Who on here has done their own body work?

bad68coupe · Jan 23, 2007

Anyone? I am curious as too the results, the regrets, things you would have done diffferently, wether you would have it done professionally? Most people are terrified as bodywork, just like electrical work makes them shake in their boots. But after slicing the wiring into smaller projects it becomes easier, i figure bodywork is the same. I know Bodywork is an art form, and electrical work can be but on the average car, is not, so please, share your experience.:SNSign:

xoxbxfx · Jan 23, 2007

bodywork isnt hard once you get the hang of it..I personally HATE IT but to poor to afford the pro's. If you have the cash, spring for the pro.

The key to bodywork is not using a power sander... you need a long board and some manual labor. Lay down the filler as SMOOTH as possible, it will save you tons of sandpaper, cussing and time.

View attachment 408563
View attachment 408565

Platonic Solid · Jan 23, 2007

xoxbxfx said:
bodywork isnt hard once you get the hang of it..I personally HATE IT but to poor to afford the pro's. If you have the cash, spring for the pro.

The key to bodywork is not using a power sander... you need a long board and some manual labor. Lay down the filler as SMOOTH as possible, it will save you tons of sandpaper, cussing and time.

I second that. Considering the amount of time and effort involved for DIY bodywork you'd be better off putting in some overtime at work to pay the pro's . . . unless you really love the smell (and taste) of bondo in the morning.

bloverby · Jan 23, 2007

I do all of mine as well as allot for freinds. Just as a hobby. To me the paint and bodywork is the most rewarding part of building a car. Do your homework and keep safety at the top of your list and you can pull off a good job on your own.

Not that hard if you take your time and pay attention to the details.

View attachment 408549

krash kendall · Jan 23, 2007

You need time and space. Space being the most important as it saves lots of time.
I hot rodded my '72 chev P/U years ago when I had both of the above mentioned items. From making replacement cab mounts and panels from sheet stock to welding, custom details in the interior, and the basecoat/clearcoat personally created colour. I wound up selling it to finance my trip to Australia. And I agree, the key is to not be tempted to use the power sanders.

1320stang · Jan 23, 2007

I think bodywork is what seperates the men from the boys. It takes a lot of time and effort..... and persistance, but can be very rewarding. Just like your wiring example, you get better at it as you go along. It's another one of those areas that if you tend to do things half-a$$ed, you're better off paying someone else to do it. Problem is, finding someone to pay to do it that doesn't do a half-a$$ed job themselves. I just got my compressor, still setting it up to be able to spray some sealer, so hopefully I'll be doing some sheetmetal work in the next year or so. I have most of the hand tools for doing bodywork, I want to get a pressure pot for media blasting ($140 for a Clarke 20# at TSC, WOOT!!!) and I've got a cheap gun.

danny clemens · Jan 23, 2007

I've painted a couple vehicles and did not do that bad. I'm working on another one right now. The first two I pretty much did on my own not knowing exactly what to do. The one I'm working on now I have the internet to ask questions on sites like hotrodders.com. Very helpful guys. I plan on this one being very good. If you have patience and are not expecting perfection I say go for it. You can hire it out but good professionals are very expensive.

truck90278 · Jan 23, 2007

I have done probably 20 cars over the years. Suggest doing your homework first, dig out articles from magazines on body work, be sure to check out the street rod magazines for guidance. There are also several books on body work which can be found at some of the major book stores or online. Visit a local automotive paint supplier for information on preparation materials and types of primers etc. You will have to invest in some equipment. Power sanders do have their place, especially the power boards which use 17" strips, but you need an air compressor for them. It can pretty much all be done by hand - takes longer. I'm currently having a shop do our '65 as I do not have the time or the place. They certainly use power sanders for roughing in, but finish the last several blocking out by hand. Shops like 1 Day etc, don't do any hand sanding to speak of. If you have rust, you may want to cut it out and have someone/shop to weld in the replacement panel. if you've never welded before, especially sheet metal, either practice a lot of have it done. Don't braze the panel in!

zookeeper · Jan 23, 2007

I painted my car myself and can't wait to do the next one. If I had it to over again, I could do it faster and better, but overall I'm thrilled with the results. I think the key is start with bare metal (or fiberglass) and finish one thing before going on to the next. Also, when in doubt, block the car one more time. There really isn't any magic to it, but I've sure seen my share of freinds who can't turn out a decent paint job to save their lives. It always seems to revolve around cutting corners and snowballs from there. If you're painting your car just to save money, you're doing it for the wrong reasons and you'll never be driven by the joy of doing something just to make sure it's done right. Like any other skill, you need to do as much research as you can, and when it goes bad, find out why and try to correct it the next time.

NasaGT · Jan 24, 2007

Here's some pics from the last car I did in our garage.

The before shot of our 87' LX 5.0, with faded original paint.

Here's what the 'paint booth' (the garage) looked like. The compressor is always outside while painting.
View attachment 408359

The front end

The roof

Color sanding

A few final shots

I'm a big believer in what others have said, power tools only for stripping the paint, and all sanding should be done by hand using blocks or board sanders. This is the first car I've ever painted in a garage this small, but it goes to show that it can be done. Patience is the most important thing when it comes to bodywork and painting. Shortcuts never work.

bad68coupe · Jan 25, 2007

First off let me just say the NasaGT that paint looks amazing. Now about tools, I know that sanding blocks a DA sander compressor and obviously a gun are all necessary to doing your own paint/bodywork, but are there any other tools that ya'll would recomend i.e. (dessication and dirt removal systems (what do ya'll have)) I have a nice set of Dura-Block sanding blocks but when i push on them i am afraid that i am not maintaining that smooth straight surface. What are ya'lls tips and what did you do to get clean air?

xoxbxfx · Jan 25, 2007

bad68coupe said:
First off let me just say the NasaGT that paint looks amazing. Now about tools, I know that sanding blocks a DA sander compressor and obviously a gun are all necessary to doing your own paint/bodywork, but are there any other tools that ya'll would recomend i.e. (dessication and dirt removal systems (what do ya'll have)) I have a nice set of Dura-Block sanding blocks but when i push on them i am afraid that i am not maintaining that smooth straight surface. What are ya'lls tips and what did you do to get clean air?

the durablocks will keep pretty flat. Sand in an X pattern...use the longest block that you can on the panel to help insure its straight. The 17" one is what I try and use the most. Use 2 hands when using it, dont just push in the middle. Only use the DA sander to knock down high ridges in the bondo, then hand sand the rest.

zookeeper · Jan 25, 2007

I've found that pushing down while sanding is a no-no. It causes you to sand filler out of low spots, which creates the low spot that you're trying to eliminate. If you find yourself wanting to push down to cut faster, try using a coarser grit. I start with 80 grit on a long board and get it VERY close before switching to finer paper. After 80, I go to 180 or 220 and leave it at that. I never sand filler with anything finer than 220. I know lots of people tell you that's a sure recipe for sanding scratches, but I've never seen any doing it that way. Once you get your filler done, shoot the repaired area with 3 coats of primer, then the whole panel with two more coats to give you something to block out. There's lots of ways to do it, but that worked for me.

bloverby · Jan 25, 2007

When sanding let the paper do the work. Light pressure is all that is necessary. Shaping filler with 80-120, followed by an application of 2k finishing glaze that is then sanded to 180 before priming is common. The durablocks are fine tools for hand sanding. 3m and Hutchins longboards are nice as well.

You should give allot of thought to the primers you choose. I recomend sealing all bare metal with an epoxy primer, for heavy filling a polyester primer is a good choice, and for final priming before topcoat a 2k urethane is the standard.

Here's a good video tutorial.
http://www.sherwin-automotive.com/media/bdp/repairedmetal/bdp_repaired_metal.html

As far as tools go a hobbiest doing 1 paint job doesn't need the same amount of tools as someone who does a ton of painting.

The Astro EVO 4014 (1.4 tip) and EVO 4018 (1.8 tip) are my recomendation for a quality budget minded gun. These are copies of the Iwata lph-400. They are LVLP guns vs. HVLP or compliant, they work extremely well with a small compressor, only need 16psi inlet pressure.
http://www.spraygunworld.com/Information2/Sales/Astro Pneumatic - EVO4014 Package.htm

A basic piping/filtering system can work pretty well for home use.

I like the Astro 2617 air filter/ regulator as a budget option. That coupled with a desicant snake, toilet paper filter or bulb filter at the gun are good choices for home use.
http://smartshoppersinc.com/SprayGuns-Accessories/accessories.html

Who on here has done their own body work?

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