Anybody have the "best" way to fix/join broken pot-metal bars, sort of like (well, exactly like ) those found in our rear engine grates.

I have a couple that can be saved if I can find a good way to joint them. I'm thinking trying a tin-heavy solder, or maybee J-B weld.

instead of half-ass fixing them and having look shotty, why not just get a good set?

I was wondering that myself... Skitime's rear decklid vent comes to mind, although he never joined those.

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2006 Cobalt SS Supercharged
1986 Fiero GT 2.8L 4 speed

www.purevolume.com/seanrainey

A front vent similar to Skitimes is project #2...... Think 1970's Lotus Elite or Ferrari 308

repairing these is just the testbed to see how good jointed parts look/ how strong they are.

(I know, I can just buy fiberglass vents in that style, but doing that takes all the fun out of it.

Bernzomatic offers aluminum welding rods that may work for this application. You can use them with an acetylene torch. I bought some of the rods at HD to repair a spoke on one of my old school Mongoose Motomags, but haven't got the balls to try it yet. Maybe i will try it on an engine grate first. I didn't think of that and do have a cracked one.

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'87 2.8v6 5spd
Fiero

The ones I bought at HD were aluminum brazing rods. You heat the metal and "rub" the rod onto it; as opposed to typicla gas welding, where you melt the metal and feed the welding rod into the puddle. That type of rod may work on pot metal but wouldn't create a very strong piece.

I have real aluminum welding rod as well. It works well, but takes practice to use as you have a narrow window to get the puddle and feed it. Not sure what it would do on pot metal.

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That's probably what I had bought, the brazing rods, not welding rods.

What year are you dealing with? Aren't the early ones magnesium? Magnesium and fire are kind of a wierd combo to deal with I've heard.

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RickN
White 88GT 5spd
White 85GT Auto
White 99 F250SD 7.3PSD 6spd
1956 Ford 860 w/ Freeman Loader

NAPA sells a cast iron exhaust manifold repair kit made by Permatex. It is a metal epoxy that once dry can be sanded and shaped then painted. We use the stuff at work to repair potted aluminum frames on HP test equipment. Very strong and you cannot tell it was ever cracked.

Here is the link:
http://www.permatex.com/pro..._Repair_Compound.htm

quote Originally posted by Leafy: I was wondering that myself... Skitime's rear decklid vent comes to mind, although he never joined those.

I believe that Dave used JB weld to piece the custom grill together.

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87GT 3.4 Turbo- 0-60 5.2 seconds
2006 3800SC Series III swap in progress
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I'll second the JB Weld suggestion. That cast "white metal" is just about impossible to weld.

I made the grill on the front of my 328 by cutting two rear grills in half and joining them with JB weld and 1 inch of extra grill material underneath. It is very strong and the seam is invisible.