~Rust removal, Fiberglassing, and Body Filler!!! PICS~

AtticusHasWon · 06-05-2006, 09:57 AM

This is your GENERAL body work DIY!!! i am not a certified craftsman in auto body so there may be things that are way off or that you don't agree with..... THIS IS WHAT WORKED FOR ME!!!

Aprox. $ used in this project!

6" DA sander - Ebay - $50.00
Misc. sand-papers and glues - $13.00
Fiberglass, resign, hardener - HOOK UP (thanks Jared)
Grinder, speed saw - HOOK UP (thanks DAD)

if you borrow tools or go on ebay you can do this project for under $70.00

ok this is what my problem looked like from the outside!!! NOTICE: Outside!!! i put my finger in there just to give you an idea of size! Also....my camera sucks!!! BEAR WITH ME!!!

The very forst thing i did was aquire a 6" DA (Dual Action) sander from e-bay!!! Looks something like this!

i pretty much only used 120 and 400 grit sandpaper in this project simply because of lack of availablity!! i started off with the 120 and partially cleared away the main rust spot!!! leaving me with this! that is what was left of my metal after i cleared all the flaky stuff away!

Continue with the 120 grit till you have something that looks a little like this! i actually had to clear a little farther out than that due to bigger spot on the inside of the panell!!

OK....now in this next picture you will understand why rust is such a bad thing to have on your car and why you should take care of it RIGHT AWAY!!! if you look at the bottom side of the hatch you will see all the rust that has spread from the one spot on the surface of the hatch back on towards the botom, rear of the hatch!!! This crap spreads and it's just not pretty!!!

this is where i had to break out the big guns!!! LOL....sigh!!! A grinder is your best friend!!! Learn to love it!!!

i took my new found love and hacked at my baby's rear!!! i did a horribly messy job at grinding mainly because i wasn't using the correct blade!!! i used 1/4" you need the 1/8"!!! i found that the spot was just to bad to try to take out the one section so i cut it all out, giving me better accessibility to the spot above it

So, after i cut the main section of rust out this is what i had left!!! as you can plainly see the tiny spot on the surface wasn't so tiny on the underside of my hatch!!!

the way i went was to just cut out the entire section using my speed saw! your best bet would be to use a hand held drummel tool....FASTER, EASIER to use, More EFFICIENT!!! (didn't have one so i used this)

After using whichever tool you used to cut out the section you should have something like this!!! Try to make your cuts as even and clean as possible as it makes for easier sanding and filling!!! the primer was from the night before i couldn't do it all in one night!!!

Once you have all your rust removed from the problem area then you are ready to fiberglass....i really wasn't to familiar with fiberglassing so i called a surfer friend of mine up and asked him to give me a hand!!! Basically, to fiber glass, you need: resign, fiberglass sheets or matt, and hardener!!! first cut out a piece a little bigger then the area you are trying to cover, then double it!! Lay the two pieces on top of each other, on top of a surface then can get ruined!! Follow directions in mixing the resign and hardener together then pour the mixture onto the two sheets of fiberglass! when the fiberglass is completely saturated with the mixture, pick it up (invest in latex gloves

) and put it under the spot that has been cut out! looking like this! You may have to hold it there for 10-15 mins or so, so make sure you don't have anything eles to do!!! MAKE SURE that all the edges are covered by the fiberglass....this will make the filler part alot easier on you!!!

Once the fiberglass dries(bout an hour or two, depending on how much hardener you used) you are ready to use filler (bondo)!!! first you want to have about an inch and a half of exposed metal for you to be able to fetter the filler, so sand down some more paint around the area!! then, read directions on how to mix the filler and hardener!! It dries QUICK so use a very small amount of hardener!! when you have the filler mixed go ahead and aply it up top of where you fiberglassed (the top of the hatch)! you will need something with a flat, rubber edge....i got mine at napa when i bought the filler costs like 50 cents, just ask them for one! Once you have a good amount of filler on the area take your straight edge and start spreading it evenly across the area!!! you want to slowly "FADE" the material to the areas where you sanded away the paint! leaving you with this!

REMEMBER, this is my first time doing any kind of body work to ANY car so my directions may be a little off!

Once the filler dries (20-30 mins depending, again, on the hardener use) you can start sanding it! you are trying to achieve a perfectly smooth surface and a perfect fetter away from the hole! i can only give you vague directions from here because you have to feel what needs to be taken down with the sander or have built up with more filler!!! after you feel like you have a perfect surface you can go ahead and clean the area where you worked and primer any expossed metal that is there as well as the area you just filled!!!

My finished product looked like this!!

I am positive that it is not perfectly smooth but it is pretty damn close for a first time!!! you can even go farter and wet sand the primer and paint it red or black or whatever you want to do with your car!!!

So this is my diy to contribution to those people who also had questions about body work!!! IT IS POSSIBLE TO DO IT YOURSELF!!!

and ironically enough i am going to the salvage yard today to pick up a new hatch anyways!!! LMAO but i had fun and i got to help some people out!!!

Hope this helps someone!!! GOOD LUCK

Taylor

AtticusHasWon · 06-05-2006, 09:23 PM

it turns out they didn't have any good hatches at the junk yard so it looks like i'll be working on finishing work and trying to get a smoother surface and trying to match the paint!!!

Sam 07 · 06-06-2006, 01:26 PM

great write up. Would you say using the fiberglass was the hardest part?

JSvert240sx · 06-06-2006, 01:31 PM

what type of blade did you use on your grinder?

AtticusHasWon · 06-06-2006, 03:32 PM

i am not sure of the exact blade but it was a 1/4" thick (BAD IDEA) use a 1/8" or 3/8" easier to cut out sections!!!

As for the fiberglassing part....after my friend showed me how to do fiberglassing it is realy simple but i wouldn't have been able to get it right if he wasn't there so....in anwser to your question YES, i think that was the hardest part!!!

And it turns out the the 240's at the junkyard were jacked beyond repair so it's a good thing that i did the repair!!! i am still working on getting a perfect surface!!! i think i am actually just gunna strip the entire hatch and just primer it!!!

DriftItLow · 06-06-2006, 03:49 PM

if you know how to weld, avoid fiberglass...just my .02 I used fiberglass so dont hate haha. I just learned how to weld moderatly well. but itll turn out cleaner and youll lessen the risk of running into problems later on.

Also to add. Use a strong grit like 32 or 80 to get down to the metal faster. it also gives the filler/fibers a stronger adhere to the surface.

AtticusHasWon · 06-06-2006, 09:40 PM

cool man!!! thanks for the advice!!! yea i would love to know how to weld also have the equipment for it, but right now it's not possible!!! i am going to college for autobody, so in time i will learn how to weld and do all the nifty little tricks i am ignorant of right now!!!

Just as kind of an update!!! i gutted the entire inside of my car ie) ALLLLL panels, headliner, backseats, mirrors, everything!!! i have found many more rust spots and will have updates on the thread with more pics so you can check back and see how horribly i doing with my inexperience!!! HAHAHA....well, thats all for now!!!

turbopezz · 06-07-2006, 02:29 AM

the fiberglass you used will hold up real good.you can actually use fiberglass and metal strips as a whole new floor.and you will be able to jack up the car from the now fiberglass floor board.

DriftItLow · 06-07-2006, 08:38 PM

welding really isnt as tough as some people make it out to be. Migging is simple.. and can be done to look just as good as a tig weld. besides, if you have the stuff to weld, try it out. Whats the worst that can happen? you get little burn marks on spots you plan to sand down anyways? You can always grind it down and start over...same as filler, just different material in my mind..

Mr.180sx · 06-08-2006, 01:45 AM

thats a good write up

AtticusHasWon · 06-08-2006, 10:04 AM

Ok guys heres another update!!! i saw another tiny spot up by where the hinges for my hatch are so i ground away the paint on the surface to see how bad it realy is!!!! SIIIIGGHHHHHH, i don't know how i still friggin love my car to death!!!

i had to take the hatch off to get it expossed....it's simply just undoing a few bolts!!! but this is what i exposed

Not THAT bad, right?!? HAH

after cutting away the sheet metal that was in the way!!!

WELL....looks like i have ALOT more fiberglassing to do.....i am also gunna take DriftItLow's advice and learn how to weld cuz i am gunna need to replace all the metal i took for structural purposes!!!

thanks for all the feedback guys!!! i'll keep you updated!!!

DriftItLow · 06-08-2006, 02:13 PM

Don't fill over the rust whatever you do. If you plan on removing/redoing that section, cut out a little peices at a time, and shape it to be exact, then tack it in. Get at me on AIM: TooLoFoFatHoes

SantIR · 06-08-2006, 05:30 PM

i was going to say take it to the paint and body shop but your way is WAY cheaper..

DriftItLow · 06-08-2006, 09:39 PM

for my project ive got going, i would have spent wellllllllll over 2k in body work and prep alone...no paint.

right now I jsut bought the last of my paint. I have spent about 500 total in primer/paint for the inside/outisde. materials=about another 300 because I was given a lot of stuff for christmas. plus you get the satisfaction of doing it yourself and learning..

240trbo · 06-08-2006, 11:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DriftItLow

plus you get the satisfaction of doing it yourself and learning..

Flip · 06-09-2006, 01:56 AM

The work looks good to me. Nice DIY.

rossfashow · 07-07-2006, 04:58 PM

great DIY this can help me do my own bodywork. can I use fiberglass to shave the lines on the door? or is that bondos job?

90hatch · 07-07-2006, 09:56 PM

for your body lines use duroglass then body filler

AtticusHasWon · 07-07-2006, 11:10 PM

if your reffering to where the pinstripe is then listen to 90hatch!!! you want to try to use as little body filler as humanly possible!!! trust me!!!!

in my project i finally cut out the whole friggin section that was rusted and fiberglassed it all back in!!!! i have a few pics that i will put up tommorow, but you will see what i mean!!!

AtticusHasWon · 08-24-2006, 12:32 PM

just as kind of an update i am starting my auto-body class so i will be posting recent pics of all the work i do!!!!

ExemptedNut · 09-01-2006, 10:27 PM

I think your body lines would be ok for body filler, you really want to avoid filling in anything with body filler that is deeper than 1/4" thick due to possibility of cracking. I am actually in the process of a large amount of body work (no rust, thanks new mexico!) but many dents and dings. I am filling in the body line that is towards the bottom of the doors, the one that follows all the way around the car, and my body filler is doing just fine as of now.

One thing, when you are using body filler, after you sanded it down as smooth as you can, I recommend using finish and glazing putty to fill the small scratches caused by the sandpaper and to fill the tiny pinholes. It's an awesome kind of putty that you jsut spread on with a plastic spreader, wait 20 minutes, then sand with 320 or 400 grit

breenmachine · 09-28-2006, 09:30 AM

So when your putting the fiberglass on you lay it on the underside? Doesn't that make it stick out on the bottom and leave a big gap in the top? I dont think I really understand this right.. can someone clarify that, I want to try this today.

ilovejdm · 10-03-2006, 01:14 AM

No rust for me

sucks for everyone who lives in places where it snows and is always humid. :P Ilove SoCal.

PIMPmstr6 · 10-03-2006, 12:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by breenmachine

So when your putting the fiberglass on you lay it on the underside? Doesn't that make it stick out on the bottom and leave a big gap in the top? I dont think I really understand this right.. can someone clarify that, I want to try this today.

That is correct. it will stick out on the bottom and leave a gap along the top. That is a good thing. If you were to put the fiberglass patch on the top side of the panel, you would need to sand it down along the edges to make it match the rest of the car (otherwise you would just have a giant "bump" of fiberglass) If you sand it down, however, it will fall right through the hole in your car because it will have nothing to adhere to. This is why you put the fiberglass on the underside of the panel where only YOU can see it and put bondo on top of the panel. bondo can be sanded smooth to match the body lines and it will still adhere to the fiberglass underneith it. Its kinda hard to explain it but i hope that helps.

breenmachine · 10-10-2006, 03:24 PM

Im gonna try this on the hole on the inside of my wheel well hopefully in a few days... Anyone have any tips as it is hard to access and im not sure how im gonna do it or make it look smooth... that hole is really pissin me off and i wanna fix it before winter though so the rust doesnt spread more.