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TR2/3/3A I'm going to try some lead repair. Can I do this to my doors?

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bnw

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I want to add some lead to the door edge areas where I need to close up some gaps. I want to add some lead, say less than 1/16 inch to part of the door where it meets the scuttle. Ive had the door off at least 25 times working the hinges and the striker and the only way to keep the gap to the rocker level, the gap to the front fender consistent, and the sculpture of the door true to the B pillar and the top of the fender will be to close part of the gap with metal (not that good with the MIG) or, I'm hoping with solder. What do you think?
 
bnw said:
I want to add some lead to the door edge areas where I need to close up some gaps. I want to add some lead, say less than 1/16 inch to part of the door where it meets the scuttle. Ive had the door off at least 25 times working the hinges and the striker and the only way to keep the gap to the rocker level, the gap to the front fender consistent, and the sculpture of the door true to the B pillar and the top of the fender will be to close part of the gap with metal (not that good with the MIG) or, I'm hoping with solder. What do you think?
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1/16 isn't much,but lead doest build up thin panel edges very well.Probably no problem if your comfortable working lead.Im more familiar with welding and would sand down the area and have a welder do a little build up that you can grind to shape.

Tom
 
Barry, if you are talking about just building the edge up with lead , then welding with your MIG would be the best idea . If you could tin both sides of the panel where the skin wraps and fair the lead out a bit so its not just a clean line between the steel and the lead edge that would be the best approach with lead . You need the surface area to work to hold it in place.
Kevin
 
Understood Kevin, thanks. I almost stopped off to see you today. Not sure you're open yet. I'll try to post some pictures tomorrow. I'd sure like to finish this car sometime.
 
Oh, I misread...I would not consider building up the crimped edge of a door panel with lead. It's too soft and there is not enough area for it to hold on. I thought you were referring to the "B" pillar behind the door. From the 3 TR3's I've taken apart, it's obvious that the factory corrected the door gap using lead on the "B" pillar...and the rear valence to the quarter panels. Working lead is one skill I've never learned...but I'd like to!
 
Barry , sure stop in anytime ! I'm still breaking ice away from the garage doors to get the TR3 out for the spring but I'm hopeful by mid June I can get that done.
 
CJD said:
Oh, I misread...I would not consider building up the crimped edge of a door panel with lead. It's too soft and there is not enough area for it to hold on.
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I agree. I used lead in my resto, mostly over welded seams on patch panels and areas at the edge of a panel, but not the edge itself. I learned how to lead as I went along, and it is a bit tricky, especially on vertical surfaces. There is a fine line between having the lead solid, liquid, or in the peanut butter stage necessary to work properly. The correct lead alloy is 30/70. Anything else has too narrow of a plastic temperature range and is virtually impossible to work with.

Also, do not sand lead. You don't want the dust flying around. You have to use body files, sometimes called vixen files. Another problem I ran into in the beginning is not getting enough lead down in the area you're working. You start filing and realize that there are some low spots. Well, you just can't add more lead as you will be melting all the lead underneath. So, basically you're starting the repair over again.

For a repair such as you want to do, welding is the best alternative.
 
Like you I assumed that lead on the door edge would be too soft and so I used MIG.

BUT

One of the top UK pro-restorers, Stuart Edwards, does public demonstrations of using lead for this exact thing, at big UK TR meets. I think this is also on video.

He swears this is the best way of fixing gap problems. He's the kind of guy that is usually right.
 
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