My 1929 Plymouth Model U

Prep for Paint - Exterior Body Work

For the most part the exterior skins of my car are in pretty good shape.   There are spots where prior body filler was used without welding in support metal.  This is most evident on the passenger side front fender and traces on the drivers side.   Below is a picture showing areas that need repair prior to paint.

I sanded down to the metal, all surface areas that were in need of repair.  I will weld in metal patches to support the areas before applying body filler. I repainted these raw metal areas to inhibit rust until I am ready for the final repair.    Since welding against gravity is extremely difficult for an inexperienced welder like myself.  I will remove the fenders and then weld the patches.

All of the issues I have with the fenders and body are cosmetic.  Small holes from prior repairs which didn't last over time.   My approach to these minor problems is to tack weld light steel backing material (24 gauge) then sand the finish surface and apply new body filler which will now be supported by the steel patches. 

I formed the steel patches to fit perfectly against the fender's underside and tacked into place with short duration tacks placed about a half to three quarters of an inch apart.  I am using a low powered Flux Core welder set at the slowest wire feed speed, the lowest voltage/current setting, and 0.030 wire.

I ground the underside of the fender clean and adjusted my tacks to be at points that were not in dimples.  Basically looked for the higher surface area.   Very short duration burns to keep from burning right through the thin fender metal.  Below are a few pictures of the result.

Here is a picture of the underside of the passenger front fender.

Once the fender is completed it will be coated with black under coat.