What type of metal are washers and dryers made of???

[Breadfan]

So, I'm washing my car yesterday and notice at the dumpster area in my apartment complex they must be upgrading the washer/dryer's in some of the units. There was alteast 10 washer/dryer units sitting outside. (They're the mini units, only thing I dind't like when I got this apartment...)

Anyway, I recall hearing an old trick for cheap sheet metal for rust repairs was washers and dryers, other big home appliances, they use sheet steel.

If you notice my sig I ahve a '65 Triumph Spitfire under restoration. The body tub is in rough shape thanks to rust. There are plenty of dents on the rear quarers too. Much it it needs to be cut out and have new panels welded in.

Many of the new panels from Victoria British are quite expensive and from what I've heard are thin and rather cheesy.

So I'm thinking for many of the less complicatied parts I can easily form sheet metal to be welded in.

In that case, I may have stumbled across a big stash of free sheetmetal.

Before I make the lease office think I'm insane when I ask them if I can take the panels off these things, I just wanted to see if the metal I'll end up with is even worth the effort. I guess visual inspection is the best bet of course...

Mike

[torinodan]

I think they use galvanized steel for washers and dryers so they last longer. I went to the junk yard and would get a hood from an old 70 somethings T-bird for $5-10 and there's enough metal there to last a very long time and easyer to use. I had a Triumph Spitfire at one point and one T-bird hood should redo most of yours and build another one.

[BigCars4Ever]

So, I'm washing my car yesterday and notice at the dumpster area in my apartment complex they must be upgrading the washer/dryer's in some of the units. There was alteast 10 washer/dryer units sitting outside. (They're the mini units, only thing I dind't like when I got this apartment...)

Anyway, I recall hearing an old trick for cheap sheet metal for rust repairs was washers and dryers, other big home appliances, they use sheet steel.

If you notice my sig I ahve a '65 Triumph Spitfire under restoration. The body tub is in rough shape thanks to rust. There are plenty of dents on the rear quarers too. Much it it needs to be cut out and have new panels welded in.

Many of the new panels from Victoria British are quite expensive and from what I've heard are thin and rather cheesy.

So I'm thinking for many of the less complicatied parts I can easily form sheet metal to be welded in.

In that case, I may have stumbled across a big stash of free sheetmetal.

Before I make the lease office think I'm insane when I ask them if I can take the panels off these things, I just wanted to see if the metal I'll end up with is even worth the effort. I guess visual inspection is the best bet of course...

Mike
The oven fired enamel may be hard to remove and a lot of the pannels get work hardened whey they do a draw operation.

[RoyLPita]

So, I'm washing my car yesterday and notice at the dumpster area in my apartment complex they must be upgrading the washer/dryer's in some of the units. There was alteast 10 washer/dryer units sitting outside. (They're the mini units, only thing I dind't like when I got this apartment...)

Anyway, I recall hearing an old trick for cheap sheet metal for rust repairs was washers and dryers, other big home appliances, they use sheet steel.

If you notice my sig I ahve a '65 Triumph Spitfire under restoration. The body tub is in rough shape thanks to rust. There are plenty of dents on the rear quarers too. Much it it needs to be cut out and have new panels welded in.

Many of the new panels from Victoria British are quite expensive and from what I've heard are thin and rather cheesy.

So I'm thinking for many of the less complicatied parts I can easily form sheet metal to be welded in.

In that case, I may have stumbled across a big stash of free sheetmetal.

Before I make the lease office think I'm insane when I ask them if I can take the panels off these things, I just wanted to see if the metal I'll end up with is even worth the effort. I guess visual inspection is the best bet of course...

Mike


That is one to turn way a Triumph into an Maytag or a Whirlpool. :lol:

[Breadfan]

Well the enamel paint can be taken care of pretty quickly with an angle grinder and 40-80 grit flap wheel. ;)

Being galvanized and hardened, how would this affect it? Harder to shape? Harder to weld in?

I like the idea of just getting an old hood of a junker...that might work out well.

So...whats the verdict, let these pass or take advantage of them while they're here?

[Tallboy]

When I lived in Connecticut, I heard that Speed-Limit signs made good patch panels. Old license plates can work well, also.

Never Did any of this myself, mind you. It was just something I heard... :bandit:

[Hotrauder]

That is one to turn way a Triumph into an Maytag or a Whirlpool. :lol:

Isn't that azz backwards to the usual process? :) My days with English sports(?) cars in Maine winters taught me that the metal and prep in them wouldn't make a good washer/dryer. I recall hearing the damm things rusting in the night!Your idea is a good one. I would start with the frame!:help:

[Breadfan]

The frame is the least of my worries at the moment...I still haven't taken better pics, but here is how the frame looks since being blasted and two-coat powder coated.

(PS. Excuse the dust on the frame...clean it looks perfect.)

The frame itself was very sound. :)

http://www.neuralimpulse.com/cars/trpics/IMG_1620.jpg

[torinodan]

Well the enamel paint can be taken care of pretty quickly with an angle grinder and 40-80 grit flap wheel. ;)

Being galvanized and hardened, how would this affect it? Harder to shape? Harder to weld in?

I like the idea of just getting an old hood of a junker...that might work out well.

So...whats the verdict, let these pass or take advantage of them while they're here?I would use the junker hood for 3 reasons: not galanized, easy to come by, and easyer the form for floor parts that usually have complex bends. You can allways treat the metal afterwards for rust. Also with the galvanized stuff you can weld it easy but take into account the more toxic fumes that will come from welding the stuff (bad fumes, yellow funny smoke, and white fall out). Also less prep time involved with using an old hood because it usually only painted on one side and auto paint is easyer to remove than the washer and dryer stuff. my :twocents:

[GreekGod]

I worked in a bodyshop for 4 years (ok, it was a long time ago) and I can tell you to forget about using any washer or dryer steel panels for patches on an auto body. They aren't work-hardened from the stamping process because they are almost certainly just mild steel (which cannot work-harden). If they are porcelain coated rather than painted they are way too much trouble (you could strip the painted type-still not worth the time and materials). As you were warned, galvanized is very bad news. The yellow smoke from welding or burning is really, really nasty and dangerous and poisonous! Some hoods are aluminum and some could be galvanized steel. Rust patches are usually small enough that you will only need small pieces. Find a friendly local auto bodyshop and ask them what they use/recommend.

[Joe Walsh]

If you use a Maytag, will it make the Triumph more reliable?? :lol:

[G-Man]

So, I'm washing my car yesterday and notice at the dumpster area in my apartment complex they must be upgrading the washer/dryer's in some of the units. There was alteast 10 washer/dryer units sitting outside. (They're the mini units, only thing I dind't like when I got this apartment...)

Anyway, I recall hearing an old trick for cheap sheet metal for rust repairs was washers and dryers, other big home appliances, they use sheet steel.

If you notice my sig I ahve a '65 Triumph Spitfire under restoration. The body tub is in rough shape thanks to rust. There are plenty of dents on the rear quarers too. Much it it needs to be cut out and have new panels welded in.

Many of the new panels from Victoria British are quite expensive and from what I've heard are thin and rather cheesy.

So I'm thinking for many of the less complicatied parts I can easily form sheet metal to be welded in.

In that case, I may have stumbled across a big stash of free sheetmetal.

Before I make the lease office think I'm insane when I ask them if I can take the panels off these things, I just wanted to see if the metal I'll end up with is even worth the effort. I guess visual inspection is the best bet of course...

MikeThey are made from cold rolled steel in CQ (comercial quality), DQ (drawing quality) and DDS (deep drawing steel) depending on the part. All of these are low carbon type from CQ through DDS meaning less plyable to the most plyable. A typical DDS sheet can be stretched some 30 inches or so. In all cases they are not galvanized and will rust in short order if they are not protected by the paint, or baked enamel that is applied to them.

Hope this helps.

[texascorvette]

If they are really old, they might be porcelain-on-steel. Don't know much about different steel types, but there is no way you can make steel that has been porcelainized work.

[RCSignals]

I wouldn't use it for body panels. Get the old hood, or roof from a large car as suggested, or buy a sheet of auto body steel, or just buy the preformed body panels.
You may think you are getting away cheap using the washing machine stuff, but you'll probably find once it's all said and done, that you didn't save any time, or money.