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TOTW: Body work

7K views 20 replies 16 participants last post by  JEEPRZ 
#1 ·
Welcome to the next installment of the

Topic of the Week

This week, we're going to talk about body work.

I want more than just get the sawzall and cut it out. While this is a site dedicated to the hardcore wheeler, there are those out there who not only want to have a nice looking rig, but NEED to have a nice looking rig.

How do you expect to get and keep sponsors if your rig looks like if fell off the trailer on the way to the event?
 
#2 ·
In the midwest screen mesh is a great friend. I have made lots of $$$ off of bondo.

Jeeps are foul from the get go. Biggest problem is the frame :(

I can give specific mud filling tips to anyone, that is what I did to my past 4 Jeeps...my Willys is all metal, so get specific, fillin a hole or extending a rig I might have some decent info.

I would like to hear about body protection from everyone.
 
#3 ·
I just finished watching Trucks TV on TNN should air again later today and sunday. They showed how to make a compound curve in some thick sheet metal to make a repair patch for a rusty panely. shows some tools too like body hammers, sand bags, shrinkers and stretchers, etc. Also there are some video's available from the expert on the show. check out tnn.com and do a search. or i think www.truckstv.com
later
bob
 
#5 ·
just thought of something, does anybody know if you could take an oem metal fender coat it with something and use it as a mold to make fiberglass fenders so that that way if you bust one all you would have to do is go out to your garage throw some fiberglass and resin on it and make yourself an new set. I know most people usually make a wooden mold, but wouldn't metal be just as good?
 
#6 ·
cut radii

Hey, perhaps this one is off the beaten track a bit, but:

If I cut metal in the rear fender area ('62 -5), I want to strengthen the edge to reduce fatigue cracks. As the tub moans and groans during 'dynamic use', the raw metal edge is a source for crack propagation. I have no desire to add flares, but the concept of bolting one to reduce sheet metal flexing is attractive. . .

Does anyone has advice on rolling the metal edge to give it a radius, or folding it to give it some rigidity?

Thanks -

Geesh
 
#7 ·
beerisgood said:
just thought of something, does anybody know if you could take an oem metal fender coat it with something and use it as a mold to make fiberglass fenders so that that way if you bust one all you would have to do is go out to your garage throw some fiberglass and resin on it and make yourself an new set. I know most people usually make a wooden mold, but wouldn't metal be just as good?

Yep, use mold release wax it works killer.
 
#8 ·
I like to buff out those nasty trail scratches with 3M products and my porter-cable buffer. :rolleyes:

Buffer: http://www.porter-cable.com/cgi-bin/products.cgi?method=byid&prod_id=7428

3M paint polishing products

I use the quick change Velcro heads available at any good paint shop. Depending on how deep the scratches are I will use different products.

Deep scratches that need wet sanded: deep egg crate white pad using Perfect-It™ III Extra Cut Rubbing Compound

smaller scratches that cannot be felt with a finger nail I will use the dark gray egg crate pad with Imperial Micro finishing Compound or Finesse-It™ II Finishing Material either one will work first one is just more abrasive.

I finish up with the Machine Applied Glazes with a flat soft pad. This will get rid of the dirty wash mitt scratches and fine swirl marks.

I will warn you, if you plan on doing this it is an acquired talent. You can't just buy the stuff and expect to get it right the first time. Be careful, you can burn completely thru a layer of paint and get a good look at what color primer the factory used! :eek:

I was trained by a good friend of mine that has been a painter for years and years. I practiced on cars at his body shop. :D

For wax I suggest Zaino Brothers wax: http://www.zainobros.com/

This car won best paint at a local car show, it looked like someone had washed it with a brillo pad when I bought it. The steps above fixed that problem.



I have GOT to stop posting this bling bling drivel, intoxicated late at night! LOL :flipoff2:
 
#11 ·
Ok, so I don't do bodywork for a living, or much at all really, but with some relatively basic tools you can do a lot.

With a cheap set of body hammers and dollies, a slide hammer and maybe a porta power set you can do all kinds and stuff.

Granted with out a lot of practive it won't be great, mine certainly isn't, but its good enough to keep it looking "relatively" decent.

I just fixed the upper rear corner passenger side lip of my tub with a slide hammer and body hammers. It was crushed pretty flat, and in about 15 minutes, I pulled it and hammered it out to the point that with some sanding and spray bomb, it will look OK:

 
#12 ·
Some excerpts from my Jeep web site ...



Close-up of "The Crunch". Note the peak along the top of the tub. Ouch!
After a trip to the library for some body work books, it was time to get to work.
The first order of business was to start pulling the corner back out at the lower part of the seam.
At the same time the crease in the wheel well was pulled and hammered.
Both of these actions relieved pressure of the peak along the top rail of the tub.




I used a heat gun to take off the decal trim, but found it easier to spray on aircraft paint
remover and use a wire wheel to remove them. They just sort of mushed and melted off this way.
This distortion under the door was caused by the wheel well being pushed foreword and out board
when the rear corner was hit.
First, the bulge caused by the movment of the wheel well (a foot behind here) was pushed back in
to relieve the pressure that cause this wrinkle
A flat, rectangular heavy steel plate was used as a "dolly" on the inside and a body hammer on
the outside to smooth this back out.



A long (4 ft.) metal ruler is the best thing to have to achieve a straight side panel.
This is the only way to be able to understand which way to push the metal.
Note the vertical crease just left of the wheel opening caused by inner wheel well movement.
Holes are drilled along and in-between the crease lines to accept a "pick" to pull the metal out while hammering next to it and for stress relief as the sheet goes back in place.
The idea is to push the metal back in the reverse order that the metal was distorted.
You have to visualize how the metal was crushed and try to pull and hammer it back starting from the last movement of the metal.




The corner creases were knocked out from behind using a standard curved
"dolly" as a hand held hammer head.
Even the rear panel got it. And hard to get behind to work on!
With a large hole saw I cut two holes 1 foot apart from behind into the inner rear panel.
Then I cut the middle portion of sheet metal away with a cut-off saw. After that, it was easy
to knock the rear panel back into shape. A sheet metal cover panel will cover the surgery.
Then I'll screw on a steel patch panel on the inside before final installation of the gas tank.
Smaller, 2 inch holes were drilled from behind into the ends of the inner panel to give access
the bottom fasteners for the Off-Your-Rocker corner plates.
After seeing this damage, I'm all for body armor!
 
#16 · (Edited)
nasvik said:
Taso - post # 99 has you asking about the wheels... still a newbie....:rolleyes::flipoff2:

Jaffer - let's pretend you didn't want to cover up with panels. Then what? Weld to fill and bondo?

Paul
I couldn't help it. I'm a car nut moreso than a wheeler. I'm still learning :(. This is my old name which has 337 posts
-Tas
 
#17 ·
Re: cut radii

Geesh said:
...I want to strengthen the edge to reduce fatigue cracks.

Does anyone has advice on rolling the metal edge to give it a radius, or folding it to give it some rigidity?
I tried to find the web site with details and photos but you can trim the edge with something like 3/8 rod. You bend it to the desired contour then weld it in place. Grind it down to smooth the edges and maybe a dab of bondo to finish it off.

I saw this done once and it looked good and very strong.

-JeepX3
 
#18 ·
nasvik said:
Taso - post # 99 has you asking about the wheels... still a newbie....:rolleyes::flipoff2:

Jaffer - let's pretend you didn't want to cover up with panels. Then what? Weld to fill and bondo?

Paul
Paul - If you aren't going to put new sheetmetal in (and probably even if you do) and you really want it to look straight, then you are left to what you asked:

fill, grind, bondo, sand, sand, sand, prime, maybe wet sand, paint.

Like everything else the finished product is the result of prep work... especially when painting.

I have a nasty problem on my tub right now from the last erocc comp that I need to find a porta power to use to fix, see below. When I'm "done" I'll post a followup. I'm not after perfect, rather just "decent" so with some paint it will look reasonable.

The damage to the cowl is worse the it looks in the pic. The windshield hinge is depressed about 1/2" or more and the tub is pushed back maybe 3/8". I couldn't bolt the windshield back on if I wanted to.

 
#20 ·
When fiberglassing, if you don't feel like shelling out for mold release you can use most kitchen/lawn garbage bags. The bags are made from Polyethylene (HDPE or LDPE) which does not bond to most general fiberglassing resins. Tape the bag to the mold and go for it. The bag should come off the part with little effort when hard. any wrinkles in the bag will translate into the part. I usually use the bag method when i'm not concerned about the appearance of the side that is against the mold.

:beer:
 
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