Best gauge sheet metal for making repairs

[One Way]

Reading through some of the great tech forums here, 16 gauge sheet metal seemed to be the selected gauge for various rust repair projects. Any helpful hints or personal experience on the question will be appreciated.

Thicker gauge too difficult to shape or form? Thinner gauge too thin to weld? What is the original gauge sheetmetal on rear hatch floor areas, inner front wells, etc.? Thanks in advance, John-Lugoff, SC

[cbuczesk]

16g will be hard to form. I believe that the body is 20g and "frame" is 18g. The hatch floor might be 18g but I'm pretty sure that the front inner fender are 20g. I have no trouble MIG welding 20g.

 

Chuck

[ksechler]

Can you find repair panels for the sections in question?  I found it very difficult to form sheet metal by hand.  However, if you can find a repair panel then you don't need to. 

[cbuczesk]

I'm not aware of any patches being made. You'll have to make them or cut them from a junked car. Show some pics of your rust areas. Maybe I have something used that I've saved. 20g is pretty easy to form. 18g can get tricky if there are compound bends.

 

Chuck

[One Way]

Thanks for the experienced replies. I will probably pick up a sheet of the 20 ga and start to play around a bit with it. Still slowly dismantling and evaluating as we go. It will certainly be a slow resurrection. I am thinking about a rotisserie job on this project. That may be the only way to do a good thorough job. Thanks again, John-Lugoff, SC