Is lead filler worth it?

[Joss Walker]

I'm having some bodywork done on my car by Daytona and have a quote where the filler they plan to use is some kind of modern plastic stuff. I asked about lead, and they can do this, they need to get a specialist in and it will cost more money but they think that the difference in quality is negligible given the modern products available. I'm sure that they are correct and that I won't see any difference for the next few years or so, but does anyone have experience of the longer term characteristics? I want to keep my car for at least another 5 years (maybe more) and equally if you are going to do a job then you do it right, of course I want to balance this against excessive cost where it really isn't necessary.

As ever, thanks for your comments.

Joss

 

[delboy1974del]

I used to work in a BMW bodyshop where one of the old school Rolls Royce trained panel beaters could do it

Its a craft i'll give you that.

He only used it when joining new panels on ie the Quarter panel to the roof and rear panels but we always had to finish it with a light filler before painting it

Personally if the price is a major increase (and my guess is it will be !!) then i dont think its really going to be worth it as modern materials are of very high standard.

 

[colin944]

I would n't bother with lead. Modern fillers are really good . And anyway I'll bet you it's just a skim anyway,no body shop that's any good would use loads of filler on a car.

 

[Lowtimer]

If it were me (and come to think of it, it is me - I'm next in the queue behind you at Daytona) I would let them work with what they think works well for them.

 

[jdpef356]

Surely the original car joints did not have lead - Did it?[8|]

 

[colin944]

mine is in loads of bits and I have yet to find any lead.

 

[Hairyarse]

ORIGINAL: jdpef356



Surely the original car joints did not have lead - Did it?[8|]

Probably didn't have any filler either! lol

I agree as above, on the basis they're doing a good job any filler should only be a light skim anyway

 

[CarreraRSR]

Think of the extra weight of the lead!! Fine for filling a Rolls or Jag but but you don't need the extra weight when modern fillers will do the same thing

 

[bmnelsc]

Manufacturers were using lead as a filler for years - granted it is NOT a lot - on the seams where major body panels are joined. The porsche 911T being redone at the Porsche factory describes the process of removing the old lead (see US Panorama magazine or US PCA website on the 911T refurb). If they have stopped (I don't know that they have but I would not be surprised if they have switched to some type of epoxy) I would think it would have been fairly recent. So lead was very likely still in use when our 944s were built but I doubt that the amount of lead fill used is a significant weight addition.

The problem with traditional plastic fillers is that they adsorb moisture and therefore contribute to rusting at the repair sites. Also - they cannot properly clean and seal the back side of rivetted or spot welded repairs. Some years ago body shops started using plastic "welding rods" to fill gaps with rivetted or spot welded panels. This helped quite a bit as the body filler was then kept to the front areas of the repair where they would be properly sealed and painted.

Having said all that - in Canada rust is still a problem once it has established itself in your vehicle. I've seen many cars where sills/wheel wells have been "properly" repaired and 5 years later the paint is bubbling away again. Granted these cars are still winter driven and not cared for as a 944 would be. So - I would say that the workmanship of the repair is more important than the materials used.