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Welding question-Aluminum shroud

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Just an idea here:

I've used "Alladin Aluminum Welding Rods" to "weld" non-structural aluminum. These rods are mostly zinc and the process is more like brazing than welding. Works fine for sheet stock with oxy-acetylene and is said to work with the small MAPP-gas cylinders as well. Again, only for non-structural use. Available at most welding supply shops
 
RVMAN, If the shroud repair isn't "loose" it might have been glued in place along with being riveted. In that case I wouldn't change it. If it was just riveted I would consider replacing the whole shroud, probably cheaper in the long run. Eventually the repair will break loose, if just riveted, and ruin a beautiful paint job.
 
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Hello Dave,
thank you for that, I have noticed that we use a different nomenclature for body parts this side of the world. I was assuming some inner flat(ish) panel around the engine bay or radiator.
Alec

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Hi Alec,
Your fellow countrymen actually named the part. We would likely call it something else.

On a "Big Healey", the front shroud actually consists of the entire aluminium center section of the body from the bumper back to the dash board & between the two front mudguards. A rather complex, multi curved item. There is also a rear aluminium shroud that covers everything from the cockpit rear to under the bumper & between the two rear mudguards. It is also has complex contours. These parts are partially the reason that the Healey is so expensive to restore.

There can be an electrolytic/galvanic action between the steel mudguards & the aluminum & under the right conditions will errode the aluminium shroud flanges severely. Healey owners are especially careful to avoid winter salted road conditions. At around $4,000 USD for a front shroud & $3,500 USD for a rear shroud, these two bare bits of aluminium represent more than the entire cost of some other cars. To make things worse, new shrouds almost always require custom fitting/reworking to fit the hand made nature of the bodies. Usually great pains are taken with the painting to fully cover & isolate the mating flanges of these parts for electrical insulation. Some have even tried sacrificial Zinc strips in the joints.
D
 
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RVMAN, If the shroud repair isn't "loose" it might have been glued in place along with being riveted.

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Hi Johnny,
Interesting comment. The "Lord Company" has pioneered structural adhesives. Such materials as their "Fusor 109B" are being used by several major car manufacturers to secure & or repair non-structural body panels such as door skins. Adhesives eliminate the welding distortion & finishing operations that are normally required. The adhesives have been proven to be stronger than welds. It might be ideal for replacing aluminum sections. With proper flanging to get a flush joint, very little after finishing would be required.

I wonder if the LBC restorers will ever accept such a radical change from the tried & true welding procedures. I personally have used bonding in lieu of welding in several applications with great success. I won't tell exactly where, but no "expert" would be able to determine where it was used. Here's to new technology, eventually.
D
 
Hi Piman, Yes smaller repair panels are available for the shrouds as you suspected but they also require fitting and welding plus they are a bit pricy too.Cheer---Keoke /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/yesnod.gif
 
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