Bodywork How To's

[viiking]

I did a similar repair to you but alas don't have before or after photos. As you know it is impossible to get a dolly down low inside that quarter panel. I followed a similar process to what you are suggesting.

Using your numbering.

1. Use a stud gun or weld nails the pull out any of the big dents should around the fender mounting surface.

Yes. I used a cheap slide hammer which you actually screw into the dented area. It leaves a hole, but a zap with the MIG resolves that. It quickly gets you back into shape and preferably a crowned area that you can tap down from the outside.

2. Then remove the quarter panel start hammering away.

No. Don't do it. You will actually find in my opinion more problems with distortion and shrinkage when you weld the piece back on. Then you are back in the same position as you are now. I tried to cut out a bad section of my quarter panel only to find when I welded it in, even though I took my time and allowed everything to cool properly that I had a big divot which I found difficult to remove. Buy yourself a body spoon. It lets you get down almost to the bottom of the quarter panel near the door. The heavier the spoon the more easy is it for you to tap down the high spots created by the stud puller or slide hammer. I bought one like this and was able to use it to lever out the dents low down and I could use the hammer to get it pretty straight. One like this is what I bought.


https://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=https%3A%2F%2...egUIARDHAQ

3. Use a shrinking disk to remove any dramatically large high spots.

Yes. Plenty of passes, followed by hammer and dolly. Repeat until flat

4. Use a good fender to double check my work and make sure everything lines up well.

Buy yourself a contour gauge and use this to check the opposite fender and quarter panel. If you are clever enough you can use the contour gauge to make yourself a complete template of the area using strong cardboard or some thin ply.

5. Go over any imperfections with the hammer and dolly and shrinking disc again.
Yes

6. Re-weld quarter panel to car.

Again, don't do it.

7. Done
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1968 1500 RHD Lotus White Beetle since birth. In the hospital for major surgery
1966 Lancia Flavia Pininfarina Coupe - in the waiting room
Discharged: 1983 Vanagon, 1974 1800 Microbus,1968 Low Light,1968 Type 3

[Chickensoup]

Hello, i will be working on my front quarter panel on my 65 beetle and was wondering if anyone has any pictures of them fixing theirs? Here’s what mine looks like,

I tried using the glue body puller but i could get enough grip. So, here’s what I’m thinking,

1. Use a stud gun or weld nails the pull out any of the big dents should around the fender mounting surface.
2. Then remove the quarter panel start hammering away.
3. Use a shrinking disk to remove and dramatically large high spots.
4. Use a good fender to double check my work and make sure everything lines up well.
5. Go over any imperfections with the hammer and dolly and shrinking disc again.
6. Re-weld quarter panel to car.
7. Done
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-'85 c10 5.3 LS, cam, heads, long tubes, x pipe, 3 inch spin tech's
-'01 e46 325ci *tree modded
-'05 B5.5 TDI Wagon 17in sport rims ;EGR + BSM + ASV Delete, Stage-2 Tune, straight pipe
'65 Tourist Delivery Build
'66 RIP

[Kiper]

It took me the better part of six months to get this 69 convertible nice. It needed so much work but the fit and finish is really nice. Notice how the bottom of the fenders fit the rear apron. Those are the details that most people miss. Even the underside of the decklid was color sanded and buffed.

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I am Matt K.

[Kiper]

[Dwighia]

Just a shout out to Matt K, aka Kipper.
Really enjoyed this thread and wanted you to know there are lots of people still reading it and benefiting from your post and others' comments.

I'm working on my 68 Ghia and have learned "muchly" from this thread.
Was going to pay someone to do my body work, but now I'm excited to do it myself. (just stared the work yesterday).

Would love to see you post some more of your great work Kipper.
Thanks again,
Dwight
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'71 Ghia Sedan
'68 Ghia Convertible
'84 Vanagon
If you dismantle a VW engine and reassemble it enough times, will you end up with enough extra parts for another engine?

[Kiper]

Hello again. It has been a long while. Matt K. Is now Kiper. I noticed when I looked back on this thread there is more information I can share such as fiberglass repair. I should probably write about this as it will help people who are unsure about doing repairs or using fiberglass in general.
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I am Matt K.

[zuk]

Noah, looks like you'll need a lower hinge pillar and or the inner fender well panel, the lower hinge wolfsburg sells the best one to use. hte fender well panels most all the parts suppliers have

[WithTheFlow]

If I want to weld in a repair into my cross member should I spray the side that I won't have access to with the weld through primer? Should I also spray it on the outrigger on the side against the chassis?

After that I would clean with wax and grease remover and apply an epoxy primer.
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The fastest thing you can do is slow down.

“The secret is here in the present. If you pay attention to the present, you can improve upon it. And, if you improve on the present, what comes later will also be better."
-- The Alchemist”

[dirtslinger]

I have a question for the experienced painters out there.

I have painted a few cars, but it's been 20+ years.

I'm in the middle of doing a squareback for my daughter, I have it primed and I'm finish sanding it now before paint.

I jammed the car a couple weekends ago and I'm really struggling with orange peel.

I'm using a 20+ year old Binks 2001, and I really feel like the orange peel is coming from the gun. When I spray a test panel with a light "mist" coat, it just doesn't look very smooth. I've rebuilt the gun, tried different air pressures etc......

Here's my question, do you think it would be beneficial to just buy a new gun? I don't want to buy a super expensive gun because I don't know when I'll use it again. Are there any guns out there that are maybe in the $100 range that will spray nice and smooth?

I don't really want to do an HVLP gun because I don't think my compressor has the volume, but I've never used one so I don't know.

I will be renting a spray booth when it's time to spray it, so I guess I could use an HVLP, but it would be my first time using the gun and I really don't want to blow thru $700 in paint and have to start over.

Suggestions????

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1967 Class 5
1970 Class 11 HSD Racing
1972 5/1600 V-MAR/Rasta Baja
1956 Baja
1960 Sand Rover buggy
1965 Street bug
1967 Squareback

[noahtibbetts]

Anyone have any leads on where I can find sheet replacement sections already stamped/formed for this area on a Type 1? Any help is appreciated!

[loosecaboose]

Restoring/ derusting all 15 windows on a 1961 Bus. Any tips, suggestions, words of wisdom for a 1st time project about workflow, equipment, proces, things to lookout for? Also anyone familiar with this product from DuPont?
DuPont V-2910S™/V-2940S™/V-2970S™ DTM EPOXY
PRIMER-SEALER

[Mike Fisher]

$5-10,000 depending on your demands. $500 is less than the cost of materials if you did it all yourself.
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https://imgur.com/user/FisherSquareback/posts
69 FI/AT square Daily Driver
66 sunroof,67,70,71,71,71AT,72,72AT,73 Parts
two 57 oval ragtops sold
'68 Karmann Ghia sold

Society is like stew. If you don't keep it stirred up you end up with a lot of scum on the top! - Russ_Wolfe/Edward Abbey

[Robinskibleh]

Hi there, can anyone tell me how much it would cost if I had to pay someone to do body work on a 1979 VW Bus? We are about to purchase one for $500, interior perfect, engine rebuilt, brakes, spark plugs, etc all good. Only issue is body work, as it has rust underneath and a little on sides.

Just trying to get an idea of how much I would have to put into it, don't want to over pay for this. They may be flexible on price if I can tell them what fixing it would theoretically set me back. I am in love with it and really want to buy it but just need some advice first. Thank you!!!!

[wcfvw69]

That's a great looking 68 vert!
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[Matt K.]

As you can see i worked pretty hard on making this car straight and the paint nice and flat....the hard work pays off in the end.
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This is my 23rd year in the Auto Body/Paint Game!
*Take a look at some of my custom paint: http://s110.photobucket.com/albums/n119/mrpaint_2006/ .( NOTE: these are some older jobs but still neat.)

[Matt K.]

Here is the damage.....quarter panel, fender, trailing arm Etc.

The repair with a German fender.....

All finished..............
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This is my 23rd year in the Auto Body/Paint Game!
*Take a look at some of my custom paint: http://s110.photobucket.com/albums/n119/mrpaint_2006/ .( NOTE: these are some older jobs but still neat.)

[Matt K.]

This shot is of the bug after i fixed it the second time. Someone side swiped the driver's side and took out the quarter panel, rear fender and bumper.
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This is my 23rd year in the Auto Body/Paint Game!
*Take a look at some of my custom paint: http://s110.photobucket.com/albums/n119/mrpaint_2006/ .( NOTE: these are some older jobs but still neat.)

[Matt K.]

Sorry, it is a picture of a picture. It makes the color look way bright because of the camera flash.
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This is my 23rd year in the Auto Body/Paint Game!
*Take a look at some of my custom paint: http://s110.photobucket.com/albums/n119/mrpaint_2006/ .( NOTE: these are some older jobs but still neat.)

[beetlenut]

Sweet! Love the paint color.
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scrapyards are for quitters
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[Matt K.]

Sorry all, Life has been busy.......Here is the completed bug from that last part of this thread.
_________________
This is my 23rd year in the Auto Body/Paint Game!
*Take a look at some of my custom paint: http://s110.photobucket.com/albums/n119/mrpaint_2006/ .( NOTE: these are some older jobs but still neat.)