On Wednesday, September 1, 2021 at 7:43:41 AM UTC-4, Jim Wilkins wrote:
> "Michael Terrell" wrote in message
> news:9976439b-6731-4521...@googlegroups.com...
> On Tuesday, August 31, 2021 at 6:34:20 PM UTC-4, Jim Wilkins wrote:
> >
> > Autozone has been pretty good for aftermarket parts for my '91. Somewhere
> > there must be a demand for repairing old US vehicles. The quality/fit
> > isn't
> > OEM but it's been good enough as-is or with a little tweaking. I've
> > recently
> > replaced the headlight assemblies, outside mirrors, door window seals and
> > a
> > while back the radiator support, which is the front crosswise sheet metal
> > behind the grille. This is a bad rust zone.
>
> This is a thick molded black plastic piece that runs from one side of the
> frame, to the other to keep water from spraying up from wet roads. It would
> have to come from a junkyard, Autozone doesn't list a replacement, and none
> of the other sites that I've checked. It's just too old to make it worth
> stocking..
> ---------------------------
>
> I patched the truck's broken plastic radiator shroud by pop-riveting a wide
> strip of formed sheet metal over the break. Before buying Clecos I used #5
> screws as removable substitutes for 1/8" pop rivets while fitting a patch.
> 1/8" fender washers can spread the load on the other side. Suitable metal is
> galvanized steel of thickness between 22 gauge and salvaged corrugated
> roofing, 29 gauge, or 0.030" - 0.040" aluminum. 26 gauge steel is a good
> compromise between strength and ease of forming without special tools.
>
> Stovepipe crimping pliers can form curved edge flanges and aircraft shears
> cut without much distortion. An anvil is useful but a length of firewood
> with one end flat and a depression in the other is enough to form curved
> shapes, like costume armor or fender patches. I cut the depression with the
> end of a chainsaw. The metal bears on the edges and stretches when you
> hammer in the middle, so the shape of the depression doesn't matter, it
> could be the hole in the end of large pipe or maybe a brake drum. The
> important tool is 3-dimensional visualization of how the simple shapes you
> can create by hand will deform to duplicate the curves on the damaged part.
>
> The most difficult sheet metal car part I tried to make was a stainless
> steel catalytic converter heat shield. It was a good copy until I tried
> punching the louvers, which distorted it, so I bought a galvanized one. I
> probably should have formed the louvers separately and riveted them over
> slots.

I have to dig out my ramps and see if I can drive it up on them without tearing it completely out. I think that I can cut a strip of heavy steel and drill holes to hold that side back up in place.

"Michael Terrell" wrote in message
news:47456d3b-318e-46e5-b3de-65a16cc47ca6n@googlegroups.com...

I have to dig out my ramps and see if I can drive it up on them without
tearing it completely out. I think that I can cut a strip of heavy steel and
drill holes to hold that side back up in place.

------------------

Would metal pipe hanging strap work?

"Jim Wilkins" wrote in message news:sgop5j$ise$1@dont-email.me...

"Michael Terrell" wrote in message
news:47456d3b-318e-46e5-b3de-65a16cc47ca6n@googlegroups.com...

I have to dig out my ramps and see if I can drive it up on them without
tearing it completely out. I think that I can cut a strip of heavy steel and
drill holes to hold that side back up in place.

------------------
Would metal pipe hanging strap work?
---------
Not for splices along cracks, but to reinforce a torn-out hole by folding a
piece over the edge and attaching it with two rivets, or to copy curves and
bends as a template since it has very little spring-back. The narrowest
strip I'd use to splice a break is 2" wide trim from a salvaged above-ground
pool. The winter pillows deflated and let the surface freeze solid, then
without a vent hole the wall bulged.

The pool wall and thicker top rail and columns appear to be powder coated
over galvanize and resist rust extremely well even after being bent or
hammered into other shapes. It's a good steel to make things from.

On Wednesday, September 1, 2021 at 4:52:07 PM UTC-4, Jim Wilkins wrote:
> "Michael Terrell" wrote in message
> news:47456d3b-318e-46e5...@googlegroups.com...
> I have to dig out my ramps and see if I can drive it up on them without
> tearing it completely out. I think that I can cut a strip of heavy steel and
> drill holes to hold that side back up in place.
> ------------------
>
> Would metal pipe hanging strap work?

I was thinking something thicker, so it wouldn't be easy to snag on something, and rip it loose. Plus, I had to buy more than I needed to keep the battery from being stolen out of my riding mower, again. I locked bar on top will stop them from just lifting it out.

"Michael Terrell" wrote in message
news:39ac50ca-d9f4-41a4-b605-fa973df0fe35n@googlegroups.com...

On Wednesday, September 1, 2021 at 4:52:07 PM UTC-4, Jim Wilkins wrote:
> "Michael Terrell" wrote in message
> news:47456d3b-318e-46e5...@googlegroups.com...
> I have to dig out my ramps and see if I can drive it up on them without
> tearing it completely out. I think that I can cut a strip of heavy steel
> and
> drill holes to hold that side back up in place.
> ------------------
>
> Would metal pipe hanging strap work?

I was thinking something thicker, so it wouldn't be easy to snag on
something, and rip it loose. Plus, I had to buy more than I needed to keep
the battery from being stolen out of my riding mower, again. I locked bar on
top will stop them from just lifting it out.

-------------------

When I redid the attachments for the vulnerable plastic parts under my car
and truck I purposely made them weak enough to not break the harder-to-fix
body sheet metal they are fastened to. The hardware is mostly nylon license
plate and toilet seat bolts and nuts, except for those on the less exposed
wheel well liners which are stainless.

On Thursday, September 2, 2021 at 8:32:27 AM UTC-4, Jim Wilkins wrote:
>
> When I redid the attachments for the vulnerable plastic parts under my car
> and truck I purposely made them weak enough to not break the harder-to-fix
> body sheet metal they are fastened to. The hardware is mostly nylon license
> plate and toilet seat bolts and nuts, except for those on the less exposed
> wheel well liners which are stainless.
This would pull out from under the bar which would be fastened into the original holes in the chassis It is just to cover the broken mounting holes in the shield. The plastic is getting brittle after 24 years on Florida's hot roads, so it is liable to break anyway. I might be better off just removing it, since it won't be driven on wet roads anymore. I just kept it to haul junk to the landfill, or to pick up building materials.