Removing the lettering from a tailgate can really clean up the look of a classic truck!
Q.
I’m doing a lot of custom modifications to my 1960 Chevrolet pickup truck, and I’m doing all I can to “smooth” the details. So far I’ve removed all the chrome trim, the door handles, and emblems. I would really like to remove the “Chevrolet” letters from the tailgate, but this seems like a difficult job, compounded by the fact that the panel is completely flat. How would you tackle this project?
Fred Capo
Via the Internet
A.
I certainly agree that removing the lettering on a tailgate creates a much smoother look. I’ve seen people do this in many different ways. I’ve even seen the job done by heat-shrinking each letter, to flatten them out one by one. While this can work, it’s not a very efficient way to do the job.
I would recommend cutting out the entire panel that has the letters on it. I’d make the cut about 5/8 inch from the stepped-in section of the border that goes around the lettered section. I wouldn’t make the border any smaller, since you will need to get the face of your hammer centered on the weld bead. Once the panel with letters is removed, you can cut a piece of flat metal to fit into the opening, and butt weld the new panel into place.
Keeping the weld close to the border will really help to keep everything flat as you do the welding, since the step in the metal gives it a lot of strength. Nevertheless, you are sure to get some distortion as you weld, so it will be especially important to keep the welds short, skip around, and be sure that the metal has cooled completely before you add more welding to a particular area.
I’d start by tack welding the new panel into place. My first tacks might be spaced about 8 inches apart, and I’d go around the entire perimeter of the panel with this spacing. Next, I’d put one tack weld between each of the previous welds, so now the distance between tack welds will be 4 inches. Using the same strategy, your next round of tacks will give you a spacing of 2 inches between the tacks, and I’d follow this with one more round, so you will end up with tack welds spaced about 1 inch apart, all around the perimeter of the panel.
Next, if you are using a MIG welder, I’d sand the tacks down almost flush with the panel, and hammer on-dolly on each tack weld, ensuring that everything is flush, and that the stress of the tack welds is worked out. If you are TIG welding (which I would prefer for this job) you may not need to sand the tack welds, since they should be very small, if done properly.
Now you can start the finish welding. I’d start at one location—say the center of the top—and connect two of the tack welds with a finish weld. The area you just welded will stay hot for several minutes, so I’d move about 10 inches away, and make another 1-inch-long weld, connecting two more tacks. Continue around the panel in this way so you are always moving to cool metal. By the time you reach your starting point, that portion should have cooled completely.
Look at the panel carefully at this stage, and do any sanding of the weld bead, and hammering on the weld that may be necessary to work out any distortion. When everything looks good, you can start working around the panel with another set of 1-inch-long welds.
Keep following this strategy and sooner or later the panel will be welded completely. Yes, this is a slow way to work, but it’s the best way I know to keep everything under control, and if you let a large, flat panel like a tailgate start to get out of shape, it’s pretty hard to bring it back.
You can email your questions to Professor Hammer at covell@cruzio.com, or mail to: Covell Creative Metalworking, 106 Airport Blvd Ste 105, Freedom CA 95019; you’ll receive a personal reply! Ron Covell has made many DVDs on metalworking, and he offers an ongoing series of workshops across the nation. Check them out online at covell.biz, or call for a current schedule of workshops and a free catalog of DVDs. Phone (800) 747-4631, or (831) 768-0705. You’ll also enjoy Ron’s YouTube channel: www.youtube.com/user/covellron.
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