Hi I'm busy welding my 1972 twin-slider (will post some pictures when work out how to and when I have time). I've cut off the rotten front panel but have hit a bit of a problem. In the past someone has replaced the a strip of the outer panel consisting of the screen flange and the curved bit where the wipers go. The inner panel is quite rusty but can be repaired. SHOULD THE OUTER PANEL BE WELDED TO THE INNER PANEL? I expected to find the screen flange on the outer panel to be spotwelded to a corresponding flange on the inner panel but there isn't one. My outer panel was simply tacked to the inner panel in several places but this clearly was not original. Also the inner panel seems to have been pulled forward so that they could be tacked together but this means that the holes in the dash don't reach the spire clips so the dash couldn't be screwed in place by the screen. Having ground the remains of the tack welds away the inner panel sprang backwards towards the cab and now the holes line up but there is no way of welding the 2 panels together. IS THIS CORRECT? If so, this means that the front panel is only connected at the windscreen pillars, the A-posts, at the grill and across the bottom. The screen flange will simply be 'single skin' (and hopefully won't flex!). Obviously I need to get it correct or I could have only major problems. It's difficult getting precise placement anyway as the new panel isn't a brilliant fit. Any advice gratefully received!
It should be spot welded together all the way across The outer panel should sit flush with the inner one they need some persuasion sometimes.
Thanks for that. Think I understand it now. So the rotten bit should extend up beyond the (current) top bit that the dash panel bolts to, forming a flange to spotweld the front panel windscreen flange to. Looks like I've either to pay out a lot of money for a new inner panel or repair the rotten bit and form a new flange in the correct place. Hopefully the windscreen seal can cope with a slight discrepency in the size of the aperture. I've took lots of measurements before cutting off the panel but the gap was 6mm bigger on the drivers side compared to the nearside so no idea which is correct, maybe neither. Also, having offered up the new panel, it doesn't look like the flange will sit exactly where the previous one did (not surprising as that wasn't welded in correctly anyway). Time to have another look and ponder!
Have you still got the deformation panel on the front? (bit that the bumper bolts to) As that will set the height of the front panel!!
Inner front valance/ deformation panel dear boy , there is a return lip which the front panel sits on top off. I usually plate the the inner winscreen area with trial fitting the front panel the weld it up and trim the excess
