Hi All,

If you are interested, here is a picture of a patch panel that I am making by hand for a rotted spot on the lower front panel of my 450 SL. There is nothing but Por 15 & Eastwood's Rust Encapsulator under that. I used a donor fender that I had to cut and I did the lines and grooves by hand. It actually aligns prefectly. It is hard to see from the picture. The door space is exact.
I will be doing the welding this week after a few minor adjustments.

Jack
1980 450 SL

Attached Thumbnails

 

How did you make the grooves?

I have much rust to repair on my 450SEL

__________________
With best regards

Al

Making the grooves is very time consuming.
First try your local junk yards and see if any of them have a smashed car with that panel that they can cut out for you.
If not find a donor fender (ask a local body shop for a smashed fender with a similar curve to it) then go to your rot and measure around the whole section and make every edge about a half of an inch longer (for error as you only need 1/4 of an inch). Make a template out of cardboard or heavy paper and then put it on the fender and cut it out. You then have to cut the hole in your body and place the new panel over the hole that you cut and make sure that all of the rot is gone. That 1/2 inch has to be beyond the clean metal. Then put in at least 4 screws on each corner of the patch so it is solid. That is where the patch will be permanently. Then take a straight edge and measure from the door bottom over. Each line to line should be 3/4 of an inch. Take a sharpie and make all of the lines that you need then remove the panel. Turn the panel over and with your sharpie make those lines on the other side exactly where they are where you measured on the right side. Then take a 1/2 inch metal or cement chisel and put the front of the panel on a hard surface (metal table, etc) and on the back where you made the backing lines do a light tapping from side to side and stay on the line straight. Then do it a second time a little harder to get a small groove. Then do it on a hard piece of wood and tap a bit harder (do not go through the steel) till you see on the side that will be painted the line coming up. Then do it on all of them. Then go to your trunk and take out your tire bar that removes the lug nuts, that bar is perfect where it is round. You then (remember we are working on the back of the panel) put the bar between each groove that you tapped and hit the bar with a hammer and work the hammer about an inch at a time (from one side to the other) till you get to the other side of the bar. Then check your panel. If you need more do it again. You then do it for the complete patch. Then you need the flanging tool so the panel fits to the body. Then oxy the corners and then mig the fill. Then grind smooth the welds. Pictures are on the way wednesday.

Good Luck
Jack
1980 450 SL

I think the company is K&K in Michigan. Thye make repair panels. I don't have the info on me but I don't think they are hard to find.

__________________
Steve
1985 Mercedes 500SL Euro (Gray market)
1995 BMW 520i Euro (Gray market)
1992 BMW 525it Wagon
1994 Honda Del Sol Si