Filling Side Body Trim Holes - Advice

[hoodygoodwood 70 3 Cars]

I will be removing the side trims on a 309 ( non GTI ) and want to fill the fixing holes before respraying the car . I do not want to weld the holes but want a permanent job done , filling with P38 or other 2 part filler is the obvious solution but can the plugs drop out later .Thought about putting a small square of fibreglass over the inside of each hole then once set use filler .

Any advice welcome .

[Slo 283 1 Cars]

Use plumbers mait, bare the immediate area off behind so it can get a good grip on the steel.

 

It sets like concrete and all you do is cut off what you need and kneed it till it goes warm then press on and leave to set, much much better than body filler and waterproof too.

 

Not sure about painting over it tho might be best to light skim it.

 

I used it to plug a hole in my heater matrix and it lasted a couple of years till i scrapped the car.

 

Comes in a small tube at halfords probably get it at wilkinsons or any plumbers merchants

[dobboy 231 2 Cars]

Maybe you could use the aluminium mesh you get for using with fibreglass, cut into say 40mm squares and stick it on the back with tigerseal?

 

Then build up on front with filler etc.

 

Probably be less messy than fibreglass.

[welshpug 1,656]

I'd get someone to weld it, simple enough process and far less mess, just takes patience and a steady hand.

 

and a piece of copper.

 

seeing as its being painted anyway, why not fit smooth doors, thats half the battle done!

Edited February 15, 2015 by welshpug

[hoodygoodwood 70 3 Cars]

I will be having some welding done as I have some rot in one of the sills but I wanted to avoid welding the door holes because of the amount of finishing required once it was done .The doors look in good condition so I would rather not have to change them but I have only had a quick inspection of the car .My main worry would be that filler might work loose and drop out . If I clean the inner face of the door so it grips well and then overpaint it thoroughly it should be secure and stop moisture getting through .

[Slo 283 1 Cars]

Couldnt agree with not welding and body filler will soak up moisture from inside the door and rot it outwards, use mait err mate and a thin skim over the outside with filler it will be spot on

[hoodygoodwood 70 3 Cars]

Will look into the builders mate putty , have not used it before . Is it a 2 part that needs to be mixed together so that it hardens off .Will be painting it inside and out so hopefully no long term rust problems .

[Slo 283 1 Cars]

Comes in a sealed tube the putty is on the outside, the hardner is on the inside, you just cut off as much as you need and kneed it until its all mixed then press it onto what you want. It heats up through chemical reaction and sets hard in about ten minutes and hard as concrete in an hour.

 

Ebay link halfords link

 

Ideally you want the evostik stuff, its what I got from halfords but they must have changed supplier now to that other stuff.

Edited February 16, 2015 by Slo

[105e 1]

I preferred your original idea of a small patch of fibreglass matting/resin on the inside with a skim of conventional filler on the outside.

[Rich_p 23]

I thought the base model trims were just stuck on?

 

Whoever filled the holes on my shell didn't do a very good job of it, you can see them the whole way down the sides!

[welshpug 1,656]

there will be less prep and finish to welding the holes up than bodging with plumers gloop!

[hoodygoodwood 70 3 Cars]

I must admit I thought that the side trims stuck on , I had a new in bag trim strip and it had double sided sticky tape on it .The 309 is a 1988 1.3 xl and does have fixing holes although I have not removed the trims yet . Will be a while till I properly start work on this one as I have to finish my Miami first but I wanted to get some ideas as I want a permanent rust free fix .

At least one of the front wings needs changing so no worries there as new wings come with no holes .

Thanks for your input .

[Tom Fenton 1,541]

Unless you weld them up, you risk whatever gobbo you choose coming away at some time in the future.

[105e 1]

Well I have experience of fibreglass/filler that I put on in the mid 70,s still doing its job 35 years later when I sold the car. Didn't have a mig back then.

[Tom Fenton 1,541]

I don't doubt that, but we are talking Peugeot panels which are flimsy and flexible to start with, and then add in that its a door which will likely get slammed shut many times. I'd weld it.

[Reebmit 51 4 Cars]

I totally agree with Mei and Tom, weld it, done and dusted and never have to worry about it again. The amount of cars I've seen over the years with filler/gunk bodges in varying forms, never worth it in long run. Only other option although panel is a bit thin if you are talking about the 1/8" holes is to create small dent on each hole, countersink slightly, rivet and then skim over, not ideal but better than gunk....

Edited February 16, 2015 by Reebmit

[309jazzpanda 41]

Yup, I will be welding mine up hopefully next week I thought about filler or chemical metal but I just don't trust it personally. Plus the welder is free and I might actually have to buy chemical metal. Ha ha