"Mike Collum" <collum@verizon.net> wrote,
You know, of course, that that panel covering the
slider mechanism has
a
Phillips head screw at each end (bend down and look
up) that you can
remove ... then tap up on the panel with a rubber
hammer  to get it out

and,  Frank Condelli <RAlanen@AOL.COM> wrote,
Gary,  the way I have repaired these types of rust
spots with holes as
in
your  photos with POR-15 and Fiberglas matting.  The
patch will have to
be done
from the inside so will entail removing the paneling
inside to do this.
Follow the procedures for applying POR-15, apply a
coat and lay on a
piece of
Fiberglas matting to cover the hole and surrounding
metal for a bout 1"
around.
Let this get tacky all the while making sure the
Fiberglas is well
impregnated with the POR-15.  Once it gets tacky apply
a second coat of
POR-15 and use
POR-15 Patch to fill in from the outside, it does not
have  to be
perfect.
Then before it completely dries prime the outside with
good  automotive
primer
or let dry completely and use the POR-15 primer for
use on  cured
POR-15 to
bond to successive coats of paints.  Once you have a
good  coat of
primer then
you can finish levelling off the imperfections on the
outside using
normal
auto body fillers and surfaceres.  I like to use epoxy
 finishing
filler.  POR-15
also makes a filler that works well in this  instance.
 This method is
the
best by far that I have tried.  Welding  or brazing
causes too much
other damage
that requires more clean up work and you  still need
to POR-15 both
sides to
get a good rust free repair.  The  POR-15ed patch will
be as strong as
welding
the metal together when your done if  done correctly

Ding! Ah, of course! Slider mechanism panel. Thanks,
Mike!

And Frank, thanks for the very detailed explanation.
This really takes the mystery out of it for me. I'll
be ordering a small package of fiberglass, and I'll
take some more photos as things progress.

Stay tuned for the next installment! Many thanks to
everyone!

Gary

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