Terry,
Read the post. I weld where they weld. I glue WITH THEIR GLUE where they
glue. No offense Terry but, your reference to "stronger than a weld" show's
your level of awareness here. It is not my job to reengineer that which
transports, surrounds and protects someone engaged in the combat that is
daily driving. Again read the post. No more words can make my position any
more clear. But for the benefit of those observing.....You could seam weld
every panel and piece of structure on a unibody vehicle and that would make
it a death trap You will have altered the pulse points for airbag deployment
and will have altered the way the vehicle was designed to store energy in
specific places, direct energy around specific places, absorb energy in
specific places and release energy in specific ways. This is why spot welds
in quarter panel wheel wells release one at a time in a pop pop pop
sequence, managing the energy, localizing the damage rather than
transferring it throughout the vehicle. The exact reason that the steering
column is convoluted and is mounted with shear bolts.

Structural adhesives should work for you just the way they work for the
factory in factory specific applications and areas in a factory clean
environment with the proper adhesives and chemicals for cleaning panels at
your disposal.

We've been using 3M doorskin bonding adhesive since it has been available
and has been used by the OEM.

We don't splice quarter panels below the glass openings, we don't clip cars,
we don't use salvage structural parts, we don't put four pounds of bondo on
panels when they should have been replaced, we don't get paid to replace
things we did not. A repaired vehicle is a repaired vehicle, period, it is
never "as good as new" that is not possible, but a consumer should have a
reasonable expectation that the vehicle has been repaired as nearly as
available technology allows to its preloss conditon. Our final bills reflect
what was really done to the vehicle, the true course and cost of repairs. I
expect to be paid for exactly what I do as contracted by the consumer. I
shoulder the liability of the repairs performed here.

Now then, anyone want to discuss diminished value?

Wade Ebert
American Auto Body
Springfield IL

----- Original Message -----
From: Terry Kay <CTONLINE@WEBTV.NET>
To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Sent: Wednesday, March 28, 2001 9:42 PM
Subject: Re: Simpler Alternative to welding body panels

> Wade,
> Door panels on new Ford's?
> Glued.
> Chrysler door panels?
> Glued.
> New GM's?
> Glued.
> They have only a couple of pinch welds, under the window moldings.
> There are a couple of manufacturers  (Fuzor, and Duramix) of body panel
> adhesive's  that have conducted crash test's on cars that have had the
> roof panel's, and quarter panels glued on.
> In a roll over situation it was found that the adhesives were as strong
> as, or stronger than a weld.
> If the factories are using the stuff, why shouldn't anyone else?
>
> It works for me.
>
>   ______________
>  |[  ] [  ] [ ]\
>  |    |    |    |
> ||-(())----(())-|
>
> Terry 85 GL
>