I used to build a lot of old trucks and muscle cars "back in the day" (80's). The roller detent hinges were often left with no maintenance, and you would get the characteristic "groan-POP" often heard when opening and (particularly) closing the doors. Eventually they would fatigue the metal in the door bulkhead right by the hinge mount. The subsequent crack presented ever greater problems and had to be fixed or the door replaced before it would eventually (nearly) fall off. I can't begin to say how many I've seen like that. Sometimes you had to lift the door handle to get the striker plate to start onto the pin, particularly on the larger 2 door muscle cars with long heavy doors. Anyway, I've seen all sorts of attempts to fix them, few successful.
The best way I ever found was taught (well, more explained/advised) to me by a real old school body man from back in the days when led was in common use (50s and 60s) and many coats of hand rubbed lacquer was the norm on high end cars. He explained that the only way to fix it and have it last was to oxy weld it, and that the larger HAZ annealed the work hardened/fatigued metal so that it would be "good as new". He then demonstrated for me using the ubiquitous coat hanger for filler. Afterward I fixed many like that for me and others, never had one fail, though mine were never as beautiful and uniform as his. Of coarse you could anneal and weld, but the OA was just the ticket for that job, and could be done in most any home shop of the time.
Of course a large HAZ isn't always good, and that combined with the slow rate is ultimately responsible for the downfall of OA. I do miss it a bit, there was something a bit "zen" about the whole process. You had to settle into a comfortable (if possible) and stable position, nice steady hands, easy breathing, settle into a rhythm, and time just melted away (along with the puddle if you let your mind wander). Unfortunately my OA welding (like my GTAW) was more of a hot glue like affair, functional but usually not very "pretty".
Thats why i want a torch SO bad. besides all the OTHER good reasons to have one. I've found guys that have welded longer than me that dont even know it exists
they try arguing that im talking about brazing
I've had to show a few older mechanics the difference. seems its been dying for YEARS
