CO> I'll tell you a little secret.  If you go to a commercial
 CO> communications store (a real radio store, not a Radio Shack), they'll
 CO> be glad to sell you a handfull of rubber plugs made to patch antenna
 CO> holes in sheet metal.  I once bought a Wildlife Department pickup
 BL> I didn't catch this whole thread, but I'll add my
 BL> two-cents and hope it might stir the inventive juices.
That's why we're all here isn't it?  Jump right in with the rest of us.
 BL> The father of my first girlfriend used to restore old cars
 BL> and he used to 'lead' up any holes he found.  I'm sure you
 BL> could find the procedure for this in almost any
 BL> restoration manual (or perhaps here ;).
Ahh, I know HOW to do it.  Problem is getting me motivated to do it (although 
a lug wrench properly applied across the top of my head will usually work - 
kinda rough on the lug wrenches, though).
 BL> IMHO, I've tried the body-putty, the fiberglass, and the
 BL> plug way - none of which have worked very well.  The putty
 BL> always seems to expand and contract differently than the
 BL> surrounding metal and eventually the hardened surface
 BL> (paint) 'orange-peels' occur.  The fiberglass is not as
 BL> bad, but a bear to work with.  I've used both the rubber
 BL> and the metal plugs, both of which let in just enough
 BL> moisture to rust the metal around the hole, plus the
 BL> rubber ones harden with time and become brittle - a quick
 BL> fix if you don't want to do any repainting and don't mind
 BL> the visible signs of 'plugged' holes.
You're absolutely right on all counts.  Remember, though, that I was fixing 
up a 'working' pickup for my hired hand to use when feeding the cattle.  I 
wasn't interested in a "show" truck (he'd have destroyed it in about two 
months).
 BL> The only method I haven't tried myself (other than the
 BL> lead) is wire-welding, but I'm going to try that to close
 BL> up the sliding window cutouts in the side of my panel-van.
 BL>  I heard that it takes special equipment and a steady hand
 BL> but lasts the life of the vehicle and since it's metal, it
 BL> works to a smooth OEM finish nicely.
Actually, wire welding is the easiest form of welding.  For sheet metal (or 
even thin plate), it's a breeze.  Beats the heck out of stick type arc 
welding.  Now, if you're wanting to weld a plate into the side of a 
battleship, you'd better go get the stick welder.
 BL> All the Best to you and yours,
Likewise.  May the wind always be at your back, the trail downhill and the 
Indians looking the other way.
Regards.  Cloyce.
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