steel panel thicknes?

[lhd]

I'm looking to get a sheet of steel for some bodywork repairs.
What thickness and what type of steel should it be?
many thanks Rob.........

[DiscoDave]

who's doing the repairs and where abouts are they going to be? if you are repairing body work that is visible it is probably best go for very thin may be up to 2mm, but if i was doing it i'd probably use 6mm cos it's what i've got in the garage failing that owt i could get for nothing!

[phredd]

I had a Westfailure that needed some tailend repairs.
Gave it, and a sheet of 2mm steel, to a local garage to sort out.
He done the job, it looked great untill someone bumped it again.
The metal that was used was not my 2mm steel but the side of a fridge.
Never went back to him again and let all others know he was a rip-off.

Phredd

[kit]

I welded a side off a washing machine in my Midi van once, sailed through the MOT

[rugchucker]

So did you take for a fast spin after?

[funbus1]

In the good old days when cars were held together with welded on metal, the best stuf i ever came accros was a door off a 70 bay, got 1 off a 74 bay and it was crap, was told yrs later 1970 panels were made in germany after that yr they were made somewere else (cant remember) nite and day wi the metal though.

[Ian Hulley]

Last time I looked it was called '16 guage' ... could be wrong though

Ian

[Therunner]

When I had my first camper, a bay which needed a lot of welding. I bought a large car bonnet from a local scrappy, it was nice and thick and was enough to replace most of the cab floor, the inner parts of both wheel arches and the bottom 4 inches around the front, under the bumper! I then bought another, smaller bonnet which was really flimsy! I think the 2nd one was a pattern part.
I've recently been using a metal shelf I got out of a skip at work, it has nice ready made 90 degree bends in it, but it's also quite thin.

Melvin

[syncrosimon]

16 gauge or 1.6mm, of course 16" syncro's were made from heavier gauge stuff.

[lhd]

Ok so 16 gauge= 1.6mm and thats what I need?
What would be the complications of it being a bit this way or that and does the panel thickness depend on the panel itself?
I need to get this sorted before the Bashtie as the MOT runs out about two days after return and its one of the front seatbelt mounts.

[syncrosimon]

It really only makes a difference to the person welding the new metal in. As long as it is in the ball park, then it will be fine.Thicker is probably better for gerneral repair work, as it is easier to get longer welds into. But thinner in non structural areas is gonna make no difference if it is welded well.

Look for your local Engineering Works, or any company that does metal fabrication, they will almost always let you rummage around in their off-cuts bin, and get what you need for a few pence. Steel is very cheap, 18 meters of 16mm x 16mm x 1.5mm wall, steel square tubing has just cost me £20.

A lot of fabrication will be in 1.6mm, so is easy to get. Just mild steel, you doing this yourself?? Otherwise welder will supply metal. I have just cut out three windows in my syncro, I have been using the metal from this for fabrication. Old washing machine metal is fine, and no different to other steel, if it is not too thin.

[mininut]

Rob, I could get you whatever you need in 16 gauge mild steel for nowt but, it's getting it to you
If you're really stuck let me know, maybe 80-90 express?

16 gauge can be tricky to cut with hand snips. When repairing minis I use 20 gauge which is quite easy to cut by hand.

Like syncrosimon said, any local fab shop should have bits kicking around in their scrap bins.

[lhd]

Thanks guys for the advise....
I have a new slider tailgate and front door to go on so I will put them on now and use the old doors to fill in the gaps.
rob.