If you do find a welder who has experience with stainless he should also be competant in the use of high frequency TIG. This is the only way to do this work without exessive heat build-up and distortion. This repair can be done. I had a shop where we built S/S elevater doors, frames, and cabs. Not only do you have to weld parts together but there are the inevitable repairs from shop mistakes, dings, and field screw-ups. I had a welder that could weld a 2x4 to a brick or at least he claimed! My point is that a GOOD welder can do minor miracles so try to find a shop that works on kitchen equipment or hollow metal in your area and has a Tig welder that doesn't look like Noah might have used it! You might try a local welding supply, they usually know which shops are doing good work. As for the X pattern get a piece of 2x6 about 6" long, sand it smooth and flat and use it on the blending pad and don't use much pressure. On the rear sunshade I use Black Again and I am happy with the results as it doesn't dry off as fast as Armor-All. I think you are very persistant and patient to attempt this project and not get frustrated and stop.Keep going! and good luck! David Teitelbaum vin 10757 --- In dmcnews@xxxx, Dave Stragand <dave.stragand@xxxx> wrote: > Hi All, > > On the 9th of June I finally got to do what I've been waiting for for months > -- pick up my body panels! > > Dave Bauerle was able to do a fantastic job on the RR quarter -- you'd never > believe the bottom lip of the wheel wheel had been smashed as badly as it > was. It looks like a brand new piece. > > Unfortunately, the doors had some areas he was not able to repair. Both > doors have large nicks on the top, right by the seal. If you look at the > doors, you can see how difficult that area is to get to -- the area is boxed > by the door frame, and it's too small of an area to get a spoon up into. > > I was planning on scrapping the doors, but someone recommended having the > gouges welded in with stainless, then ground down. Anyone ever attempted > something like this before? A stainless welder is going to be stopping by > my house next week to take a look and give his recommendations. > > So, while I waited, I started to slowly sand the many deep scratches off of > my hood. I'm starting to get the dreaded "X"... any tips here would be > appreciated. > > Other than that, I've been doing smallish jobs. Put in FanZilla, ordered a > few pieces, prep the rear deck & engine cover for painting... > > Speaking of which, since everyone uses semi-flat black and then Armor-All or > the like to shine the louvers, I am thinking of trying a semi-gloss or gloss > black SATIN finish paint. It should give the same effect without having to > Armor-All it all the time. Anyone else ever tried this? > > So... things have started moving again. I even have my insurance agent > trying to get me listed. Of course, the underwriter is having a fit for all > the usual reasons... but IU'm sure we'll squeak it by. Heck, if he was > going to insure me for an '87 Lotus Esprit Turbo for $400 a year, then he > should be able to do better with a D, right? =) > > -Dave > http://www.ProjectVixen.com <http://www.ProjectVixen.com> > VIN #05927 > > > > > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]