I need a
replacement front apron for my 1960 TR3A. I found a used one, but
the large area between the headlights is "wavy" to the touch. Maybe 1"
wide "ridges" which are not visible to the eye ( the panel is oxidized
with very
minor surface rust), but you can feel them. I'm sure they would be
visible once painted. The apron is dent free. Without seeing the apron
it is
difficult to tell, but does your gut feel tell you to run away, or this
might not be impossible to bring back. Oh yea, the owner wants $450.
Thanks,
Sounds like the panel is basically good, the price
doesn't seem too far out of line. If you do buy the panel I suggest you take it
to a person who can get the metal straight without fillers.
I just inherited, er, bought
for $1 to prevent taxes, a 1959 Chevy
BelAir from my Grandmother. I'm thinking about restoring it to
'factory', e.g. not
a custom job, just bring it back to factory-new (running gear, body,
upholstery etc.).
My grandmother, and grandfather were klutzy drivers. No accidents,
single owner car, but has many small dents and long creases in the body
panels.
All the chrome has small dents and/or flat spots on it, both the trim
and bumpers, grill etc. Around the windows there is surface rust
(bumpy, but
feels very solid ... cheaply painted over by hand). One rear door has a
lower corner that looks like the outer
sheet metal has perforated due to rust. Can the dented chrome pieces be
'fixed' or do you suggest finding
replacements (even if the replacements need re-chroming)? Is it a huge
expensive long drawn out process to get the body fixed .. properly
(hammer-welded metal replacement, thin bondo at most, good hard glossy
paint)? How can I tell a good shop when I find one? What questions
should I
ask? Thanks,
There is a very good book (actually the only book I've
seen) on trim repair. It's called "How to restore metal trim" by
Jeff Lilly and is available from Classic Motorbooks.
For finding a good bodyshop, check with local car club members, ask around at
car shows, and when you do find a shop...ask for references or to see their
work.
I am asking this question for a friend who is not
online. He wants to remove the body of his 65 Coupe D'ville and does not want to damage
it. He had heard that a good tip was to close and lock the doors. This sounds like
good advice. Are there any other tips you might suggest? Thanks in advance.
I build a wooden jig on wheels to hold the body once
the frame has been removed, this supports it and allows me to move it around the
shop, into the spraybooth etc.
I have a 69 MGB---left rear leaf spring has been
welded onto a metal piece which appears to be a repair to the frame and floor
{due to rust}. Can frames be repaired and if so, what is the best way to
make repair?
The "B" body is a unibody so
it's not like the frame is a sepetate part like on a "T" series.
As far as repairing the "frame" almost all the structural panels
are available from Moss Motors for floors, sills, trunk panels etc,. Get
one of their catalogues or as it looks like you are in the Vancouver
Lower-mainland, go see Octagon Motors.
Hello, and thank you for the
sending the URL to your page to this newsgroup.
I have recently purchased my first British car, a 1970 MGB GT, (YEAH!!!)
and I needed to ask you a question please. It has the original
60-spoke wheels,
which are a bit rusty, not too bad, but some. I have tried everything I
know of to get them back looking good, and have removed some of the
rust,
but not all. Is there something else I can use, i.e., maybe some sort
of spray to get to areas I cannot reach?? Please advise.
Thanks so much!
My suggestion would be to dip the wheels to get in all
the areas and not damage the metal. I am currently restoring a customers car
with wire wheels and I walnut shelled them, but the tires have to be off.
Hi me again. Could you
tell me what tools I will need to start doing body work?
I was thinking I would start by doing rust repair on my 84 Escort's
lower panels and door bottoms...what do I need and how do I sand it and
prime
it/fill it etc? Any good books you can recommend along those lines?
thanks again.
I'm presently in the process of putting
together a "Tools" section for this website. I will be including
hand tools, air & electric tools and books. I also hope to soon get
around to putting together a supplies page for sandpaper, filler, primes
and paint so keep checking back.
I really
enjoy your web site. It has inspired me to finally begin making a
serious effort to pursue my long held dream of being able to do body and
mechanical work on cars of all ages. I am planning on enrolling in a
class
at the local vocational school at nights to learn welding. They are
teaching acetylene and arc welding--is arc the same as
mig? Unfortunately they do not offer a body shop class at this time. I
am interested in finding out if there are any resources in the net that
you could recommend to help me learn more (obviously your site is one)
Thanks for a cool site.
p.s. I wish you guys were near Boston Mass as I have a 64 wildcat that needs
rust repair and a paint job.
I have seen this hammer welding process before in books but have never met a
body guy who did it. I have tried a little body work on my old truck with
poor success. I have a small arc
welder and have been using 1/16 rods. I
either burn my panels or get very week welds with lots of carbon
and bubbles. I thought it was too hot but I can't seem to get a bead
going at a lower
voltage. Any thoughts. It seems that all you body guys use MIG
welders.
What is this arc welder made for?
Any books to read on welding or bodywork?
Basically an arc (stick) welder is great
for welding thick metal together like a frame or trailer hitch, a mig
(wire feed) welder is for more delicate work like sheetmetal. You can weld
thicker metal with a mig but an arc is easier.
Enjoyed the fender repair
article. How do you tackle a blind side one (can't get at the inside to
clamp it) for
instance on a van where the exterior is covered by a double sided panel,
or say an outer door skin?
Will the 120 volt MIG welders cover body work sufficiently (the more
expensive ones with variable amp settings) or is one further ahead to
spend
the additional and get the 220 volt model? I already have a 220 stick
welder for heavier jobs.
thank you in advance for your help.
For bodywork a 120 volt mig is ideal, but do
get the gas type as the flux core wire is not well suited for bodywork.
On a blind panel your best bet as a non professional is to install a
flange patch and weld it in with a mig. The added support of the 2 layers
if metal will reduce warping and only minor filler would be required.
Congratulations
on an interesting, informative site. I have already learned
a couple of helpful hints for my own resto, which is the subject of my
question(s). I purchased a 1964 Chrysler 300, as a first project car,
and it needs a
fair amount of bodywork. One of the questions on your site dealt with
removing large areas of surface rust. This is one of the problems with
our
vehicle. The roof, trunk lid, and the hood all suffer from a fairly
large amount of surface corrosion, with a small amount of pitting in
certain
areas. You said that sanding/grinding are unacceptable for removing the
rust, and that is should be blasted. For the hood/trunk lid this is
fine,
as they can be separated from the vehicle. However, can the roof of the
car be blasted? I'm new to the car resto experience, and do not know
whether or
not it is possible to mask things off for blasting. There are chrome
trim pieces around the door frame which would get hit, and there are
trim pieces
on the top of the rear fenders which would get hit as well. Among my
other
questions are: is it
possible to blast the outside of the car, by masking
or covering windows/trim/etc, and sealing any possible areas where the
media could get inside the vehicle? Along the same vein, how would one
go
about removing rust from the inside of the trunk, specifically the floor
of the trunk? The metal is still solid, but it does have a layer of
thick rust
on it. Also, how expensive (generally) is it to have bumpers rechromed?
That is about all can think of at the moment. I appreciate your page,
and
thank you for any help you can provide.
Duct Tape is an ideal material for masking
off areas you do not want to be stripped with a bead type blast. If you
are going this far with your resto, why not strip off the chrome, the
final paint job will look much better too. Having had MANY cars blasted,
you will never seal out the blasting media from entering EVERYWHERE. Get a
good Vacuum!
I am working on a '48
Plymouth Coupe. The floor on the left side needs
replacing to the center hump. The rockers also need replacing. I have
new NOS outer rockers and was able to measure and have some inner
rockers made to the correct size and angle. My question is: Should I
support the body when I cut the bad section of floor and old rockers and
if so, what is the best way to do so. The doors line up nice now so I
don't want the body to sag. The section of floor under the door is ok
so I will not be cutting it out. This is not a frame off, just trying
to make it safe and presentable.
Leave the floor in when you replace the
rockers, this will add structural stability to the body, also leave the
door on so you can get your door fit prior to final welding. When you do
the door fitting, make sure the car is on it's wheels, there is a surprising
amount of flex in the frame. It is even advisable to have the drivetrain
in as the weight difference adds to final frame height and body fit. Then
cut out the floor and replace it.
Hi again!! I like what your doing here and I hope you can help me
again
I recently incurred some Grand-daughter damage to my 25th
anniversary Trans-Am. She opened another car door into it and dinged it just
behind the drivers door and left a nice vertical crease there just below the
roll of the body. I'm wondering if I should let one of the ding remover types
repair it, how effective is that process, can I do it myself, or should I just
go to a body shop!! First damage in 5 years!! I guess I'm lucky!! Thanks for your advice!!
Those ding removers are what the old
panelbeaters of years ago did (and I still do). They work "with"
the metal removing dents by reducing "metal stress" and allowing
the "memory" of the steel to "spring" back into shape.
This method is called the "Fairmont" method of metal repair.
This is a quick, penny-pinching question:
My girlfriend's car got side-swiped and the other car, a Bronco,
cut her rear quarter, both doors and front quarter panel open like a
tuna can.
There's about a one inch gap (at the farthest) that's plainly
unsafe to walk
by. Her car, a '90 Acclaim isn't worth sinking restoration or
repaneling costs into. In fact, the insurance company just "totaled"
it, but of course
it drives fine. So my question is what can be done as a
do-it-yourselfer type job? I'm thinking a roll of handy duct tape and
Bondo. Your opinion? thanks,
This is a tough one for me to
answer.....my opinion is to repair it right and do the best job possible.
To me duct tape and bondo are not an option....but that is just MY
opinion.
I have an old Porsche 914 that has some fairly serious rust in the engine
compartment around the firewall and inner wheel well area. I wanted to buy
some
18 gauge galvanized metal panels from the Eastwood Company, rent a
110V Mig welder and do my own rust repair by cutting, shaping, and
welding
in the new replacement metal but I was warned that using
galvanized steel is not a good idea because the standard steel to
galvanized steel weld is
not strong and also that welding the galvanized steel produces a
lot of slag and bad fumes. Can you please comment on this? I would
prefer to use
the same gauge and type of metal that my car was originally made
with. Do you know where I can by such sheet metal panels in Vancouver?
Thank you,
Don't weld galvanized steel! The vapors
are extremely hazardous to your health. You could use a 20 gauge cold
rolled steel available at almost any metal supplier in Vancouver like
Wilkinsons etc. Personally I use Deep Drawing (or Aluminum Killed)
steel that is far more moldable and shapeable, I buy it from California in
1000 pound lots, if you would like to purchase small amounts I would be
happy to sell you some but it is more expensive than cold or hot rolled
steel.
I've been reading your FAQ page and I think it's fantastic! My question:
I've sandblasted the surface rust off the lower edges of the front
fenders on my 77 MGB and things look pretty good. But inside the fender
well, is a thick coat (1/8" or so) of undercoating. I'd like to remove
this because I'm sure there's been a few rocks that have made their way
to the metal and will eventually lead to rust. How do I remove the
undercoating? Should I use a larger grit in the sandblaster, or should I
look to a chemical stripper?
Thanks for the help,
I've found the easiest way is to heat the u/coat
slightly with a torch and scrape it away with a putty knife, it just clogs
sandpaper.
I have a question, it is finally time to get a 1959 Austin Healey
"Bugeye" Sprite stripped. There is none in the Area (Austin, TX) whom
does dipping, so the next step was to fine someone to blast stripping,
everyone whom has been recommend only uses sand #4 is this going to work
or should I keep going until I can find one to use walnut shells or #5
sand.
I like Walnut or Plastic Media personally, I am
surprised no one in Austin does dipping!
I very much enjoyed your panel repair. I noticed that you used
18 gauge
steel. When I asked my local steel dealer what I should use for body panel
repair he recommend 20 or 22 gauge because the 18 gauge was stiff and
hard to bend. I have a 1950 Willys Jeepster that needs some holes in the
body filled
(round holes from mounting radio antenna, mirrors etc.) and lots of rusted
out floor pan repair. He said some people use 20 gauge even for floor pans. I would
appreciate your opinion as this is a learning project for me. I also noticed somewhere that you mentioned
using 4psi gas pressure on your mig
rather than the recommended 20psi. Is there a reason for this other than
conserving gas?
Thanks,
There is nothing wrong with 20-22 gauge, if you
were working on modern cars it is probably the same gauge, if you are welding 18
gauge to 22 gauge you must adjust the torch or MIG for the differences in
thickness of sheetmetal.
In welding with a MIG the 4 lbs is all that is necessary, but if you wish to
waste gas "crank it up".
Is leading any "better"
than bondo for preventing future rust and how is it for longevity when
compared to plastic fillers?
Thanks,
The term "Better" is debatable.
Technology changes, when Henry Ford built the first Model T plastics were not as
widespread as they are today, his color choice was black, his filler was lead.
Was a Deusenberg "better" than a Ferrari? Today
we have urethane paint, plastic bumpers and seat belts. Lead was "the"
thing to use before modern bodyshop supplies became what they are today. (Bill
Harrah used thin coats of "Bondo" on the restorations in his
collection). Today's plastic fillers are cheaper, require less clean up and
equipment and are every bit as good a filler as lead, in fact with today's 2
part paints you shouldn't use lead. Neither lead or plastic is a determining
factor to rust, if you apply either to a panel that is rusty it will still rust,
if you start with a "clean panel" and prep and paint all surfaces
correctly they are equally good. If you live
in a State or Province where environmental concerns have banned the old style
paints you can't use old style fillers, personally I like what technology has
given us, like this computer I'm using now, and the new paints I'm using. If you
want me to restore your car and use lead and enamel paint, I will, if you want
the durability, hardness and "wet look" shine of Urethane I use
plastic fillers.
Below is an answer back to the MGB
Newsgroup, it is by Kelvin Dodd (and reflects his opinion not that of the
company he works for), as it so eloquently explains the fitting requirements of
(factory supplied) fenders, I asked if I could reprint it for all of the people
with the same questions.
Thank you Kelvin.
We have been working with a local customer who has installed a pair
of factory fenders on his '69 MGC. The fit up at the windshield edge was
very difficult to make acceptable. The supplied fenders appear to be
consistent and it is difficult to tell if this is unique to his vehicle or a
tooling problem.
There is a lot of movement in both the fender and in the inner wing
structure of the vehicle, so fit and adjustment is required any time a
fender is replaced. You cannot throw any MGB fender on a car and just start
tightening bolts. When you remove a fender you will find all kinds of shims
and sealant used by the factory to get correct fit. If it is possible to
salvage the original sheet metal, then in all cases that is the best way to
go. Today's collision shops are not usually staffed with careful fitters
who are able to correctly fit sheet metal at reasonable labor rates.
Getting the fit and lines "right" on any LBC is the most difficult
procedure. I am currently replacing the front fenders on my 79B with early
fenders, so I do understand the problem. The replacement factory
fenders fit pretty well, but the RH one is going to take some careful
lining up to
get the door and chrome lines right.
The repro fenders for the BGT are sourced from the UK, typically
these do have more problems than the factory ones. The bolt line stamping
is also not as nice as the factory ones. They may also have metric captive
bolt threads. Color and consistency may vary but they are suitable for
everyday use.
The Rover supplied sheet metal does have Cathodic protection paint
coating. The label states to check the instruction manual regarding
painting. Since I have not seen such a manual I am unable to state if the
coating should be left on the outside panel. Anyone in the UK familiar with
this form of protective coating???
Other supplied sheet metal such as BMHT panels are coated in a thin
topcoat. This is for rust prevention in transit and storage ONLY!! This
coating is not suitable as a primer as it is not porous, or designed for
good adhesion. These panels should be stripped to bare metal before
painting and primed with a suitable bare metal primer. Think how many
greasy fingers have been over these panels before you receive them.
Hope this info helps/sets the record straight/makes people giddy with joy.
Your answer on the FAQ said that lead will outgas and cause problems
with Urethane paint. Is this true for lead applied a long time ago?
Won't the primer hold it back? I want to use a non clear coat urethane
on my Jensen Interceptor which has a lot of lead filler from the factory. Thanks,
Hi Ken, (Ken also has a BEAUTIFUL 100 Healey!
It's an "S" isn't it?) Don't be too concerned with the factory leading
as it has leeched all it is going to by now, but don't touch it up with more
lead. A lot of the leeching is the tallow residue of fresh leading as well.
Leave the old lead in and refinish as necessary with a thin skim of plastic or
"Metal to Metal". After I finish the TOOLS section I will be adding a
supplies section on the different products, uses, applications and Mfg.
contacts.
Nice page, very informative.
I have a wire feed welder (no inert gas) and have been restoring my own 68
MGB for a while now. I have only done structural welding as this involves thicker panels that are easily
welded. I have not done any cosmetic body work yet and fear that I can't do it
without getting the MIG attachment. The practice I have done at the
lowest power settings, just blew through the skin....What size wire were
you using? What type of gas?
Thanks,
For gas I am using a standard 25/75 Argon/CO2 mix
at 4 lbs pressure (Don't be fooled by the mfg. saying 20 lbs. unless your out in
the driveway with a strong wind). I use .23 wire for sheet metal. You will have
real trouble with flux coated wire on a non-gas machine.
How difficult is it to change door skins, it is a future consideration,
the local TR parts guy says to not attempt this. My doors are not rusted
just wavy.
I would strongly suggest re-skinning, but a GOOD
body man should be able to "work out" any waves.
Did some prep work on one of the BGT
fender this am. Looks like it might
be easier to replace rather than patch some of the rust spots. I see
Moss offers Original Equipment and Reproduction versions of fenders. The
reproduction is about 1/2 the price. Has anyone used one of these and if
so what how did it compare to the original? Any problems with this
route?
No matter what the name or how
they badge them, they are both
repros, one by BMHT and one out of (probably) Taiwan. Both will require
fitting, The British Heritage will require LESS fitting. See my MGB Ft.
fender repair in the how to section of my website. You may opt to fix
than replace.(Hope this helps)
I am at the very early stage of doing bodywork so my questions will be basic.
Why did you walnut shell blast the old fender and sand blast the patch piece?
When you hammer the hot weld, should it be done immediately as the weld is
made?
I walnut blasted the fender because I sent
it out to a shop to have it done. I send out one MAJOR load out to the blasters
every couple of weeks, as necessary. I sandblasted the patch panel because I
have a small (24x48") sandblasting cabinet for small parts, quick cleanups
and patch panels like this.
Yes the weld should be hammered immediately after the weld is made, you will
notice the welds are all spots not beads and each spot is hammered immediately
after being done to eliminate panel warping it.
Ok, I
have a '42 deck lid that is rusted out in several areas at the
lower outer section. Nothing above 2 1/2 inches from the bottom, but the
area is full of holes that were poorly patched with brazing and
Bondo. What is the best way to remove this area and replace? Should I
cut the
lower section with a cut off wheel and tack in new sheet
metal with a
butt-weld? the inner core is very pitted and I don't think my
sandblaster will get at all the rusty metal sufficiently to remove all
adequately. I am supposing that they no longer make any replacement
skins for the coupe and cost
would be too high anyway. What is the best
way to remove a deck skin on a deck lid? The coupe deck handle will be
shaved and I'll likely be putting in a license holder cut out at some
point.
Using a cut off wheel is probably the easiest
way of getting rid of the affected area. I would probably recommend using a lap
joint to replace the cut out area as it will add structural rigidity to the
panel and as the area is inside the door water getting into the joint will not
be a factor. Check out our How-to's as I have a
butt welded demo planned.
Is there a way to determine the depth of a
filled area with out digging the filler out?
I suppose if you have access to the back of
the panel you could "mike it" using a micrometer or a home made gauge
tool. I will illustrate how to make this gauge tool within 1 week in the How
to's section by checking in the Coming Soon Page
Barring this, dig it out and see what is there, if you ARE doing a restoration,
I always take it back to bare metal.
I'm getting ready to begin practice work for
some minor body mod's on a 66 caddy. I've heard that it's real easy to burn
holes through the sheet metal, warp the panels, etc. Are these just fear mongers
or is it as easy as it looks (with a little practice of course). What can you
offer as far as mig settings, preferred techniques you've found helpful, etc. And no I won't be
welding by brail.
Well , yours is not the first question on MIG
Welders so in our Coming Soon section I have
included some up and coming shop projects that will answer the questions you and
others have on this subject.
To answer your question briefly now, WITH PRACTICE almost anyone can
handle welding in or modifying panels, by far the easiest is the lap joint
method, though not as visually appealing as the butt joint method, but
each will be covered in articles here soon.
...has anyone replaced the bottom six inches of the driver's side front
quarter panel (wing) using the replacement panel available from Moss? If
so, any tips (OK, instructions) on removing the old bottom six with minimal
damage? How to clean up inside in order to delay the return of rust? I have a dremel and a drill, but not
much else in the way of power tools. Also, on how to affix the new panel
properly for welding? (I will be having a friend do the actual welding, but
would like to have it "ready to weld" for him). My bodywork experience is
limited to "pop-rivet backing plate and bondo" but I would like to do this
right.
Of the various methods available of joining patch
panels, by far the easiest for the home hobbyist would be the lap-joint
method. This produces a rigid joint with less chance for panel warp and
easier welding.
This method will necessitate the purchase of a few inexpensive tools:
-
straight cut aviation sheers
(available at a hardware store)
-
A hand panel flanger
(available from Eastwood)
-
2 pair of vice grips or 2
c-clamps (available at a hardware store)
-
Take
the fender off the car and lay the patch panel on top of the area to be
replaced.
-
Draw
a scribe line where the panel stops on the fender.
-
Draw a second scribe
line 3/8" (1cm) DOWN from the 1st scribe line.
-
Using the aviation
sheers cut off the the bottom at the SECOND (bottom) scribe line. Mark off
3" (7.5cm) on either side of the scribe lie & clean off all paint
& rust to bright shiny metal.
-
Using the panel
flanging tool, make a depressed flange across the bottom of the fender. (The
flange made will give a 1/2" flange (1.25cm))
-
Now, line up your
pieces for best fit, as the flanger made a 1/2" flange and you only
allowed 3/8" extra there is 1/8" play for correct fit. When the
panels are in the correct position use the vice grips or c-clamps to hold
the position ready for your friend to weld it.
What is the best method for preparing/conserving bare metal surfaces during
a lengthy renovation project?
Basically there are only two methods of
preparing/conserving metal surfaces, one is to immediately prime the area with
either an Epoxy, High Build or Acid Etch primer. The other method is to
preserve BARE metal. Depending on the stripping method (and there are many
commercial and home ways of stripping) the parts can be Phosphated, I
know of only the commercial method of Phosphating and this is available
by a company called REDI-STRIP (630-529-3626) with locations throughout N.
America. Phosphating is done by bathing the parts in a special solution
which coats the part in a zinc-phosphate solution, this phosphate coating is
the same thing that the metal manufacturers use to protect metal sheeting, is
paintable (primable) but I would not recommend outside/damp storage of the
parts. I had my Healey BJ-8 stripped and phosphated by Redi-Strip in
Vancouver in December of '91 and the bare surfaces are still rust free
in 1999.
... sure wish your shop was a bit
further south!
One area that would interest me is: It seems most replacement body
panels for the TR3 (and other LBCs I suppose) have to be "tweaked" to
fit as the original bodies varied greatly over the course of production.
What does such "tweaking" entail (sorry but tweak's the word I keep
hearing)? Is it minor twisting, panel beating, heating or whatever? Is
someone with little experience but time & patience likely to achieve a
satisfactory result?
Don't ever worry about distance, the current
restoration project is owned by a man from San Francisco, he only has to pay the
freight one way, as he's driving it home.
"Tweaking" is making the panel fit, it could involve some
minor bending or twisting (re-contouring) a bit of panel beating (re-shaping),
(a little bit here a little bit there) it almost never involves heat (heat
distorts the panel). There have been some jobs where the front fender's were
either too short or too long and the rear folded seam had to be unfolded,
straightened and refolded in the correct spot to make up for as much as
1/2" (over 1.25cm) in length. Believe me this is not uncommon with aftermarket
panels and it's not just us with LBC's (Little British Cars), I've done it on
fenders and door skins for '69 Pickups.
With time and patience you can learn how to do it yourself, I recommend the book
below as a start. Try to find a local restoration shop in your area you could volunteer
to "help out" (read "work for free") in, one day a
week. Many shops appreciate the help and will teach you the practical
that the books just don't.
Since I'm no where near you, I have this question.
Could you describe the proper technique for using body hammers and dollies
to straighten and/or fix body panel imperfections?
That's OK, I answer questions for my neighbor's
too... (Just Kidding)
I'm not really sure if what you are asking is "How to use a hammer
& dolly", or whether it is "How do you read the metal to
know which type of hammer and dolly to use, where and when to apply heat (and
whether to quelch it with water or let it cool naturally), should I shrink or
stretch, should I be hitting ON the dolly or OFF the dolly."
I didn't mean to be so long winded for no answer but the hammer and dolly is
just the tool, the metal is what you are working. There is an excellent book to
read that will answer all these questions it is called "The key to
METAL BUMPING" by Frank T. Sargent, it was originally printed in 1953
by Martin Tool & Forge (a large supplier of metalworking tools ). I suggest
you pick up a copy it is available in reprint from Classic
Motorbooks.
I'm having a problem
finding a bodyshop that is willing to do the bodywork on my special
interest car, don't they want the work?
That is a very common complaint,
and you are not alone. Bodyshops make most of their money doing
Insurance claims, the quality, materials and pricing is set and
guaranteed to them. We come in with our restoration projects and they
have a difficult time pricing out the work. Hidden damage, hidden rust,
lack of knowledge where to find the parts for older vehicles and the
time the car is tied up in the shop not being worked on (or making them
any money while they wait for the parts to arrive). In many cases the
shop personnel is not trained to work on older vehicles, restoration
methods such as hammer welding, leading and non-unibody construction is
not known to them. Sometimes it is just as easy to forgo this kind of
repair work and concentrate on the more profitable work.
If you do find a shop that will do this for you, at reasonable prices
within reasonable time, treat them with kid gloves, they are rare &
dear!
Why is it that shops want to supply their own parts when I think I can get them
cheaper by supplying them myself?
Repair shops make 1/2 their profits
from labor sales and 1/2 from parts sales, should you take away 1/2 of
their profit, their overhead will not be covered and they loose money.
I once did the Ft. suspension on a fellow club members T-Bird, the
cars ft. suspension was totally ripped apart in my hoist and I needed a
kingpin. In slightly over 2 weeks he had located and was having shipped
(by ground) a kingpin from 2000 miles away because it was $50 less than
the price I could have the same part in my shop the next day. I never
did calculate my lost revenue on that hoist for 3 weeks! Never Again!
Another point is that replacement parts come from MANY suppliers and
MANY qualities. Should you supply an inferior part, possibly because it
was $20 cheaper but it takes the shop an extra 2 hours to fit that
part, their lost labor is far greater than your saved $ and that
additional labor time may be passed on to you therefore costing you FAR
more than you saved on the part.
I purchased a set of floors for my MGB but when I went to install them
they don't fit and they advertised they were OEM (original equipment
manufacture), why?
I have not found a replacement
panel, fender or door skin yet that is BOLT-ON. All purchased panels
require fitting it's just some are better quality and require LESS
fitting. If you purchase panels talk to club members, fellow restorers
or local restoration shops to find out what panels they have found best
for your particular car.
I have heard lots of horror stories about plastic fillers
(Bondo) are
they really true?
Let me tell you the horror stories ARE
true, but not how you might imagine.
When used correctly as per the manufacturers directions they are a
wonderful tool, Bill Harrah's Reno Restoration shop used plastic fillers
in their restoration work and their (now mostly disbanded) Collection
was world renown.
The plastic filler compounds out in the market today come in varying
qualities ask your local jobber which one he recommends. Use the
manufacturers mixing instructions and always use fresh filler (not the
one that's gone hard over the past year on your top shelf). Apply the
filler only to a depth of +/-1/8" (3-4 mm.).
NOTE: Plastic fillers are not a metal substitute! They will not
correctly fill holes, cracks, rust and shoving newspaper into the hole
in the bottom of the fender and filling over it with filler or trying to
fill a 4" dent. These are the reasons for some of the bad rap these excellent
fillers have received.
I want a perfect car and my
restoration done correctly, should I use lead?
Lead was the only choice in body
seam filling or minor panel work prior to the invention of modern
plastic fillers. There are no production shops that still use lead, and
few restoration facilities (we can!). Lead is a more expensive product
both in material cost and time needed to apply & finish. If you are
a purist, or if "it was good enough for the factory in 1930 so it's
good enough for me in the year 2000" then by all means use lead.
If your choice for the new ultra durable modern Urethane paints, lead is
to be avoided at all cost! Urethanes do no breathe and lead will expel gasses
that will ruin your paintjob with bubbles.
NOTE: More
damage is done to a panel by applying too much heat than by hitting it
with a ball-peen hammer!
Is fiberglass a good
alternative for replacing rusted out metal or repairing holes?
No!
The floors, sills and rockers on my TR-3
are very rusty is this a job I can do myself and where do I start?
I am currently doing this exact
job at the moment and am taking step by step pictures. I will post this
"how to" here when the job is finished.
