sheet metal gauge help please?

Ok so I have to do some custom patch panels and am getting some sheet metal today. What is common on a 68 coupe 18 or 16 gauge. All help appreciated as always! I got my new welder too!! WAAAAHOOOOOO!

What is more common on the car is kind of a hard question to answer.
Most of the exterior of the car is 20 gauge.
(IE: Quarters, Fenders, Hood, Trunk lid.)
Roof is 18 gauge.
Radiator support: 18 gauge.
Inner Fender aprons: 20 gauge.
Firewall and front and rear floor pans: 18 gauge.
Rear Channel and trunk floors: 20 gauge

Most of the Unibodies frame is 16 guage.

What I would use is a lot easier of a question:
I'd go with 18 gauge for most all my panel repair. (Exterior and Floor pans, etc.) And go with 15-16 gauge for the actual unibodies frame repair.


So what Welder did you end up going with?


Have a good one.

Richard

I think I will go for the 18 then. I have some rust repair on the window pillar as well as part of the roof.

I just got my home depot LINCOLN 175. It should work for everything I need to do on the car.

Now I am even going to attempt to build my own rotisserie. I am looking forward to now starting all the fab work on this car. I am sure I will have more questions and will appreciate any info.

Richard nice site by the way.

Yeah, that welder should be more then enough to help you along the way with your projects.
Well feel free to ask any questions and I'm sure if I can't help someone else will be able to.

Thanks.

Have a good one.

Richard

I would think the Lincoln 175 quite to the opposite.

I used to have one of their 100 models. It used to weld up the thin sheet matal on the Mustang OK, but was a bit touchy as to hitting exact heat I needed.

It got stolen. The insurance Co. got me a 135 to replace it. Now flat cannot tweek in the exact heat I need for a few degrees means an even bigger variation in temps. Is real diffucult to hit correct heat anymore without blowing out a hole in hot metal electrode.

Can't imagine trying to hit correct heat with an even hotter unit. Wish I still had my 100.

Wm.

I have to highly disagree.
Really that only has to do with peak ratings...
I can weld razer blades together with my HTP MIG 200, and even weld tin foil together with it setup for aluminum

I'm not sure what kind of problems you are having.
In actuality the Lincoln 100 has i minimum heat output setting of 30A DC
Whereas the later Lincoln 135 has a lower heat output setting that is only 25A DC
So the excessive heat cannot be coming from the unit itself in comparison to your 100. Sounds more along the lines of wire feed problems to me. Remember that your amps have little to do with how your welder is preforming heat wise. Most heat adjustment is done through wire speed, Gun distance and of course weld time.

Was your welder new when you purchased it?
It almost sounds as if you got excessive birds nesting in your Cable Liner, causing excessive friction for your wire feed system. and the liner may need to be replaced. And also Wire tension is also a very important adjustment. A welder even slightly out of adjustment just can't perform...


Richard

So from what your saying is if I get the 120 amp, 230 volt mig and flux welder[SIZE=3] from harbor frieght I should be fine to do any patch weld on my classic car.[/SIZE]

You do have to practice and learn your welder. They don't usually com setup for your specific material or your technique.

I have the Lincoln 175 and love it. Thin sheet metal to 1/4-3/8 is no problem. Heat adjustments are fine but like it was said before you gotta get the wire speed to work properly or you're gonna have nothing but trouble. For what it's worth. Ron