I miss when metal was thicker on these older cars

Had a 78 Chevy truck come into the shop last week for a quarter panel replacement. The metal on that thing was like twice as thick as what I see on a 2020 Silverado. I mean I get why they do it for weight and fuel economy but man it was nice to weld on. You could actually grind it down without worrying about burning through in two seconds. Anybody else notice this difference when working on older stuff vs newer?

2 comments

2 Comments

piper_dixon4525d ago

The 78 C10 my buddy had was a rust bucket that weighed as much as a boat anchor, and the thick metal was the only thing keeping it from crumbling into dust. Modern high-strength steel and aluminum actually hold up better to rust and dents if you ask me. I've seen newer Silverados that took a hit and crumpled in the right spots, saving the frame, while old stuff just transferred the damage to the next panel. Plus, that thickness made the old trucks terrible on gas, and I'd rather weld on thin stuff with a new mig welder than fight with a rusty 40 year old quarter panel that's been patched three times.

elliotr3925d ago

Yeah, I totally feel you on that quarter panel. I welded on my dad's old 72 C10 last year and that metal was like a tank compared to a 2019 F150 I did last month. On the new one, I sneezed and burned a hole straight through. Honestly, I can't even blame the truck, it's probably because I'm still using the same cheap harbor freight grinder I bought in 2014. But yeah, thick metal was nice for us clumsy guys.