Visit our Popular Forums

Manning G · 10-04-2018, 05:04 PM

Hi All,
I'm SURE this is already posted info, but I cannot find it. I have a 71 Ambassador 29. The front end cap has 2 pretty insignificant cracks in it originating from rivets. I am not willing to take the whole thing out (the back bath is in my garage because of back floor rot). I saw someone mentioning MEK.
So I bought a can, drilled 3/16th holes in the end of the cracks and painted it on using a syringe and q-tips. Aside from making me sick (lesson- use the damn gloves when they say to

). The expected result was a "melting" of the two sides together.
No such result.
Long story short, if I knew what it is made of I can find a solution. Anyone? Hint: the front end cap does not seem to be the same material as the back bath.

Thanks,
Manning

Manning G · 10-05-2018, 02:16 PM

UPDATE:
I was premature on my evaluation. The MEK worked. When I went out to Lucy this afternoon, the cracks had melded together. So, if MEK works, then the front end cap must be ABS.

JohnnyAustin · 10-05-2018, 02:59 PM

I have to somehow repair my endcaps as well. Please let me know how this works out. Previous posts on this indicated that the endcap would need to be removed but it sounds like you did not remove yours.

Manning G · 10-06-2018, 06:05 AM

Hi Johnny,
I drilled a 3/16 hole on the very end of the crack. Actually I drilled it just beyond the end and as the bit dug the hole it encompassed the crack. I'm not sure that was necessary and if I do it again someday I will use a smaller bit.
For the crack itself, I bought some MEK (methyl ethyl ketone) at the hardware store. You only need a couple of cc's but the smallest amount I could find was a quart, and that took some looking. Several places had gallons. I put the crack in the position it needed to be in. Then I used a small syringe and "drew" over the crack several times, cleaning up with q-tips and a rag. It did not appear to have worked but the next morning they were sealed. I think it might have worked even better if I had lightly sanded the crack before hand. Not the crack walls themselves but the endcap surface over the crack.
This is pretty nasty stuff. I ignored the safety issues, got it on my hands and felt lousy the rest of the evening. The fumes are also potent. Use protection.
Good luck,
Manning

JohnnyAustin · 10-06-2018, 07:22 AM

Thanks for the reply. I've worried about how I was going to fix the cracks. I've got a crack at the bottom left and right corners of the shelves - both front and back. I pulled the Tambour doors out in front hoping to get rear access, but no luck. I really don't want to pull the endcaps down so I'm going to try your method.

Oh, and I hate messing with dangerous chemicals and always keep masks and gloves around for that purpose.

Manning G · 10-06-2018, 08:15 AM

I don't know how strong the bond is. I am afraid to really stress it, but there is no crack now. BTW, I did not remove the end cap. This was using the syringe pointed upwards on the crack.
Manning

featherbedder · 10-06-2018, 10:35 AM

Keep posted about cracks if stay closed or open again as many of us have same prob. w/cracks in end caps esp. front caused when rivets to close to ceiling edges.