Date: Thu, 22 Nov 2001 17:39:14 -0800
Reply-To: developtrust <developtrust@HOME.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: developtrust <developtrust@HOME.COM>
Subject: Re: A bodywork hammer and a littel patience
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"
Zoltan,
I think you are more of a perfectionist than I am about the paint job. On a
large paint job it is so easy to go to One day paint or Maaco and get a
great paint job by just striping all the trip off ourselves. They have all
the right equipment and paint.
But maybe I should just buy my own spray equipment. Has anyone gone that far
in home repair? The painting equipment and tools would cost far less than
any paint place. But you'd need a good clean garage which I do not have.
I can live with my current paint job which is pretty good especially with my
fancy trim with subtle patriotic striping in red white and blue. See my
preliminary web page for my vanagon at:
http://members.home.net/holisticdream/vanagon1989.htm
But one day I will invest in a full paint job.One day paint wants $900, Earl
Scheib want $500 and Maaco wants $600 for ultra-urethane with 4 year
warranty, and $1900 for "signature service." Seems reasonable to me.
Anything more economical any of you know about?
William
----- Original Message -----
From: "Zoltan Kuthy" <zol@FOXINTERNET.NET>
To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Sent: Thursday, November 22, 2001 2:09 PM
Subject: Re: A bodywork hammer and a littel patience
> 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
