Splicing in a Willys Tailgate Logo

Thanks to Mortten posting the link to this article on welding
http://www.musclecarrestorations.com/articles/tech/metal-work/welding-sheet-metal.html
I decided to tackle something I've been wanting to do for awhile now. I want to splice in a Willys script from a beat up tailgate I have into the tailgate of my Willys Wagon.

It will go in the space above the license plate bracket.

Based on that article, it seems the best approach would be to cut a rectangle out from the Wagon metal and butt weld it in at the flat part of the script cut out, something close to the size it is now, about an inch out from the raised portion.

The other option would be to trim the script right where the raise starts and then weld it into a smaller cut out area of the Wagon tailgate. Seems that might make it easier to hide the joint, but maybe working right next to the raised portion will be to difficult.

Opinions on a strategy please.

 

if you do it so close to the raised part..you wont be able to grind,sand,etc very easily

 

jb weld?duct tape?


mike, what would you do with the body line coming down ,I would section the bump and brase it then go with opition 1 , ,weld and bondo, just watch the heat , small passes all around to not warp your pannel

 

For those vertical sections I was thinking of notching them out, then welding in in a small rounded piece cut out from another part of the tailgate (pictured). It's from the raised ovals on the tailgate that sometimes have footman loops through them. Looks like the raised section will match pretty well.

There used to be a guy on E-Bay selling these type of stamped script panels for welding in. I already had this tailgate though and it really wasn't fixable in my opinion. It had a lot of dents, and smashed areas aside from the rusted out sections.

Point noted about the heat and warping. I'm going to fill these holes as a warm up to hopefully get dialed in with the welder:http://coastaldimensions.com/56Body.html

The Vista Rod Run is here again and it kind of hit me; I haven't accomplished a whole lot on the Wagon since this time a year ago.

 

Yeah, That's just one of the many tools I don't have that would make my life easier. I don't have access to the back of it. I guess I could still get two edges (top and bottom) of the script piece to slide under the rectangular cut out, and butt weld the sides. That will insure that the script is lower than the tailgate so it's easier to make flush with body filler.

I know I don't want to end up with the script higher than the tailgate surface anywhere, but what would be the maximum thickness of bondo that would be acceptable on the fill in?

 

Well I was wrong, the bump on the ovals does not match the radius of the raised portion around the script.

So I decided to fill the notch in two steps. I used one of my favorite tools to get the radius a little closer..... a hammer.

I used the multiple tack weld method described in the article to get to this point; welded from the back. Seems like the little gaps that are left could just be taken care of with bondo??

I need to do the same to the rib at the top. Of course not one of the screws that attaches my Wagon tailgate to the body would budge. I'm soaking in PB Blaster and hoping, but I'll bet I'll have to grind the screws out to get it free. Then when I go to put the tailgate back on, I'll be in a pickle.

 

Well shoot. This project is already starting to get away from me. There's an unacceptable amount or warp from left to right as shown in this profile.

What could have prevented this? Should I have been alternating tack welds from front to back? How do I fix this without damaging the script?

 

like I said duct tape or jb weld. patch job looks good to me

 

Put a few tack welds on the front part, see if it pulls it back, that piece isn't really warped too bad, you should almost be able to bend it straight using your hands.
Then again, what type of welder are you using, flux core or gas shield, wire size, TIG, MIG?
Allowing a bit longer cooling time between tacks helps, as well as being able to weld from the rear.
Keep working with the PB Blaster.

 

I would put a few tacks on the front to pull it back. . . . .you can always grind them flat.

It seems like alot of people tend to forget that welds will pull together. I always try to weld body stuff like your tightening lug nuts, top bottom left right an so on. keeps the heat transferred evenly. my .2$

 

Okay, I'll try some tacks on the front. I left it in a vise with the flat part sandwiched between some wood blocks overnight just for giggles, but I doubt it did much. Haven't been to garage to check yet.

Yep, I didn't even think of giving it even heat, front to back until afterwards. Learning as I go here. Thanks for your help everyone.

I'm using a Hobart 140 mig with 0.23 wire. I had hoped to practice on the holes in the tailgate first, but I haven't got the tailgate off yet and I want it to be laid flat, not vertical.

Looking back at my pictures, it didn't warp much when I filled the bottom notch. Most of it seemed to occur when I filled the top one. I've been cooling the plate between tacks with an air nozzle. I was trying to cool it enough so it's just warm to the touch, but I must have gone too fast between welds on the top one.

 

mpc, to make the holes easier to fill hold a penny or small square of metal behind hole and zapit with the mig............oh and use a glove or you'll have a picture of Abe on you're thumb.

 

Best trick for getting the insert piece to fit in a cut out for the tailgate is to tack it on the outside of the tailgate before you cut a hole, then using a cut off wheel cut both the logo piece and the tailgate. Use the thinnest cut off wheel you can find and be careful not to wobble left and right and you should end up with a perfect weldable gap all around the patch. Use some magnets to hold it in place and tack the corners when you get them flush with the outer panel Then using your finger and a small flat head screwdriver "pry" the panel up and down till its flush and tack it. Usually I'll do the corners, then the centers of all 4 sides then centers of those gaps and continue the process till its completely welded. Also using a blow tip to cool the weld will help from getting too much heat in the panel and warping it up.

 

neptco19,
yeah that's basically the procedure the article describes, but I'm paranoid about trying to weld it flush and ending up with the patch too high. I was thinking of welding it in slightly recessed and filling in with bondo as needed to be safe. Bad idea? I just think if it ends up high, it will be a real bear (if not impossible) to float in and make it look good.

Steve, point taken on the backing for the holes. I've got dome copper scrap I use for that. I filled over 60 holes on the MB, but those were just welded to close them. Some of these holes are too big for that so I'll need to make a little plug to weld in.

 

Are you going to weld it in around the bottom edge of the roll or the top edge (the level with the letters or the lower part)? If it were me I'd do it around the letter level. Cut it right at the top of the roll then cut it into the tailgate. What are you using to grind the welds? I normally use a small angle grinder with a 2" roloc disk, makes getting into small areas much easier plus you can control how much material your removing. The most important part of getting it to fit flush or a hair low is making sure it straight or has the exact same curve as the tailgate. If its not or doesn't match you don't stand a chance well you do but its gonna fight you.

 

I was planning on welding it in at the lower level similar to the shape already cut out, but squared up a bit. I was just thinking that the raised bump would make it stand out more and be seen better. I hadn't thought about trimming it down to the top of the roll and patching in a smaller piece. The good part about that option is less material and surface area to get warped. The good part about using the bigger piece is that I will have more room to float in the body filler for hiding the irregularities.

I don't know.:? This is obviously not my forte so I appreciate the suggestions.

 

I got the panel straightened out a bit. Tack welds on the front didn't seem to help that much, but by placing some metal shims in different places and squeezing it in the vise it came out O.K.

I got the tailgate removed. Had to drill through the screws as not one would budge and they were getting stripped. Massive bondo and rust through all along the bottom and the hinge. Pretty much what I expected. The bondo has been lifting since before I bought it.


I tacked the corners to the tailgate and cut though the plate and tailgate at the same time as suggested and I think I'm good to go.


I think having this custom feature in place will give me the motivation I'll need to make the rest of the repairs on the tailgate. I'm considering welding in some supports at the corners and maybe the middle to help it rest in place as I get started. I think it will give me better control on the position. The magnets don't seem to hold it all that well.

Gonna wait to start tacking in place so I can look at it with fresh eyes.
I also need to treat the inside of the tailgate as best as I can.

 

Looking good!