Large Holes in Body - How to Cover/Seal

[nyyankees588]

I have a Ford e250 Handicap Conversion Van that has two pretty large holes/gaps in the metal body, due to various changes related to the original handicap conversion.


The first is in the back-right corner and is a result of the gas tank being swapped from one side to the other for the lowering of the floor for the conversion. It's a half-circle shape, roughly 6in wide by 3in.

The second is located near the side door, I'm assuming that it's from where the handicap lift was mounted. It's about 6x2in.

Any suggestions for how to cover these areas and seal them from outside weather/leaks? My thoughts so far are:
1. Have a local fabricator/metal shop weld metal over the holes. I spoke with somebody that guessed that this would be expensive. AND they would likely not want to touch the hole located near the gas tank.
2. Buy pieces of metal, cut them to size, and bolt them directly to the body my self. Use caulk/sealant to ensure nothing can get between the areas.

 

[GotSmart]

JB Weld.  

You can cut metal to fit over the holes and mix up some JB Weld to seal it down. Clean it well before sealing

 

[ratfink56]

There are any number of excellent adhesives these days. Do some google research as to which will be best for the job. Cut some metal and stick the patches on.

 

[highdesertranger]

yep cut and form some sheet metal and attach it. you can attach it by bolting, riveting, gluing, welding, etc. you can also use some heavy craft paper or cardboard to make a pattern. highdesertranger

 

[nyyankees588]

Cool - thanks everybody. I'll likely bolt and use the jb weld product to ensure a secure fit. Will share the outcome once finished, hopefully this weekend.

 

[Bud Smiley]

Sheet metal and pop rivets would be my suggestion, along with a smear of JB Weld to ensure a good seal. Then some spray paint and you're done.

 

[Rayd888]

I agree with the Rivets and JB Weld option. I actually used to earn a living doing bodywork and many times I used this method instead of welding because it's so cheap and easy.

Sent from my VS996 using Tapatalk

 

[tx2sturgis]

With those weird shaped holes and the difficulty of getting the shape just right, I might be tempted to at least try using a piece of semi-flexible plastic, cut to fit, then glued down with some silicone or other sealant. 

You could use a few well placed self-tapping 'lath screws' to hold the plastic in place while the sealant cures. 

If you get the gaps sealed up well enough, I don't think you will have a problem with rust.