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MG MGA - Repair holes in aluminum trunk lid?

Hi folks. My 1500 roadster had a luggage rack which mounted on the trunk lid. It mounted using 4 holes that were drilled through the aluminum skin, and through the steel X brace on the backside of the trunk lid. When I originally did the bodyjob back in 1980, I simply filled the holes with bondo, sanded them, primed and painted. This mickey mouse repair lasted about 24 years. Then the filler loosened, and the location of the holes could be seen as "rings" where the filler let go from the aluminum skin. I am soon going to start repairing and sanding my body panels in preparation for a new paint job. My question is, how can I properly, or better repair the 4 holes in my trunk lid? I have some low temperature aluminum bonding filler rods that melt with only the heat generated by a propane torch. However, I am worried that even heat from a propane torch might warp the aluminim skin. Any suggestions are most welcome! Cheers, Glenn
Glenn

Anyone got a bootlid with no holes that you were planning to put a rack on? Swapsies?

OK Glen. What are "low temperature aluminum bonding filler rods" and what are they usually used for?

You could try them. MGA bootlids seem to be quite plentiful. I think I've got a couple of spares myself, but my "stuff" is rather scattered at the moment and I can't say at this point if I've got 1 with no holes that I want to part with.

Derek Nicholson

Glenn, don't use the low temp aluminum rods. I've seen demonstrations of this product, and while they do work well the resulting deposit is much harder than the original aluminum and almost impossible to dress down for a good finish. The best result would be to have the holes tig welded in the aluminum skin and also for the steel frame. Photos of such a repair are on the Eclectic Motors web site. http://www.eclecticmotorworks.com/m16005.html
Bill Young

glenn,i had the same condition and tig welding will give the best result.can file down to a flush fit with no hint of a repair from back side.cc
c callaway

I have the low temp rods and Yes they are much harder than the aluminum. You might be OK if you place something over the hole on the outside and used this rod to patch from the inside. Then all you would need to do is some slight filler to smooth it out.

However, during my restoration I had the doors repaired using TIG welding. The holes for the old early tonneau snaps were TIGed over. This is a permanent and invisible repair.

Chuck
Chuck Schaefer

TIG! The low temp rods require lower heat yes, but way too spread out and way too long a time. You also might consider JB weld on a very clean and very coarsly roughened lid. Use a back up slug of similar sheet Aluminum slightly larger than the hole to be filled. Also equally clean and roughened.
D Sjostrom

We have those low temp aluminium rods in the UK, and the demo's at shows always attract crowds, and willing buyers like me. Try it at home and you struggle. The reason I believe is that at shows the practice pieces are always small, and lightly clamped in well designed jigs. This way the heat cannot be conducted away from the joint. Try it on a body panel at home and the heat is conducted all though the panel, away from where you want it.
Take it to a professional welder, or someone who can tig or gas weld aluminium.
Henry

The same thing is happening to my trunk lid. I plan on installing a new luggage rack since the car does not need to be painted anytime soon.

Don Carlberg
D. R. Carlberg

Hi Derek. The filler rods were purchased at a local home show. They look like aluminum coloured brazing rods. They melt at low temperature, and are used to repair only aluminum items. The manufacturer says the rods can be used to join aluminum parts together, or to repair aluminum castings. I sucessfully "welded" a pop can pull onto the bottom of a pop can as a test. The resulting bond was extremely strong! I could not break the bond with any amount of pulling. The parts to be joined must be absolutely clean, and thick parts need to be preheated. I can see that these rods could be very useful in some applications, but perhaps NOT in repairing my trunk lid holes. Cheers, Glenn
Glenn

In the right application, the low temp rods work very well. I have use them to repair an aluminum casting for a circular saw that was accidentally dropped. It made a very strong and long-lasting repair.

Glenn, why not keep and repaint 2 boot lids? One with rack and one rack-less. The rack really comes handy while doing any cross-country trips, or even to throw a cooler onto for club outings. However it does interrupt the smooth shape of the MGA under normal daily driving.

Chuck
Chuck Schaefer

You should be as lucky as me. I found a local guy who hand panelled my engine hood (I know you are talking about a trunk) out of aluminium. I supplied the sheet of aluminum and he shaped,mounted and installed it in half a day. I bet he could do yours in two hours. All this by hand with only a hammer and dolly and it is perfect. Plus I paid $20.00 and hour.....4 x$20.00 = $'100.00 for a custom fitted hood. The sad part about all this is this gentleman is getting set to retire and there is no one to replace him and his talent. How sad. gordon
Gordon Harrison

Gordon

I know where you are coming from. I managed to get some fighter aircraft builders in our company to fabricate aircraft quality alloy panels (in their own time) for my MGPA 4-seater - cost me a crate of beer! Terrific quality.

Steve
Steve Gyles

HI HO HI HO GLEN GOTS SOME HOLES. IF HE TAKES THE TRUNK LID AND AND CONSIDERS IT DEAD AND BURIES IT DEEP, THEN GOES OUT OUT TO BUY ONE WHICH IS GOOD HE SHOULD KEEP, INSTEAD OF MICKEY MOUSING THE LID,HE SHOULD MAKE IT A SLED, BECAUSE AS A LID IT IS DEAD. GLENN GET A NEW BOOT WHICH SHOULD BE A HOOT CAUSE IT HAS NO HOLES AND THERE IS NO ROOM FOR MOLES TO GET INTO THOSE OLD HOLES. DON'T BE CHEAP AND NOT BUY A NEW ONE WHICH SHOULD BE STRAIGHT AND THE SHIPPING AND FRIEGHT WHEN PUT INTO A CRATE SHOULDN'T COST A BUNCH, THAT'S JUST A HUNCH, KEEP THE OLD ONE IN CASE YOU GET INTO A CRUNCH.

FIT YOUR NEW BOOT AND NOW PAINT IT TO MATCH, SO YOU DON'T HAVE TO PATCH THAT OLD BOOT AND DON'T STEP ON IT WITH YOUR FOOT WHICH WILL MAKE YOU BLOW YOUR TOOT. AFTER ITS DONE, SCREW THE NEW ONE ON, AND NOW IT IS DONE.

YOU SHOULD BE PROUD OF YOUR NEW SKILLS OF WHICH YOU HAD CHILLS OF DOING THIS WORK TO MAKE IT LOOK NEW AND NOW YOU CAN TAKE A CLUE OF HOW WE FEEL TO READ THIS STUFF WHEN YOU ARE WEARING YOUR MUFF IN THE COLD OF WINTER, OF HOW WE SUFFER WHEN YOU HAVE TO MUCH TIME TO MAKE UP THESE RHYMES.



A POEM BY

YOURE CRAZY IF YOU THINK I A GOING TO TAKE CREDIT FOR IT
JEFF BECKER

Jeff: A noble first poem attempt, but could stand just a bit of "polishing." It is heartening to see that you are acquiring the poet's spirit! Or perhaps the Holiday season has simply pushed you over the edge? ;-) At any rate, thanks for the poem, and a Merry Christmas to you also! Glenn
Glenn

Glenn

I have to say that you have been holding back a bit lately. Jeff almost baited you!

Steve
Steve Gyles

Hi Steve. I would normally now consider writing a poem to cover my trunk lid quandry, however, doing so just might drive poor Jeff over the edge! I would hate to feel responsible for Jeff spending Christmas laced into a straitjacket in some California asylum. He certanly couldnt drive his MGA, and might become violent! So I guess I will pass on Jeff's bait, and wait for a better poem topic to rear it's ugly head. Season's best to you Steve, and to everyone on the BBS. You folks are the best. Merry Christmas Y'all. Glenn PS Jeff, remember the old saying: I'd rather have a bottle in front of me, than a frontal lobotomy. ;-)
Glenn

Gleen, he who strikes first...how in the hell does that go again. Remind me to make sure I use someone others name. All I can hope for is that Glenn is oh boy , am I getting sick reading this. As my dear old daddy would say, Do unto the other guy, as the other guy has done unto you!!!
JEFF BECKER

Me thinks that poor Jeff has fallen into the HOLIDAY SPIRITS. Of course that may be only my biased opinion.
Sandy Sanders

Cheer up Jeff. Canadian winters only last about 6 months. How many more poems could I POSSIBLY write in such a short period of time? ;-) A heartfelt Merry Christmas to you and yours Jeff! I hope the California weather remains nice, and that you can get lots of MGA driving in. Sadly my MGA will be in snowbound storage for the next 6 months or so. Cheers! Glenn
Glenn

We are in for a few days of rain, temp has been cold for us, in the 60 degrees. I did say we are wimps to cold. In about 6 weeks I will see how the other half of the world lives as I travel to England and Paris with Jeff Zorn and his group.
JEFF BECKER

Jeff: Enjoy the European vacation. Until then,try not to freeze in "sunny California" eh? Glenn
Glenn

We all get together and hold hands and sing "RAIN, RAIN GO AWAY, GO TO CANADA TO VISIT GLENN" I MEAN RAIN RAIN GO AWAY AND COME BACK SOME OTHER DAY.
JEFF BECKER

Hey Jeff: You're planning a trip to ENGLAND and you're telling ME to worry about RAIN? When you go to England be careful you dont DROWN! lol, Glenn
Glenn

GLUG, GLUG GLUG GLUG.........
JEFF BECKER

This thread was discussed between 15/12/2006 and 17/12/2006

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