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regularman

regularman

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Bodywork progress report. I have one front fender almost done (still need to sand down a little spot putty) and the other one about 2/3 done. Then I will put them back on and start on the valence that goes in between, next the doors and the trunk which need very little. Man is it time consuming and I find that about 2 hours is all I need to be doing it or I lose patients and won't do a good job. The Hood has already been done and the tub part has one big spot to do on the rear and the passenger rear quarter will be the real hard part.
 
I've found if you have a list of things to do that when you get in the gridlock of one aspect, you can leave it alone and its frustration and actually complete another aspect. It seems to me the next day a lot of times the hard problem has a solution, even without the help of the BCF. And there is always the BCF!
 
Bodywork is the worst!! The first 5 cars were okay,,,, the rest have not been as enjoyable. The first thing I get out of the way noW!! Or at least as soon as possible.
 
I would do things much different if I were to do this again. I would strip it to just a tub and do all metal work and then put all the bodyparts back on and bodywork and paint and then do suspension, then engine, etc. Just practicing for that big healey of my dreams /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/wink.gif
 
We should call it bodyWORK. At least you have your ride to carry you through.
 
I <u>love</u> bodywork! But, I metal finish everything, so no filler. If I need to, I use lead.
Am I nuts?
Jeff /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/crazyeyes.gif
 
Well different anyway.
 
Bugeye58 said:
I <u>love</u> bodywork! But, I metal finish everything, so no filler. If I need to, I use lead.
Am I nuts?
Jeff /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/crazyeyes.gif
Click to expand...

I'd like to metal finish everything, but I do not have the patience. I've not tried any lead work, but I have a fender that a DPO seamed and left a big gap. I tried all sorts of filler, but nothing looks right. Maybe it is time to try lead.

What is your favorite method for metal shrinking? Have you tried one of those stainless steel disc yet?
 
Body work is relaxation to me, so I don't really care if it takes me a week to do a panel. I spent about 30 hours picking and filing on the rear valance of my GT6, and I could have replaced the panel in about four hours, but it wouldn't have been a challenge! /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/grin.gif
I still use the old torch and wet rag method for shrinking. I've got a couple of shrinking hammers, but I haven't tried the disc yet. I've seen it used, and it works, but I think at this stage of my life I fall into the "Old dog, new tricks" crowd.
Jeff
 
I use torch, hammer, compressed air for shrinking. However, I'm thinking about trying the disc to see if it makes it easier to read the metal temperature.
 
i cant wait till my car is smoothed and painted!
its all that work in between Now and THEN!
ill probably go with bondo.....
how does this lead filling work?
pros and cons?
anybody got a good explainin link?......z
 
Zimmy, Here is a link with the very basics.

https://www.valvoline.com/carcare/articleviewer.asp?pg=res20041001ld&cccid=5&scccid=2

Basically, using a torch, you gently heat the metal and soften a stick of lead. Using hardwood paddles and beeswax, you shape the lead over the area, then file and sand it to the final contour. Gloves and a face mask or respirator are a good idea when working with lead.
It's getting to be pretty much a lost art, as lead is a hazardous substance to work with in the first place, and there have been many improvements in the plastic fillers more commonly used.
Jeff
 
I've still got a stash from a friend who closed his shop when he retired. Eastwood is currently selling it at $2.49 for a 1/4 lb. stick. An auto paint supply house should be able to get it.
$200 per pound? I think not!
Jeff
 
Was electrical solder. I should have clarified. I was just thinking of the last time I tried to buy anything of lead and it was for my work. I have never bought lead in pieces like you say. Might be interesting for other projects. My car had been preciously bondoed so it will be considerably less work to continue with that. When I bought it the car was painted gold and blue. I don't know what kind of paint the gold was but it was flaking off and cracking. Was super hard to grind so I ended up stripping scraping that off with a putty knife (took forever), then I kept on scraping and went through a coat of blue and came to this brown sealer of some kind. I tried to strip and it would just absorb the stripper and only get soft but reharden if stripper was left on. This was the hardest I had to really scrape and use brush on stripper. I decide to take it all the way to the metal and I did, except for places that were heavy bondoed and I cleaned the brown off of these places but left scallop marks all over it. Many of these I can fill in with spot putty and sand down smooth. The type of paint and primer made the job 3 times as hard.
 
As far as I know you can still get proper body lead from Eastwood. It is hard enough to do and esxpensive enough that I wouldn't even consider trying any substitutes for real body lead. I'm sure you can find other stuff with the right compounds if you know what to look for. But it's just not worth the risk of using the wrong stuff and it all falls off right after you finish color sanding you gorgeous new paint job.

Bayless
 
OK- what is body lead comprised of? I have about 50 pounds of "lead" (sand-cast bars)which came from a printing shop that went out of business. Would that be the correct stuff?
Bill
 
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