Follow-up to March 20 post on re-attaching VIN plate to '62 column
First of all thanks to Dick Whittington for the first to respond and recommending his choice of re-attachment to be spot welded as original.
That was my first choice as well but didn't know where to start to find someone who was able and willing to do such a small job. Well, after experimenting with various expoxies and other adhesives, I was still uncomfortable in attaching that way. So, this morning I headed out to a general-purpose machine shop located in rural area between Liberty Hill and Bertram, Tx. Shop owner told his head welder to see what he could do.
So out to the welding shop with freshly rebuilt steering column in hand, the welder reached upon a top shelf and pulled down a contraption I had never seem before. It was a portable spot welder with leads that plugged into his welding machine. Two long 1/2" probes with 90 degree bends on each with contact points and jaws that opened up to accommodate whatever was to be spot welded. I had him do a practice weld on a piece of pipe about size of steering column and a stainless VIN plate that I had taken off some other model Chevy in a salvage yard. Practice weld was perfect. So, with spot weld of two seconds or less, he welded each end of VIN plate over the existing spots and the job was done. He did file off the paint where the original welds were and on the opposite side of the column to allow current flow. The approx. 2" diameter of the column didn't matter. Don't think anyone could question the originality of the re-attachment.
I asked the guy to call the head office and tell them what he had done so they could charge me. He said, unless you need a receipt, $10 will be fine. So, I gladly handed him a $20 dollar bill and thanked him for his time, which wasn't much.
So, it seems I have a happy ending to the accidental removal of the VIN. Would highly recommend method to anyone in similar circumstances, especially with the column already removed. And, I think with a little extra effort by the welder leaning over the fender, this could be done while still in the vehicle.
Larry
That was my first choice as well but didn't know where to start to find someone who was able and willing to do such a small job. Well, after experimenting with various expoxies and other adhesives, I was still uncomfortable in attaching that way. So, this morning I headed out to a general-purpose machine shop located in rural area between Liberty Hill and Bertram, Tx. Shop owner told his head welder to see what he could do.
So out to the welding shop with freshly rebuilt steering column in hand, the welder reached upon a top shelf and pulled down a contraption I had never seem before. It was a portable spot welder with leads that plugged into his welding machine. Two long 1/2" probes with 90 degree bends on each with contact points and jaws that opened up to accommodate whatever was to be spot welded. I had him do a practice weld on a piece of pipe about size of steering column and a stainless VIN plate that I had taken off some other model Chevy in a salvage yard. Practice weld was perfect. So, with spot weld of two seconds or less, he welded each end of VIN plate over the existing spots and the job was done. He did file off the paint where the original welds were and on the opposite side of the column to allow current flow. The approx. 2" diameter of the column didn't matter. Don't think anyone could question the originality of the re-attachment.
I asked the guy to call the head office and tell them what he had done so they could charge me. He said, unless you need a receipt, $10 will be fine. So, I gladly handed him a $20 dollar bill and thanked him for his time, which wasn't much.
So, it seems I have a happy ending to the accidental removal of the VIN. Would highly recommend method to anyone in similar circumstances, especially with the column already removed. And, I think with a little extra effort by the welder leaning over the fender, this could be done while still in the vehicle.
Larry
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