Expert: William Forster - 1/3/2009

Question
I got an '87 El camino from my grand father that had bed rails attached. To make the lines of the car cleaner, I want to take the bed rails off and fill in the eight 1/2 inch wide holes left on each side in the body panels.  I can't get to the back side of the hole to provide any back side support.  What is the best way to fill in these holes? Can I make this a back yard repair or will I have to take it to an expert?

Answer
They need welded shut- period. Your only other option is to try to solder patches under them. If you are very talented with soldering and a propane torch, you can fish a small patch up from underneath, and hold it with a wire looped and soldered through it. You will need a helper to hold the patches in while you solder it. Dand the solder smooth when you finish, then wet sand the solder with baking soda and water to neutralize the flux in the solder when you are done. Bill