Date: Thu, 22 Nov 2001 14:09:33 -0800
Reply-To: Zoltan Kuthy <zol@FOXINTERNET.NET>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Zoltan Kuthy <zol@FOXINTERNET.NET>
Subject: Re: A bodywork hammer and a littel patience
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"
It is not the hammering or the bondo I am avoiding rather. It is the
painting and clear coat on top. Matching the color to the next panel or
blending in with it makes it a real big job. Only the fender flare is the
one place where I would not bother. The vanagon is a car with big panels,
large flat areas that show unevenness easily. I just finished one side of a
car and it was taking a long time to do it as good or better than the
factory. I even took the windows out. So a small looking little dent here
and there could end up a major undertaking if you want it perfectly
acceptable. I did not have enough warm days to do it without stoppages.
But good luck to you all and be careful of the gas, wear real gas mask, when
you are applying the paint and clear coat.
Zoltan
----- Original Message -----
From: "developtrust" <developtrust@HOME.COM>
To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Sent: Thursday, November 22, 2001 1:29 PM
Subject: A bodywork hammer and a littel patience
> Today I tackled a little dent in my rear fender. A body shop wanted $250
to
> pound out a little dent. So I bought a bodywork hammer for $5, took off
the
> rear tire, got out my lantern to light up the inside of the wheel well to
> see what I was doing, picked up a short piece of 1 by 4 from the wood pile
> to hold on the opposite side of the dent, and pounded out this little
dent.
> Gently with little taps and patience.
>
> I could not find my bondo and needed only a thimble full so I sprayed on
my
> touch up paint to prevent rust and tomorrow off to Pep Boys for some
bondo.
>
> I've done a lot of body work over the years. You would be surprised at the
> wrecks I have restored with a piece of 2 by 4 and a sledge hammer. This
> little dent was a piece of cake and took me 5 minutes. Taking off the
wheel
> took longer.
>
> If anyone is a perfectionist like me I encourage you to dedicate a few
hours
> to tap out those little dents and learn the art of bondo work. The trick
is
> to use as little bondo as possible. My final repair will take less than
1/2
> thimble full of bondo to fill in the little creases I could not tap out.
>
> William
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