How to: Body Work 101

[Glacier991]

I agree with /99 Sport/. There is a guy (Len) back on the East Coast who makes his living painting cars. His site is awesome. Best autopainting site on the net (in my humble opinion) with a very active board like this one. It is www.autobodystore.com. He is an upright straight shooter and has great prices on painting needs. Freely gives great advice! Has a video on the process too.

(He is also a strong believer is health issues in painting (as am I). A DIY'er should read up on Isocyanate issues and make his or her own decisions. I will paint outdoors with a charcoal mask. I will only paint ISO's indoors with supplied breathing air and a vent system. Check out his site!)

ps. I like PPG products, not saying there isn't other as good or better systems, but with PPG, as with others, it is a "system". Adopt the one you have a good supplier for.

 

[BenS]

Very nice, now what do you do with a crunched rocker panel?

 

[Blee1099]

Very nice, now what do you do with a crunched rocker panel?

That'll be the next one to start I guess.

 

[MONMIX]

Wow I made a stickey post !!!!!!!

I am honered

As for the rocker panel, cut off the old one weld on the new one.

 

[Blee1099]

Wow I made a stickey post !!!!!!!

I am honered

As for the rocker panel, cut off the old one weld on the new one.

was stickey'd.. I think having it listed as a useful thread is good enough. Now lets work on Body Work 201. Maybe something like Ben mentioned.. A quarterpanel or fender or door skin.

 

[MONMIX]

Now lets work on Body Work 201. Maybe something like Ben mentioned.. A quarterpanel or fender or door skin.

Bring me a victem

 

[ions]

What about 2 huge dents in my hood? j/k

 

[MONMIX]

here is the only " problem "
I am not allowed to do side work at my shop.
So we will need to find a place with an air compressor.

 

[ions]

Thats no problem i have an air compressor what type did you need?

 

[MONMIX]

Just enough to run a grinder and a DA.
Not a lot.

 

[ions]

Here are some of the pictures of my "dents" they are right on the lip of the hood so im not sure what needs to be done other than that my truck has a pretty good body tho


(dead photo links removed)

 

[MONMIX]

yeah that will take a good bit of work, but it is no nightmare

 

[WillieTD]

Very nice write up.

About your "tupperware", did you just remove that and not paint it? How is that held on?

See, I have a Limited that was apparently in an accident at some point before I owned it. The entire driver's side was repainted and they did an absolutely horrible job. The paint is chipping around the windows (I don't believe they removed the windows and only painted up to the molding), around the tupperware (apparently they didn't remove it), and even chipped off when I removed the pinstriping. I also have some "spider cracking" (don't know the proper term) on the hood.

So basically, I need the entire X repainted. I'm keeping it for at least a couple more years, even though I'm buying another vehicle soon, so it's worth it to have it painted. I'm not experienced with body work so I'm pretty much going to have to have it all done by a shop. But any advice anyone can give me in this situation would be much appreciated.

 

[MONMIX]

Yeah, I poped them off to avoid the paint edges that you are experancing.
Any self respectiong shop would do as such.
I did not paint any of my trim.
The wheel flare is held on with clips and 11mm bolts between the bumper and the wheel.
With the quarter interior trim off you will see the clips from the inside.
Pinch them with some long needle nose pliers and it will walk right off.

Have a buddy out side to catch it when it falls though.
The rocker trim is a bit more tricky. It has the identical clips as the wheel flare, but no rear acess. I would get a little lift with a clip tool and pop the little " feet " with
pick tools.

Sorry your paint job turned out crummy. Time to take it to a shop that cares about the end product.

 

[Savage Wolf]

here is the only " problem "
I am not allowed to do side work at my shop.
So we will need to find a place with an air compressor.

Wonder who you two know that has a open shop with a air compressor, welder and heat

PS: and happy to feed someones truck to the plasma rig :smoke:

 

[MONMIX]

so ya finally cleaned that place out and made some room hunh ?

Heater workin' ?

Works for me, lets see if we can cordinate schedules and get some materials.

 

[Savage Wolf]

its almost cleaned out as for heat... got propane? hehe
i'm working on finding a woodstove or two 55 gallon drums to make a woodstove out of right now

 

[Glacier991]

the smaller drums actually make a more size appropriate heater (g). I built one for a buddy many many moons ago and we used the what? 27 gallon barrels?

 

[thundertiger]

Depending on the type of primer that you are using e.g. 2pack you dont have to go any finer than 120 grit paper on the filler and just D A the surrounding paint with 320.

 

[Ranger Al]

Awesome job Monmix! I personally do not like body or paint. I would rather overhaul an engine any day! No wonders you guys charged arms and legs for the job.

Once I am in the subject of paint. The other day some stupid kid decided to take it out on the neighberhood. She walked along the sidewalk with a nail in her hand and keyed (scratched) everyone vehicles parked on the side of the street! Mine (2000 Ranger with tri-color) was one of the victim. It is a deep scratch, I wouldn't feel so bad if it was on the passenger side.

Here the question, can I buff it out with scratch remover or will I need to take it to the expert? I have insurance and $100 deductable. Would it worth the pain of doing it my self or leave it to the expert???