North Bay Area bodywork people?

[JustinB]

Hey guys, I am seriously trying to figure out how to fix the problems with my bodywork and was wondering if anybody had experience as a bodyman (Well theres Michael but he's far away..) and wouldn't mind helping me out straightening up the several dings and dents I have to deal with before I can even consider painting it. Thing is, I would really like to learn and get experience so a one on one thing if anybody has experience would be perfect. I can compensate for your time if need be, give you some of your favorite brew, whatever. If nobody does, are there any body shops that have experience with 02's and would possibly help me out for a reasonable price? I have always preferred getting my own tools and banging things out myself, but I have absolutely no experience and may need to push out the back of the car a little bit.

On to the main problems though...

The left rear quarter panel has a very slight buckle in it that I am assuming by the vertical nature of it, has to do entirely with the dents and dings in the rear panel.

Pics of the quarter -

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v207/norcal02/other%20stuff/quarter1.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v207/norcal02/other%20stuff/quarter2.jpg

And on the rear panel it appears that is the wost part of it. I drew all over it with yellow just like the first quarter picture.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v207/norcal02/other%20stuff/rear1.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v207/norcal02/other%20stuff/rear1.jpg

Thats not all that isn't quite straight on the car, the front end has some difficulty too that I'm hoping wont need to be pulled, but just thinking about it now, I'm not quite sure about. The right fender has a nice dent where the bumper must have shifted over and dug in, fixable. The core support has had a problem with the drivers side headlight that the mounting bracket for the bucket is out of whack (must have bumped something). The seam below the bumper between the nose and left fender is pushed in a little on the nose section by a little. The left fender directly above the wheel well has a tiny buckle out ever so slightly (cant see it if you don't look for it), but I haven't gotten pictures of any of that

Tips? Suggestions? Help?? I've already posted this on an auto body forum, but if any of you can help me here, I'd be most appreciative.

I really need it, help me out guys. Thanks.

[Guest Anonymous]

Look into the course catalog at the junior colleges in your area. If they offer autobody you should check when the course is available. Some offer night courses if you are working during the day. Some offer courses during the summer if you are a student. The junior colleges will probably have all of the equipment you need to use and you will only need to provide the consumables (filler, sandpaper, primer, paint, etc..). The price for one of these courses is dirt cheap in comparison to a quality paint job. They will also have a booth which is the key piece of equipment for a quality paint job when doing it yourself. In the end you will gain a skill and hopefully a good paint job as well.

shermanmartinez@hotmail.com

[jerry]

where are you located? i'm in marin. i did a very unsatisfying paint job on my car last fall, but the lessons i learned and the information i gleaned by doing the whole job myself will surely help me the next time.

i could share some lessons learned and perhaps watch over your shoulder while you tried your hand at applying and smoothing bondo. after straightening the metal as much as possible beforehand. it's time consuming work but the end result is worthwhile.

[dubois]

but the rear body panel may be difficult for a neophite, the lines and all the contours would be hard to get just right, especially considering how flimsy the panel is. I would rather get another panel and weld - I may even have one in the back. I will check condition tomorrow.

There is very little technical substance to doing mud work. It is mostly an art. You have to be able to feel , see and sculpture back the desire shape. There are only a few basic steps, mostly documented in books already.

Ironically, experience has nothing to do with skills. I have seen some "bodymen" with 25 years experience, that can't do bondo to save their life - on the other extreme I have seen a person become real good in just a week! It is highly intuitive - like statistics or thermodynamics - you either get it or you don't.

Basically, you have to have the ability to see/feel tridimensionally, picture the desire shape and have the patience to get the results needed. How you apply the mud and take it off, becomes almost irrelevant. The metal work prior to applying bondo is as important - good bodymen don't use a lot of bondo, and don't sand a lot of it off either!

email me with any specific questions - go get your spreaders and go for it!

[khaledejaz]

So, I was in your shoes about a month. I live in a condo so don't have a garage and my 2002 bady needed body work and paint. I couldn't spend much $$ since I just bought the car. ANyway, after getting many many quotes and asking people around here ended up dropping the car off at Maaco in palo alto. I have seen quite a few classic cars they have painted in their lot and was pretty delighted by the work. Its not the "best" but then again its a relative term. Saw a Jag and a Trumph there that was just painted. THey weren't bad at all. Anyway, I am getting her back in a few weeks. I will be making trips to the shop to see the progress. I would suggest at least getting some quotes to see how much these places ask for the body work.

I think the body work class is a GREAT idea. I wish I knew just a week earlier. I know there are a few community collges around here where they teach body work for about $150!! Not bad. Good luck...

http://good-times.webshots.com/album/557017912fFmPCN

http://good-times.webshots.com/album/557282983gxYmVQ

[JustinB]

Hey Jerry, FYI, I live in Petaluma. I don't have any tools yet but if you want to make a drive to watch me pound on some wrinkled panels (maybe after I try for a day or so), I would appreciate anything I can get if I don't figure it out right away. I figure if I'm going to replace the rear panel anyway, I can TRY to make it halfway decent then huck it if I dont like how it came out and call it my "test panel".

Thanks Michael, let me know how that rear panel looks. I don't know if the other one (which still happens to be on a sort of a car anyway) I have is good, it doesn't have the dings but side to side at the top it's a little different. On the other forum a porta power was mentioned to push out the rear panel to take the dimple out of the quarter, do you think that is even necessary? Everything works properly, as far as I can tell. If the dimple can come out clean enough it would be hard to tell (impossible?) it was even there to begin with. As far as fillers and feeling around things, I can't say I'm great at it, but then I've really only used it once in a serious manner "fixing" InstructorBill's turbo spoiler. Speaking of that guy I should probably contact him some time, eh, maybe after I get something tangible done on the car =S.

I AM getting around to it though seriously now. I have a game plan and its all good. Anyways...

Khaled, I feel ya man. I don't have a garage either (That I can use, yet). It sucks, but I'm determined to stop making excuses and figure out how to do it right. I may take a class eventually but in the time frame I'm looking at I'll probably already have it for better or for worse by the time a new class starts Looks like you have a pretty nice project going for ya too.

I'm getting a couple or few tools and lead free body solder (so I can finally knock out my stupid attempt at bondo) for the trim holes since I wont be using them. Maybe the antenna holes up front too and have a small amplified one inside the rear window. Hmmm

[f1reverb]

Statistics. Yep, either you get it or you don't. When I first took stat I did so with a buddy who talked constantly, and I had to drop out in two weeks as I got lost with his constant interruptions. I took it again the next semester without my buddy, and I understood it instantly and got the easiest "A" I had the whole time in college. Moral: do your bodywork and paint without your buddies around or they'll fuck you up.

[jerry]

justin, i won't be driving UP to petaluma to assist you. if you'd like to discuss your car and try your hand at it come on DOWN to marin.

jerryallsmanATyahooDOTcom

bodywork for me was an ahaaa moment, it only took a while to get there. and yes, the rear panel can be tricky as it 'oil cans' easily.

[JustinB]

Oh yeah *slaps forehead*. Should have thought that! However, I was just thinking by myself because I'm the only one that knows its immobile lol No interior. Oh well. I got some body hammers and dollies and a metal bumping booklet, that plus the forum and collective knowledge and proper body filler I shouldn't have too big of a problem. I'll definitely be asking some more questions though once I begin the task.

Hey Dubois, do you have any tips on removing a rear panel cleanly? I think I have 3 options, 1) cut through the spot welds with a special bit, 2) use one of those spot weld knives that cut through them between the panels, or 3) just cutting it straight off with a sawzall on the outside edges of the vertical body seams. I want to harvest as much decent metal I can off the bad one as I can. Were you able to check on that panel you have in back? It's a pretty good drive but I haven't been down there in a long time, then again my spare may be in better shape anyway. I'm sure I'll have more information anyway by the time I get around to trying it out but what would you think about a cheapish stud welder and porta power as upgrades to the tool arsenal for this project?

[khaledejaz]

Hey justin,

I am kind of stuck with my car paint right now. (Read my recent post - I am in a deep hole)

Was wondering what you ended up doing. Do you know of any good body shop in bay area?

[JustinB]

No, sorry I haven't. I really didn't look too hard though. I decided to just get a hammer and dolly set, and the key to metal bumping book and go at it myself. I figure if there are already dents there, what more can I do myself? If you cant work on your car where it is now, what about someone you know that lives somewhere else and you can drive there and make a day project out of it at a time? I suppose that is if you HAVE the time to do that. What kind of dings and things do you have...or is it just a general body and paint shop you need to get it prepped and painted? Keep us updated, I'll do the same, actually I should just start a project blog here before long. I thought I was subscribed to this thread but I guess not. Now I am.