Worst factory welds ever...

OldWarHorse300

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These welds found from -69 Imp, sad but true (...and somehow funny). I think this should be open for all make and models but factory made.
First pic from rocker panel/ quarter panel joint, second from rear lid hinge support (this was a reason why lid doesn't fit in a place).
After all I know I'm not a welder either...
Enjoy,
Mika
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quality made in the USA:poke:

But it doesn't matter stuff gets thrown together poorly everywhere in the world

Carsten
 
Dad always said we could build a finer car than the Germans but assembly guys won’t let us. The plants weren’t exactly filled with craftsmen.
 
They weren’t made to still be around 50 years later, that’s for sure!
 
Dad always said we could build a finer car than the Germans but assembly guys won’t let us. The plants weren’t exactly filled with craftsmen.
!

The "craftsmen" were in the pilot assembly area, who detrermined the build sequence of which part went where, first, so that the "assemblers" could repeat these sequences consistently with good results.

In the pictured examples, I suspect that "line speed" might be a factor? Each labor operation has a certain footprint in which it has to happen. In some cases, "just good enough to hold things together" to get it out of the body shop and into paint was all that could happen, I suspect. Once past that point, it was what was. Which is probably one reason there are adjustment slots in most sheet metal items which bolt on!

Unfortunately, assembly quality did not seem to be a Chrysler "strong point" back then, by observation. At least to the point that it seemed to be with Ford, back then, or what it appeared to have been on the slabs, from comparing our '66 Newport to our '72 Newport Royale (when it was new).

Enjoy!
CBODY67
 
The welds on these cars certainly aren't pretty but after 50+ years the two pieces of metal are still stuck together so I just say it gives "character" :lol:
 
You may not find a bad weld, but you will find oil all over your garage floor every time you park the car, at least from my experiences.

It's not really the quality of the weld, but the placement of the items being welded that resulted in the deck lid items not being placed correctly BEFORE they were welded. From what I understand, a segmented weld will deform the items being welded less as there is less total heat involved, which might be why a "tack" is done with the rest being brazed-in with an appropriate material for body panels? All of those functions would have been done prior to the anti-corrosion "bath" the body went through. FWIW

Understand, too, that the "factory people" know (through destructive testing and such) just how much and little "weld" is needed in particular areas. Segments of welds can result in a stronger, more durable situation than a solid weld that looks better to most of us. With body panels being more prone to deform from the added heat than the thicker stub frame channels.

Of course, when the pictured body panel welds are re-done in the restoration process, I highly suspect that they will be done more slowly and lovingly than an assembler might have time to take with them. Plus the addition of some anti-corrosion compound to the backside of the repaired area! As no "line speed" issues are operative in getting things done. In any restoration process, there are many items which should be duplicated (as in inspection marks, paint daubs, etc.), but fixing some of the factory mis-steps can just be a part of the whole "make it right/better" situation.

Enjoy!
CBODY67
 
It's not really the quality of the weld, but the placement of the items being welded that resulted in the deck lid items not being placed correctly BEFORE they were welded. From what I understand, a segmented weld will deform the items being welded less as there is less total heat involved, which might be why a "tack" is done with the rest being brazed-in with an appropriate material for body panels? All of those functions would have been done prior to the anti-corrosion "bath" the body went through. FWIW

Understand, too, that the "factory people" know (through destructive testing and such) just how much and little "weld" is needed in particular areas. Segments of welds can result in a stronger, more durable situation than a solid weld that looks better to most of us. With body panels being more prone to deform from the added heat than the thicker stub frame channels.

Of course, when the pictured body panel welds are re-done in the restoration process, I highly suspect that they will be done more slowly and lovingly than an assembler might have time to take with them. Plus the addition of some anti-corrosion compound to the backside of the repaired area! As no "line speed" issues are operative in getting things done. In any restoration process, there are many items which should be duplicated (as in inspection marks, paint daubs, etc.), but fixing some of the factory mis-steps can just be a part of the whole "make it right/better" situation.

Enjoy!
CBODY67


Don't worry, paint and cavity wax will be everywhere, in and outside, after body work! :D
Regards
Mika
 
Could have been a “Monday” car.
Or a temporary summer fill-in or relief worker when that piece went by. Summer temp people were not supposed to work certain jobs like body or paint shops but it happened.
 
A lot of the welds of the '70 fury verts were just as bad. Mine has a weld where the rockers meet the doorpost that looks like someone blew snot on it and called it a weld. It held though.

Dave
 
Keep in mind that 99.99% of the welds on a body are spot welded, they didn’t need to be welders.


Alan
 
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