Classic cars forum & vehicle restoration.

[Julian]

Good afternoon chaps.

Has anyone done any lead loading on steel sheet before, I've been watching American Hotrod and fancy giving it a go on my Massey 135 wings which I've sand-blasted back to bare steel.

The question I have is do/can you use regular plumbers solder, ie the stuff that you get get to a pasty consistency?

Regards Julian.

[ukdave2002]

I Have done a bit, its not a difficult as folks make out and very satisfying

I believe that body solder has a higher lead content than plumbing solder, although I am not sure if lead is used in either these days, someone on the forum will know.

Dave

[Penman]

Hi
There are a few earlier threads (around 2008) referring to lead loading, and one contributor seemed to have a lot of experience with it.
Is Uncle Joe still about?
_________________
Bristols should always come in pairs.

Any 2 from:-
Straight 6
V8 V10

[Rick]

[buzzy bee]

Hi

I think there is lead free body solder now, Frost sell it, and from what I can gather, allthough I have never tried it yet, it is not as hard as people make out, if the pannel is horizontal, however if it was vertical, it can run off quite easily!

Good to see you on here again Julian.

I must come up for another play at some point, I wondered if I could tie a day in with Clive, will email you later.

Cheers

Dave

[Uncle Alec]

It's not difficult to master.
Cleanliness is the key; I use a blaster on anything pitted.
Use the proper body solder; plumber's solder melts too quickly, body solder stays plastic so you can move it around in a butter-like state.
Get a decent blowtorch that holds a large but gentle flame. A plumber's torch should be OK.

[Julian]

Thanks, so I obviously need to get some body solder. I'll get leaded, I've not found any of these environmentally 'friendly' substitutes to be as good - light bulbs are another example I've done a bit with some plumber's solder (all I have) and it went OK, though I need to improve on levelling it out rather than just rasping it level. I'm thinking proper body solder will help.

I think I need a moleskin, so I've dropped a few phosgene tablets down some mole runs, hopefully by morning I'll have a dead mole to hand to skin Anyway, there's welding to be done first, still waiting for delivery of a new bottle of 95% argon from Hobbyweld

Dave, yes, come over anytime and you can play until you get bored. Maybe it's worth waiting for this cold-snap to end as being outdoors and not doing something pretty physical isn't much fun at the mo

Julian.

[buzzy bee]

Quite agree, was driving a loadall most of the afternoon, and it wasn't the warmest, even with a heater on, as you need the stable door open..

[Mog]

I was told by a panel beater in the 60's. that they put lead on new Jag. body shells. This was to make an even gap around the doors etc. Can anybody confirm that ?

[Uncle Alec]

I can't confirm that, but they put a shedload onto Riley RM bodies to final-finish the door gaps. There's anything up to ½" gap when you melt the lead off!

[Mog]

That sounds like a yes ! The guys that did it were very skilled and took little time.

[pigtin]

I stripped my 10/4 back to bare metal when I restored it back in the 80s and the main body tub, across the roof and down the back, was filled at the seams with lead. I was using a flap wheel and it marked it quite badly.
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If you tie a piece of buttered toast to a cat's back, then drop it off a high building. It will hover just above the ground rotating slowly.

[Phil - Nottingham]

Old cars had loads of lead - some parts of my prewar Rover had parts an 1" thick at joints which had been battered into line after rough seam welding.

These cars were "Coach Work by Rover" the bodies were built up in-house from small hand beaten panels/pressings with some timber framing which was part structural. In some cases the underlying steel had rusted completely away leaving just the solder.

Post war cars had more steel, no timber but of low grade and with bought in pressings and they did not last as well either. Even my 1972 P5B has some thick soldered areas over joints - these bodies being built then by PSF part of BLMC as was Rover by then
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Phil

[Julian]

[ukdave2002]