quick sheetmetal technique question: Practicality and Craftsmanship vs. Preservation

Hiya.
Sheetmetal continued...

You read the title.

I am about to cut up (Up; literally-upwards) the rusty bits of the front sill areas.

Where whilst driving/riding your feet live.

The patch panel coming offers 8" in altitude.

I'll not need that much. Fortunately.

The question:

What are the approved methods of joining, together what once was a whole single sheet?

1. Butt seam; with finish grinding, sanding looks stock. Hardest to do, but, "purest"??

2. Overlap; stuff is thin enough to get away with it. But trapping stuff in-between for posterity.

3. Offset. (my words for flanging one to receive the other. Same possible issues as above. (Need to buy a flanger, one of them nifty pneumatic ones...)

But seriously- I'm going to keep the car forever. That being said, when I do die, the equity in it goes to my bride. Its a craftsmanship question versus reality/practicality.

I do not take shortcuts as a habit. My burden/blessing.

I have done lots of cars, and one other MG.

This is my first A.

I think I am trying to form dogma for the rest of the buildup.

Hope I haven't bored you,

Thanks for any opinions.

Happy Sunday.

Landon

But seriously, NO ONE CAN see these areas.

Landon,

Assuming you're using MIG welding, the butt welding is easy in that area. The sheet metal is solid where you're going to cut. Just polish off the rust and tack away. It's easy to grind off the weld gobbers in that area. Note: when cutting that piece off, be aware of the gusset in the front corner about 1" up from the sill bottom edge. It's pretty easy to fabricate new and is essential to the corner stiffness.

Besides, using the butt weld technique you'll not have to suffer sleepless nights wondering if you did the right thing.

Carry on. I'm about 5 days ahead of you!

John

I did the same. Here's a link to some pictures that are similar to what you are dealing with. Pictures worth a 1,000 words or so they say....

https://picasaweb.google.com/larrymazoway/MGA

The small clamps holding the sheet metal came from Eastwood. I thought they were worth the money. Especially since clamps couldn't reach in that far.

Good Luck

Do it as well as you can. If you know that you are taking a short cut you may well regret it later and not be able to do anything about it. If you do it the right way there are no regrets. I'm not going to suggest what is the right way for you, you know - regardless of what anyone else might prefer.

Larry thanks for the gallery. LOVE your workspace...I am sure they all have their shortcomings of course but there is something cool about walking around on a wood floor :)

Landon

Butt welding on that area really isn't hard, as someone else had already pointed out. Both sides of the panel are accessible, making the fitting up and the finishing of the welds a lot easier than some areas are. I've also used a flanging tool on other repairs and had good results. Not a dealbreaker either way when done well.

Agree with the rest, I just finished butt welding the same area and it's simple enough. I had several repair patches both sides as well as the bottom and it's all made up easily from flat stock. Its ground flush with a flap wheel so almost invisible. Once the body is off I will tidy up from the inside.

Buttweld... but leave a bit of a gap to start and do a series of tacks a few inches apart then a tack between those etc...let each area cool after the tack. A wet rag csn speed this up. At first i went too fast and warped the panel badly. Live and learn

Landon
I am below amateur status as a welder, but did all my own stuff on an AH Sprite a few years ago using 0.035 inch dia wire (0.9mm) in a home mig unit.
Not a terribly good picture, but shows small tacks of welding all the way around repair piece on rear guard - not enough to overheat things - then keep going back until all gaps filled. Carefully file (or grind) back - don't get too hot also, or warpage. Worked fine for me.
Regards
Rob D

My two penny's worth.

If you don't need all of the 8" rise on the repair panel, I would cut it down and butt weld leaving as much original metal as possible.

The reason: In a few months you realise the whole panel is incorrect and must be replaced, i.e. the doors won't shut, at least you have somewhere to attach the new one.

Paddy