Bodywork Literature?!

[bgdowski]

Hey everyone! I'm looking for some solid literature that spells out the steps of bodywork. I need to finish up my car this summer, and will be on my own, without the help of a friend who helped me previously. My father was never really into the hobby, so I dont have any ancient tips & tricks passed down. So, what books did you guys find helpful, if any, in learning to do your body work!?

Ive seached it on amazon.com, but dont know which book(s) to get.

Thanks for the responses!

[BQS4]

Originally Posted by bgdowski Hey everyone! I'm looking for some solid literature that spells out the steps of bodywork. I need to finish up my car this summer, and will be on my own, without the help of a friend who helped me previously. My father was never really into the hobby, so I dont have any ancient tips & tricks passed down. So, what books did you guys find helpful, if any, in learning to do your body work!? Ive seached it on amazon.com, but dont know which book(s) to get. Thanks for the responses!

If it were me, I'd pick a book that had the most illustrations, as bodywork is not something you tell someone, it's more of a hands on or shown type of situation. Then, if you need more info, get the next best book, or go to some place like Barnes & Noble, or Borders, Walden Books, or B.Daltons and you can actually look at such books.

[gtden]

Chiltons has a manual on body repair available at your local NAPA. The part number from them is 799-2424.

[rme]

I think body work is best learned by watching, rather than reading. If you are starting into body work, you need to get familiar with these folks:

Eastwood Company: Auto Tools, Body Repair, Classic Car Restoration, House of Kolor Paint, Powder Coating

They have books and videos for all of the specialties. Their catalog is also the bible for tools.

During the height of the GT project, I got a package or two a week from them.

[ungermm]

Originally Posted by rme I think body work is best learned by watching, rather than reading.

I would say that reading will help, watching is better, but doing is the best way to learn. If you want to learn a little about the basics by using a reference book, go down to the library and take a look. There should be a book or two you can check out. However, there isn't any better tool than experience. If you can go watch someone at a body shop. Watch them pound out a dent. See how they apply body filler and then sand it down. It's not that hard to do, but to do it well takes some skill.
Jerry

[GTJIM]

There is usually a Community College or Technical Training School nearby who do evening classes in Auto Body - often they encourage you to take your own car along to work on. Have heard stories of them drooling over GTs as the body work usually required gives a very comprehensive look at all aspects! They often have painting facilities as well.

Well worth it as a skilled Tutor is there to guide and instruct.

[broszzy]

Originally Posted by GTJIM There is usually a Community College or Technical Training School nearby who do evening classes in Auto Body - often they encourage you to take your own car along to work on. Have heard stories of them drooling over GTs as the body work usually required gives a very comprehensive look at all aspects! They often have painting facilities as well. Well worth it as a skilled Tutor is there to guide and instruct.

definitely worth the price of admission

[Killer Texas GT]

Originally Posted by broszzy definitely worth the price of admission

And thats the way to learn the quickest.


Or just jump in with some basic hammers and dollies and go for it! Hard Knocks is one way that you learn, if you uck it up you gotta fix it. And you learn by ucking it up and fixing it. But it takes years of ucking up and fixing it before you learn the easy way even though it may not be the best way. But if you can get to a local Vo-tech by all means do it. It took me some years to do this:

[Johnvan]

The community college is a good place to look for books which are used to teach.Barnes and Noble, Chapters etc. have books that may suit. Look for books which are general as well as specific such as sheet metal,fabrication,metalurgy,casting,auto refinishing,custom paint,welding to name a few.
Paint and welding manufactures tend to supply a wealth of information on the internet as well.
Trade handbooks such as Audels Sheetmetal Workers can supply some basic information.A good recent basic welding book is Motorbooks Performance Welding by Richard Finch which provides good information on processes , equipment ,materials and basic "how to" for the beginner.
If you need any specific information I would be glad to help. John

[opelspyder]

I actually turn to books for other ways of doing things in the body area. There is definitly more than one way of doing something here. I actually have several new books that I am finished with that if anyone wants to save money off the list price, I will set you right in them. I buy books for everything, not just painting, but metal, fiberglass work, electrical, interior, and restoration. I have more or less picked up tips from all of these publications, so there is nothing wrong with that. I am more a person that can pick up a book and learn from it and also learn from example. Some people just cannot be book taught at all, nothing wrong with that either. Sometimes the way a book is written, no one can really understand part of what the writer is trying to explain. Thats why if I don't think i can explain something well on the forum, I do not even go there, you can come over and watch if you like. Kind of like this headliner I will be doing this week.
Keith

[Johnvan]

An old guy like me can sometimes make things too complicated. I started my apprenticeship in 1970 but my first cars were done in the driveway dodging rain showers when I was thirteen. They didn't turn out too bad.
Decide what you want to do with the car.A quick paint and cleanup or a total resto. Be realistic on what you can afford and what time you have to spend so you don't end up with a car apart which later has to be dragged away.Get some basic tools that will allow you to do what you want and go for it! You'll make decisions and learn along the way.There are a lot of people on this site that will assist you. john

[Tillerman]

Try MetalMeet - for Metalshaping Enthusiasts & Professional Metalshapers , it's a very helpful forum related site. Anything you want to do with pretty much any kind of metal will be there. Lots of articles on bodywork......making new panels, fixing dents (metal finishing w/ no filler) , welding, etc. Lots of step by step info.

Regards,
Dave
Myrtle Creek, Or.

Jags and Opels

[RallyBob]

Originally Posted by Tillerman Try MetalMeet - for Metalshaping Enthusiasts & Professional Metalshapers , it's a very helpful forum related site. Anything you want to do with pretty much any kind of metal will be there. Lots of articles on bodywork......making new panels, fixing dents (metal finishing w/ no filler) , welding, etc. Lots of step by step info. Regards, Dave Myrtle Creek, Or. Jags and Opels

I'll concur with that, Metalmeet is an awesome source of info. There are some incredible metalworkers on there. I found out about Wray Schelin from that forum, and was lucky enough to take one of his classes in Sturbridge. The guy's a master metalworker, it humbles me to be in the same room as him!

[opelspyder]

You can also purchase workshop class time off Ebay, I remeber a metal shaping course available-it was funny when I read the recommendations from former students, I swore I read one from Rallye Bob????
Keith

[RallyBob]

Originally Posted by opelspyder You can also purchase workshop class time off Ebay, I remeber a metal shaping course available-it was funny when I read the recommendations from former students, I swore I read one from Rallye Bob???? Keith

Yup, that's Wray Schelin's ad on Ebay. And yup, those were my comments.

[Sparky73]

Been looking around for some DVD's on Painting, Body Work and everything in between. The best experience is hands on, but I'd really like to see others tips and tricks and maybe get a little advice from them.

Been looking at these, but can't really find any reviews.
Kevin Tetz Paintucation 4 DVD Set
Kevin Tetz Paintucation 7 DVD Set

Any other suggestions?

[opeldean]

Originally Posted by Sparky73 Any other suggestions?

1- remove and do the doors or the hood first as a test, ( drill and PIN doors first before you remove them ALA OPELSPYDER..once a door if off,its damn near impoosible to get it back right..i didnt pin mine...took forever to repositon the doors...one still is not as perfect as it was.
2-get it the best you can, then ..before you shoot primer on it. Find someone to go over all the little things that you have missed. A trained eye can see or feel what you will not see. Even when you think its perfect,someone with the "eye",can walk around the car with filler and touch up what need s to be reworked.
3- the opel curved doors and panels are real tough.Its real easy to sand "flat". I made a curved sanding block about 2/3 the width of the door,and this allowed a a noob like me to sand the doors almost perfectly.I spent about 20 hours on each door..maybe more. I got help with the wheel arches especially the top of my front wheel aches where to my surprise a donor front clip was grafted in.
4- as a friend told me..go for it..you cant make it any worse!

[kwilford]

Originally Posted by Sparky73 Been looking around for some DVD's on Painting, Body Work and everything in between. The best experience is hands on, but I'd really like to see others tips and tricks and maybe get a little advice from them. Any other suggestions?

Moderators Note: Threads merged