Afternoon all

Question for all you with welding experience. I've practically given up stamping the VIN directly onto the chassis rail.

I'm thinking of making a plate and having it welded to the chassis.

As the chassis is powder coated what should I do? Do I need to locally remove the powder coat or the welding won't work or not.

Also what welding style would be best to create as little damage as possible to the surrounding powder coating.

I know nothing about welding and I'm just looking into the option as it would look a lot neater and reduces the dents in the chassis rails.

Any info on how to proceed if it's not madness much appreciated.

Thanks
Nigel

You will need to clean the area back to bare metal for an inch or two around the area to be welded. If you need any help with it then give me a shout - i have a MIG welder.

What's wrong with stamping the chassis rail?? You just need some fresh stamps and a flipping big hammer... Did the job for me...

Otherwise yes- you'll need to take off the powder coat a fair bit round the plate otherwise the welder won't want to do it cos it'll melt the powdercoat and make pooey smells.... You might also want to spray some weld-through primer on the exposed metal immediately after you take it off to prevent the metal under the plate from rusting....

can you not rivet the plate to the chassis?

wot ben sez.

it is mild steel so easy peasy to stamp.

there are technique to get letters nicely spaced - search posts - but as long as it is legible, then who cars? Car doesn';t go faster if chasis vIN is neat, or not that I;ve noticed.

One alternative is to stamp an aluminium plate and rivet it on.

I thought that it either had to be stamped or welded as it had to be an itegral part of the car?

If it could be riveted it wouldn't be a problem.

Stamped mine ok. Welded plate removable ?