VCCA Home Forums TECHNICAL - 1945 AND EARLIER 1933-1936 Lead

Trying to get my old ragged out 36 painted. We have sanded all the old paint off, banged out a few dents. Today I was trying to mig a few bad spots and I had a puddle of lead form at my feet. I was in the area where the rear bumper bolts to the frame. I guess you just have to heat it up and clean off all the lead before you can weld it up. I would love to have the color on it by next weekend.

John
If you had a puddle of lead after heating my guess is that there has been a previous repair and the panel beater used lead as a filler (instead of plastic filler). If this is the case I seriously doubt it will have any paint for the weekend.
Tony

yes sir, gonna have to melt the lead off that area and clean it down to steel in order to do any welding on it. If you have access to it, re lead it rather than silly putty.

just my 3 cents
mike..............

The car has lead all over it, fortunately the body is straight with minimal rust. Today I melted the problem lead and cleaned it. I had to weld in 2 small panels where the rear bumper bolts to the frame. It was no problem, but I will have to use bondo for finishing, because I don't know how to work lead. I think another 6 or 8 days will have the car ready for paint. Maybe next weekend.

If you type " how to do lead body work " into your search engine , you will come up with all kinds of sites with u tube videos on how to do it.

THE EASTWOOD COMPANY sell the lead and tallow and wood paddles , etc.

Lead will outlast the plastic fantastic because it will bond with metal and expand and contract like metal because its properties are the same. Not so with plastics.

When doing lead work , if you have a low spot simply tap it up and continue blocking the surface. With plastic you have to add more .

just my opinion

mike

We got the rear fenders repaired yesterday, today I started on the right front. It is the worst, with 3 cracks and one thin spot. I decided to remove the fender and do a good job welding. Got most of it done, in the 4 hours we worked today. I will do what little body filler I need with bondo, I already have the material for the chevy and the AV8. I really want to get paint on this car in the next 7 to 10 days. Upholstry should be ready to install by Dec 1. I am not a body man, but can sort of get by. I know on guy who spend 2000 hours on a model A roadster body, it looked nice, but that is not for me.

Only you have to be happy with your restoration. I do all my own body work. I do not trust the shops around here in rural North Mississippi. (I have seen their work.) I have "working models". It is not my goal to "show" my two 1936 vehicles. I do lead on them and weld, too. What I do can be done better by an "expert" shop. I am just a country boy at heart. I am happy with my work. It will come close to perfect. That will do for me. I do not do anything bad for the vehicles. I wish you much happiness and joy in your restoration. Go get her done!

Terrill, a point I might add, I drive a little chevy tracker and someone bumped (previous owner) the spare tire and bent the rear door. The weight of the tire caused the door to crack. I took the car to the best shop in town and told them to take the door apart and brace the door, because the tire is heavy. When I picked it up, it was perfect and I asked if he braced the inside of the door. He replied no, because it did not need bracing. Guess what the crack is forming again, in less than a year.
I plan to beat this old car out, weld it up, prime and block it. Then have a good painter lay on the color. You don't want to see any of my paint work. I am going with the original color. Chevy #206 frosty green. It will be a single stage paint acrylic enamal. It will look ok, but I don't show my cars or bikes. I drive my antique vehicles, so they get scratches and chips.

I wish I could post pictures, I hope this coupe turns out nice.

Interesting, my '36 has lead in the same spots at the rear bumper mounts... Upon cleaning it out I found the steel to be fine. Maybe just installed to smooth out the area... beats me.

Mine looked pretty bad. I cut our a 4" square and welded in new metal. This car was wrecked pretty bad in 1940, I have a bill where the city garage in Arizona did over 200.00 in repairs. It is a full typewritten page, lots of body work and front end work. I think that is where all the lead came from.

We have mostly dirt and a little gravel type roads here. I drive my '36 Truck on them. It is very sure footed on this type of road. I can do 30 M.P.H. on curves without a problem. Lot of hard pull up hill grades, too. A few I have to do in second gear. There are two that any vehicle (even new ones) will have to do in first. There is to much mud to drive when it rains. There is two lane black top highway here. Top speed 55 M.P.H. but there are lot of farm tractors doing 5 M.P.H. going both ways! If I had a show room car it would not last long here! Both mine are "working" models. I enjoy people who ogle at me as I go buy. Good luck!

Terrill, I'm familiar with northern Mississippi, I grew up in Arkansas, I pass thru your state twice a year. The runningboards are very solid on this car, but the outside rails are dented pretty bad. I heated the metal a little and took a air hammer and straightened them a little. I'm afraid they are going to look the worst on my car. I think the previous owners hit every stump or curb they came to. I have a little welding on the left front fender, then its bondo and blocking. Not much bondo will be required.
Trying to get this car painted and upholstry done, before Christmas. I'll head to Florida and will not be back till May.
We shall see.

Old car nuts are showoffs. We always have time to listen to people who tell about the one their father had. I also have a 57 belaire that looks original, but the PO put in a racing motor. I drive it almost every day, lots of people want to visit. No problem, I've let several drive it.