Filling small holes without welding

[mxer147]

My K20 square box was Swiss cheese. I cut a 1” copper tube about 2” length which I hammered flat. Used that to cover the hole on the backside held with magnets. I converted my 30 amp electric stove circuit to 220 to electrify the MIG welder with 0.023 wire. Holes welded up in 15 seconds or less. I never once opened up a hole with too much heat and I am a total rookie welder. The welder was stored in a box for 5 years before opening. I don’t know how I lived without this welder for so long, definitely a very useful tool which I have used for many projects other than the square. Recently, it worked awesome when I replaced my boat trailer axle to weld on the perches and leaf springs mounts.

 

[bucket]

What I measured was some un-rusted sheet metal on my 1977 at 24 ga. When I cut away the rusty cab corner areas and got to unrusted metal where the join would be welded. The replacement cab corners (aftermarket) measured 19 ga. and the original was 22-24 ga. which I thought was odd. I expected the original to be as thick or thicker. The cowl sides and upper rockers were also very thin and actually rusted through from the inside out on the upper side not the bottom which was also odd. Maybe quality control on the steel chosen was lacking the week my truck was built, and they ran through some wrong gauge steel through the presses lol. Stamping Honda parts Monday then Chevy truck parts Tuesday without changing steel thickness? lol.

I've never actually measured any of mine for thickness, but they have all definitely had thicker sheetmetal than the average newer vehicle. And I worked a body shop for a good while too.

Now, they definitely don't have sheetmetal as thick as most 60's and early 70's GM stuff though.

 

[DoubleDingo]

I've never actually measured any of mine for thickness, but they have all definitely had thicker sheetmetal than the average newer vehicle. And I worked a body shop for a good while too.

Now, they definitely don't have sheetmetal as thick as most 60's and early 70's GM stuff though.

Not as thick, but definitely thicker than some cars out there. I have been pleased with the stoutness of the sheet metal on my 81 c20