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Should I re-braze the fender? |
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First_Gear
AMC Addicted Joined: Jan/18/2010 Location: Mukilteo WA Status: Offline Points: 644 |
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Posted: Jun/29/2020 at 9:50am |
On my 66 classic the fenders were brazed in two places. I painted the insides of my fenders but have not installed them so brazing will burn some of the paint though it would not be seen since it's behind the splash shields. Should I bother brazing? This car will be in daily service as a second car when I'm done. I just don't want the fenders flopping around.
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pacerman
Supporter of TheAMCForum Joined: Jul/03/2007 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 9061 |
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The brazing was only done because of he way AMC assembled cars. They were assembled complete with final paint in a separate body plant and needed to be hauled a short distance or down from Milwaukee on trucks to the Kenosha plant. The bracing would not have been done if AMC had not detected problems in panel alignment years ago and needed make sure that the cars were "straight" and ready for assembly. I have not and would not rebraze a fender unless I could see that it helped correct or solve an alignment problem. But I am only a hobbyist. joe
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Happiness is making something out of nothing.
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Steve_P
AMC Addicted Charter Member Joined: Jun/28/2007 Status: Offline Points: 3808 |
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I have no idea why they brazed the fenders and I'd love to hear a convincing explanation. They're held in place by the bolt at the bottom that goes vertically into the rocker area (at least on Javelin/AMX). They also brazed a lot of the sheetmetal around the trunk opening. I assume they did this to tack it in place before the spot welding as the assembly jigs were in place and blocking access. IIRC the roof was also brazed at the A pillar.
But why the fenders? Did Chevy braze sheetmetal like this? |
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pacerman
Supporter of TheAMCForum Joined: Jul/03/2007 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 9061 |
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Well, if Steve doesn't know why they did it, I guess I don't know after all. I was stating what I thought I had learned from 20 years or so in the hobby. Joe |
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Happiness is making something out of nothing.
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Trader
AMC Addicted Joined: May/15/2018 Location: Ontario Status: Offline Points: 6913 |
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We used to MIG tack weld truck body panels to on gigs and then took them off to spot weld as there was no way to do a spot weld on the gig.
I believe pacerman is likely correct that brazing was done for alignment, but on a gig or form, then removed for spot welding. Back in the 60's and 70's a brazed "tack" would not need finishing like a MIG or Stick weld and be far cheaper.
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First_Gear
AMC Addicted Joined: Jan/18/2010 Location: Mukilteo WA Status: Offline Points: 644 |
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Some of the brazing is structural. I had to re-do one near the tail light housing that had failed because of minor crash damage. I also saw the one near the A pillar when I re-did the lead there. I may imitate it with some JB weld or something just for fun since I don't want to burn the crap out of my nice fresh paint on the back side of the fenders.
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RSX 401
AMC Addicted Joined: Oct/21/2010 Location: Southeast Texas Status: Offline Points: 689 |
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As old as our vehicles are, is there really any guarantee all the brazing was done at the factory? Some could have been done over the years by a previous owner or a body shop. Regardless of the source, that is the way things were done. In the early years, auto manufactures, body shops and individuals did not have what I would consider as modern technology.......wire feed welders. (Heck, I didn't own a wire feed welder until about 1990 and was very nervous to use it.) Repairs/corrections were performed with a torch and brass rods. I've even used old coat hangers to make similar repairs using an oxy/acetylene torch. Now, I use a wire feed welder and don't even have a torch.
If you have the capability to make these repairs, the method is up to you. What are you comfortable with, what equipment do you have and what is your skill level? Personally, I prefer using the wire feed welder. Can you post a photo of the area you're telling us about?
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I'll follow these lines a little ways more,
Until I can find what I'm looking for. With the pedal to the metal, I'm gaining my speed. Riding down low in my AMC..... |
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First_Gear
AMC Addicted Joined: Jan/18/2010 Location: Mukilteo WA Status: Offline Points: 644 |
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The brazing is factory not later repairs. Its well documented that AMC did this on the earlier cars. I have all the equipment. I have a torch mig welder, the works. I just wasn't sure how "structural" these brazes were. Sounds like they aren't very important.
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