn't any bondo when they were built.
Some auto makers used it well well into the 70s.

On spots like that I like to use all metal filler instead of regular bondo.

I'm thinking of welding it ....

don't be surprised to find cracks there in the future

Bill

The solder is not a structural component of that seam new guy.
The panel is spot welded in place and the solder is used to
smooth the joint. As was mentioned, body solder is actually a
better filler in an area that sees a lot of stress and is still
a very good way to smooth a seam.

Denny Graham
Sandwich, IL

I'm not sure when you say metal filler just what you are talking about. I'm going to try to solder it....if no luck I'll bondo it to much space to weld....
Thanks Denny, you are so right after torching the solder the tack welds showed up ....

Denny is pretty much always right. LOL. Meanwhile, todays bondo is light years from what they used before. The vintage years clear back to the 20's used lead for filler. If you use a premium filler like Rage Gold or Rage Extreme, you are good to go. They flex more than lead did, so you should have no problems. You can also use metal filler which is the same as Rage gold only with metal dust in it. Never tried metal filler myself. So far, Evercoats Rage products for the deeper stuff, then Polyester filler for the pinholes. I suppose you could call Lead work SOLDERING, but do some research on Lead fillers for bodywork before deciding what is best for yourself. The concensus for 2013 from most body professionals is premium filler.

Cuz it's quick and easy to work with. And by the way, take a
stick of body solder or any solder and bend it back an forth,
then say it won't flex.
Bondo or the modern equivalent to it, is great stuff and it is
much easier to slab some on a low spot and shave it off and add
layers to it, but I will still use lead in an area of high
stress.
Here's is a section at the nose of the rear fender, where it's
bolted to the running board, that many of us find stress
cracks. The cracks have been drilled and welded and the repair
is tined and ready for lead. I wouldn't trust plastic as a fix
in a spot like this:
http://www.pbase.com/dennygraham/image/114604993
As far as the seam that we have been talking about on the side
cowl joint, after that seam is spot welded back properly I
would not expect there to be much flexing there at all. Even
though that particular seam was leaded at the factory I would
probably elect to use a plastic filler there also, as I would
for a small shallow in a fender, door or other low stress area.

Denny Graham
Sandwich, IL