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De seamed BE Bonnets

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Jim_Gruber

Jim_Gruber

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I'm looking at pics of a BE Bonnet I'm looking to acquire that appears to have been de-seamed. Well seam is there but the beading has been removed. Are fenders spot welded to the bonnet? Guessing that's what holds them together.

Anyone got experience with either replacing beading or whats it take for surface prep to make sure paint will hold in those seams. Bonnet has been stored indoors for past 25 years and ot really solid from all appearances. Lower valence was replaced from a donor bonnet and filled with lead? not Bondo. Done right the old time way, 25 years ago and has bee nsitting. Wondering what to do with those seams when it comes time for final paint. I'm sure Bondo won't hold in there with bonnet flexing if I use front tilt hood setup.

Open for ideas.
 
yes the beading is spot welded..numerously!!

it is quit a pit of work, some on the board have accomplished this project. I just recently had a body shop redo mine $$$$.

usually the beads were removed because of rust, now encapsulated under the filler when De beaded.
 
So did they simply fill with Bondo? A very long and thin seam. Wondering if can simply paint and let the seams show. Thinking Bondo would crack as bonnet flexes. Especially for a front tilt bonnet.
 
Jim,

The de-seamed bonnets I've seen in person showed bubbles you get in paint when rust develops underneath. I'm sure you've seen plenty of Bugeye bonnets where the paint along the seams is cracked and rust stained. I think, at a minimum, the entire seam needs to be well treated with phosphoric acid and mechanical scraped out using dental tools small enough to dig out as much debris as possible. I think running a weld a bead along the seam would be desirable if someone skilled enough could do it without warping the metal... i.e. and expert welder; grinding that flush and using a minimum of filler (Metalglaze) afterwards.

I've know others who have brazed new beading after cutting off the leg from the tee. Separating the fenders and welding new beading the way it was built original would be ideal, but would be a crazy amount of work.
 
Hey my 88 y.o no 89 y.o. Father in Law is indeed an expert welder. He's still building landing gear for Alaskan Bush Pilot Planes in his shop out of Chrome Moly Tubing. His Commerical Miller Welder takes a 3 phase 300 amp circuit and can uses a 1/2" Welding Rod. Yeah I'm sure I could get Ray to do it.

Biggest problem is he's got "the Shakes". Curing his "Shakes" take a shot of Canadian Whiskey 1/2 hour before he starts to weld. His wife needs to purchase his "welding medicine" on a regular basis. At least that what he's telling Colleen's Mom.

Another thought is retired Welding Instructor who has cottage across the street from me down at the lake. Since this bonnet and hopefully the rest of the car that may be going with it will bestored in the garage down there... I may have just solved my own problem. Thanks.
 
If you can find some older hot rod guys that can do lead filling that would be the way to go. It'll bond better to the panels and won't crack out like the plastic filler will.
 
:iagree: But you don't have to be "old" to do lead. the difficulty will be getting the surface really clean down in the joint. But that will be a problem with any filler, not just lead. The hard thing about doing lead is that it want to run off anything but a flat surface if you overheat it the slightest bit. Filling that seam is about the easiest application there is for lead.
 
Doesn't Eastwood offer something that is a later day replacement?
 
I will attempt to explain a process that I am going to experiment with on an old bonnet. I think it will work and save considerable labor.
1. find bonnet that beads are rust ridden, grind the tops off beads level with wing and center bonnet.
2. find a grinding wheel slightly thinner than beading, grind bead out from between two panels. only do one section at a time, and go no futher.
3. inspect and remove any rust between panels then treat with rust stopper
4. cut and bend bead to fit section of repair. once fitted so it can be fitted from the top. apply 3M body panel adhesive liberally and drop bead into place tapping with brass hammer. wait a day move on to next section.
 
OK things are becoming clearer on a way to fix. Not sure of thickness of fender beading but thinking Dremel Tool with a Thin cutting wheel at right angles to grind out what is left of the beading vs. a cutting wheel on an angle grinder. Deseamed bonnets look nice but at the same time do not preserve the value of the BE.

At this point the BE I was looking at just jumped up in price with multiple buyers bidding it up. Unfortunately I may not need to fix a bonnet after all. Please let us know if this technique works.
 
dremel will not cut deep enough or strong enough to grind out beading. grinder would make short work of it with a steady hand.
 
Cutting Blade I think is too thick. At least all of the ones I have seen.
 
My car came with the bonnet de-seamed. In fact at that time I was not even aware there should have been a seam there.
Mine seems to be holding up well and personally I prefer the look when compared to a car that still has the seams showing.
I think the de-seamed ones look slicker and cleaner.
 
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