Mobile welder referral? Los Angeles CA

[Nate047]

Hey guys, I got around to dropping the rear end out of my car, and finally got a good look at the plate job the previous owner did. It looks kind of suspect to me. Here's a video:

https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/x7emi2bbapvemnr898wfb/e46RACP.mov?rlkey=r4eyxc3nc94zqyh5n5zlkhxjv&dl=0

So far I have 2 votes to redo the job and 1 vote to leave it. I'm leaning towards removing these and cleaning up the panel, and trying to get someone out here to weld on some new plates, and weld the wheel arch seam on the left side as well.

Does anyone have a referral for someone in the LA area, who is familiar with these cars and this job, and is able to make this work on Quick Jacks?

One other thing, my driveway is actually too narrow for a truck to get in the gate and back to my garage, I don't know if that matters or not but the gear would need to be wheeled in like 50 feet from the gate to the back of my house. Located in Marina Del Rey specifically.

TIA!

[nahvkolaj]

I have no mobile welder recommendations for that area but, yeesh, I'd redo those. They look epoxied maybe? If so hopefully their surface prep is just as bad and you can pop 'em off.

[heinzboehmer]

I have no mobile welder recommendations for that area but, yeesh, I'd redo those. They look epoxied maybe? If so hopefully their surface prep is just as bad and you can pop 'em off.

Agreed, those look epoxied to me as well. Heat gun and some prying should get them out easily

[Nate047]

Indeed they were put on with epoxy. This car has been one long, annoying, and never ending learning experience. I should have for sure just bought a car that didn't have this job "done," or bought one with proper documentation of the job being done well.

What I'm going to do is take my drill with the wire wheel attachment, my heat gun, a chisel, and just go after it. I want to first set up an appointment or at least find a welder and get an idea of time frame so I'm not stuck waiting for ages with the car just sitting there. It's anybody's guess as to whether there are cracks under those plates or not. I'm hoping to find someone who has done a few of these cars and knows the deal instead of just getting a random guy off google.

Strictly speaking, I COULD put the car back together and take it somewhere, but that adds a lot of time and cost vs if I can find someone who can dot a good job mobile. Maybe I'm dreaming.

[fattycharged]

I'm going to disagree with the "remove them" group. Epoxying plates is a non-issue for me, they would have applied epoxy and then secured them with the through bolts, but the corners that are "lifted" isn't surprising if they weren't hammered flat prior to epoxy. If I were you and I am in your same boat, I will be installing a 4 or 6point brace in the rear and getting on with it. Address the wheel arch cracking and leave the plates, your topside reinforcement should address the real issue.

[bigjae46]

You 100% need to remove those plates. If you are going to epoxy the plates then you need to seal all of the edges to prevent moisture and corrosion. And I can see evidence of corrosion in the video. You'll want to get all of the corrosion off and then hit any bare metal with a self-etching primer.

I say...buy a MIG welder, small gas bottle, and a welding helmet...learn how to weld! Although welding upside down can be quite tricky.

[WestBankM4]

When I bought my '95 M3, the rear tub was in terrible shape, a lot of rust in both left and right side boxes and spare tire well area. I was going to take it to a shop, but I did what bigjae46 suggested, cut out the sections I needed and bought a MIG welder. It was a cheap little Hobart, I practiced on scrap metal for a weekend and then I undertook the job myself using 1/8" steel plates from Home Depot. The job came out surprisingly good, although I was a novice welder, less than 5 hours under my belt I wouldn't have done it any other way. Afterwards, POR-15 and I was good to go.

See if you can borrow someones welder, the job isn't monumental, more prep work than actual welding.

For the E46 M3, I had a shop weld the under plates and then I used the Vincebar epoxy and rivet setup. I wouldn't epoxy bottom plates, the only chance you take by welding is the thin metal back there that may weaken due to heat cycling if you hold the torch in the area too long. Well also a chance of the gas tank exploding in your face if you don't remove it prior to welding. Full send brotha.

[Halftim3]

No mobile welder referral.

[/QUOTE] For the E46 M3, I had a shop weld the under plates and then I used the Vincebar epoxy and rivet setup. I wouldn't epoxy bottom plates, the only chance you take by welding is the thin metal back there that may weaken due to heat cycling if you hold the torch in the area too long. Well also a chance of the gas tank exploding in your face if you don't remove it prior to welding. Full send brotha. [/QUOTE]


This is what I did, plates welded by my local shop familiar to the chassis, then my dad and I did the topside vincebar epoxy/rivet version. I think that just welding or epoxying bottom plates is just a "bandaid" fix to the problem and the stress cracks will just form in other areas.

OP, I'm local to you, Pm me if you decide to install the vincebar for tips or assistance.