Can someone tell me the gauge and type of sheet metal that I should get for making patch panels on my 54 Chevy 3100? I thought that I read somewhere that you should use 18 to 20 gauge cold rolled steel as replacement metal but cannot find the information again to be sure. I have also heard that cold rolled steal rusts faster than hot rolled so now I am not sure what is needed. Any and all help would be appreciated. Thanks, JP
18g cold rolled is a good choice, it is pliable enough to work and yet it holds it shape by not being as springy as the thinner guages. Thin enough to shrink but thick enough to stretch and still have a strong cross section. It does surface rust easily once the forming oil is wiped off but if etch primed and top coated it is as stable as the original metal. Since it is slightly thicker than the factory metal it makes welding easier by keeping the heat on the patch and letting the bead "spill over" onto the thinner metal which help cut down on burn through.
Evan, Thank you. That was exactly the information that I needed. Your help is truly appreciated. Have a great day. JP
Patch Metal FWIW , I know a guy who only works on old cars and he's always buying uo dented hoods , crushed fenders and so on ~ he says this gives him a steady supply of good matching metal that's the correct gauge and it is very rust resisitant unlike modern , cheap sheet metal . Just a thunk . It's cheap too Carry on ! .
