Body Putty / Dum Dum

[WillG]

Hi,

Doing some wheel arch and underbody preservation on a 1960 Giulietta, there are various gaps between panels which had been filled with some form of never drying type putty. I've pulled it all out to be able to de rust and paint (seems to have worked pretty well), but need to know what to replace it with. This Stuff from frost seems similar, but I don't need strips I need lumps of!

The gap between the inner wing and bulkhead is bigger enough to get your fingers in, so a few little strips isn't got to work. I guess I could mash them together....

So does anyone know of a suitable product, that ideally comes in big bars or tubs?

Someone recommended air duct putty/sealant as used in industrial air con, etc. but I am in no rush to ever do this job again, so would rather use the right product if poss.

Cheers

[tortop45]

dum dum so sort of stuff is great as you can take it apart in the furture ,but if your sealing it up to stop water getting in we use PU sealer / tiger seal which is flexable and can be painted over ,its much better than the seam sealer you get in a 1 litre tin made by 3m.....

[velocemitch]

Yes as above, the better motor factors sell it in cartridges applied with same gun you might use for around your sink.

Giulietta ??.... need pictures

[steveo3002]

id epoxy prime the bare metal and use a pu sealer , its the modern way they only used that because its all they had

[WillG]

Thanks guys. my biggest issue with sealant in tube is that the gap between the top of the bulkhead and the underside of the wing has no 'back' to it, it goes into the back of the dash. So I can't just pump this stuff in there as it will fall into the footwell! I need something with consistency of clay to block the hole.

Photo is not the greatest, but the latest!

[steveo3002]

can you get a better picture? any scope for taping the reverse side until its gone off?

you used to be able to get dumdum in tins but i guess its a thing of the past now

[tortop45]

As far as bunging up a hole cut up a plastic spreader the type that you get with body filler and stick it in place with you sealer.

[WillG]

Not a terribly good photo, but should give an idea. The height of the gap on the left is probably about 25mm, there's a shelf probably about the same depth, so there's a fair volume to fill.

The blue tab at the back is holding the wiring loom behind the dash. It's not easy to get at from inside so taping would be really rather tricky.

[droopsnoot]

For a gap like that I'd probably use butyl mastic putty. I bought some in a roll, but you can roll it up to form a lump and then press it into place to fill the gap. Caravan places sell it, mine was from eBay and not all that dear. If you felt the need you could probably put some seam sealer around the outside of it.

ETA - could you not fashion some kind of closing plate to cover the gap, and then use seam sealer around it? You could glue it in place, or if those two screw holes aren't used for anything else you could fix it through those if nothing behind the panel would be affected.

Edited by droopsnoot on Monday 22 May 11:21

[steveo3002]

you can fill that easy with pu sealer ...if need be run some in and then another smear once its dry

either tape the back side or run a brush down it to tidy it up

[NigelStn]

Sikaflex would probably work on this

[Lotobear]

Dum Dum was discontinued a few years ago.

Arbosil non setting windscreen sealant (in a cartridge) is very similar but I would use glazing tape for that sort of gap filling (look up Flexseal) - it's great as you can mould it like chewing gum and it will fill a large gap and remain flexible.

Tigerseal or any PU sealant is too strong IMHO and is actually a structural adhesive - you would never get it apart again.

Jon