First Time Doing Body Work
02-17-2006, 02:39 PM
#1
6th Gear Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Hamilton, NJ
Posts: 15,042
First Time Doing Body Work
Its in the 5.0 section because this is the best section for any advice so I'm putting it here 
Yes, its my FIRST time doing body work and I dont have a clue what I' am doing I'm in the process of sanding down my doors and doing some bondo work. I know that there are a lot of little tips and tricks. Anyone willing to share Also, its not a throw together project so I need all the info I can take in. Also, whats the best body filler to use? Is there a difference? I will basically spend any amount of $ to get the best. Thanks alot guys!
Dan
Yes, its my FIRST time doing body work and I dont have a clue what I' am doing I'm in the process of sanding down my doors and doing some bondo work. I know that there are a lot of little tips and tricks. Anyone willing to share Also, its not a throw together project so I need all the info I can take in. Also, whats the best body filler to use? Is there a difference? I will basically spend any amount of $ to get the best. Thanks alot guys!
Dan
02-17-2006, 02:55 PM
#3
2nd Gear Member
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Pennsylvania
Posts: 349
RE: First Time Doing Body Work
Hey my brother knows some stuff about body work, maybe I can get some info from him. He is currently going to a vo-technical school for autobody collision. Just make a list of some stuff and I'll see if I can get you some answers.
02-17-2006, 02:56 PM
#4
3rd Gear Member
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location:
Posts: 693
RE: First Time Doing Body Work
Wish i could help you but my body work has been minamal. I have found that www.motownmuscle.com has been a better place to find out help with body work
02-17-2006, 03:24 PM
#6
4th Gear Member
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location:
Posts: 1,668
RE: First Time Doing Body Work
Dude do you have a fax machine avialable? I am doing the same right now and I have these 3 articles of people doing the step by step process that is totally awesome and helped me out alot! I am doing the same as you right now to first step is to buy:
1) Chemical Paint Stripper ( 10 Cans)- Sand the paint roughly first then spray this stuff on and watch the paint bubble!
2) Air or Elec Dual Action Sander (Orbital)- Get 60 Grit, 80 grit all the way to about 400 Grit
3) Pad Hand Sander- I bought 80-200 Grit used for around edges and trim
4) PLASTIC PANELS- these do not need to be taken down to bar plastic, you sand with like 120 grit until you have all the clear stripped and some paint, then prime it, then use a sealer before paint.
Its best that you read over all the stuff that I have its about 25 pages or so but it was a awesome lil read, alot of little tricks that the guys learnt.
1) Chemical Paint Stripper ( 10 Cans)- Sand the paint roughly first then spray this stuff on and watch the paint bubble!
2) Air or Elec Dual Action Sander (Orbital)- Get 60 Grit, 80 grit all the way to about 400 Grit
3) Pad Hand Sander- I bought 80-200 Grit used for around edges and trim
4) PLASTIC PANELS- these do not need to be taken down to bar plastic, you sand with like 120 grit until you have all the clear stripped and some paint, then prime it, then use a sealer before paint.
Its best that you read over all the stuff that I have its about 25 pages or so but it was a awesome lil read, alot of little tricks that the guys learnt.
02-17-2006, 04:45 PM
#7
6th Gear Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Hamilton, NJ
Posts: 15,042
RE: First Time Doing Body Work
Hey guys, right now I was just sanding the doors because they were red/primer/blue/grey. They doors has some minor dings and dents but as I started sanding (80 grit) I realized that there was a significant amount of bondo on the doors so I took it all down so I could really see what I was working with. Now I have a tremendously uneven surface and I need to make it PERFECT. This car is going to be show quality and might be painted black so everything has to be smooth as glass. I am just trying fill in all the little dings and dents on the doors and quarters. BTW Schwindty, my fax number is 609-631-9500 but dont send it yet because I dont know how much paper I have in there lol. I will PM you when I get home from work around 6:00 and you can send it to me whenever if you want. Any tips or tricks lol? Thanks guys!
02-17-2006, 04:57 PM
#8
3rd Gear Member
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location:
Posts: 552
RE: First Time Doing Body Work
Ive personally found that Fiberglass works better then bondo. Before i took my car to the paint shop i fiberglassed some broken parts in my rear bumber, and it worked wonders. Bondo just seemed to fall right off.
02-17-2006, 04:57 PM
#9
6th Gear Member
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location:
Posts: 7,657
RE: First Time Doing Body Work
I don't know a lot about body work, but for starters DONT use bondo, you need a epoxy filler. Bondo lets water get under it and it will rust out. First take the door down to metal as you have done, second get a epoxy primer and primer it 2 coats, third sand it with a 600grit maybe something a lil heaver, just to smooth it up, now I hope you are not using your hand to sand, make sure you are using a sanding block. next use your epoxy filler to fill in your low spots then let it dry and sand your filler, then use your epoxy primer again over top your filler and sand it and primer it over and over until it is smooth. then use a regular primer and paint it 2-3 coats of paint. If it does not look smooth in primer than it will look ever worse in paint. depending on how bad the door is you are going to have 25-100 hours in one door. Body work sucks I don't like to do it at all.