Date: Mon, 24 Nov 2008 18:05:14 -0500
Reply-To: craig cowan <phishman068@GMAIL.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: craig cowan <phishman068@GMAIL.COM>
Subject: Re: Body work question
In-Reply-To: <09bf01c94e87$32ce6b70$6701a8c0@PROSPERITY>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1
The body shop i worked at would try to avoid like the plague "reshaping"
things. We always said "when in doubt, it's better replaced". If insurance
is going to pay, that is THE way to do it. One of the things people forget
about metal work is that metal (in this case steel) work hardens and can
become brittle. It will never be the same as new metal, and i'm assuming
they don't have a new front clip, just a "good one". Heck i've seen whole
half's of cars replaced in one large chunk, and i can really truely vouch
for the quality of the job as possibly being BETTER than the factory. For
instance, if i had a vanagon front clip in front of me, it would get evey
ounce of rust blasted off it and seam sealer on every seam, whether it
needed it or not. That by the way, is NOT how it came from the factory, and
therefoer it would be less rust prone if done well.
If it were me, i'd be fighting hard to get it replaced. Less filler yes, but
filler isn't the end of the world. It's not nearly as bad as it once was.
Modern fillers are NOT the bondo of yesteryear that shrinks as a piece, then
cracks and falls off. While i don't advocate filling huge divets with modern
fillers, when applied properly and well, they're a tool, and not to be
avoided the way people talk about them.
-Craig
'85GL turned WESTY
On Mon, Nov 24, 2008 at 5:51 PM, Scott Daniel - Turbovans <
scottdaniel@turbovans.com> wrote:
> what pops into my mind is...........
> when you straighten a panel..............it never gets back to 'perfect'.
> There will be some spots that have to be filled with body filler material,
> sanded to shape and repainted etc.
> If you replace a whole panel properly ...................
> the entire thing should be as good as new...........if the joining at the
> seams is done properly etc. And no body filler needed to get the panel to
> proper shape.
> I comes down to doing it right, or just making it look right, which are
> different things of course.
>
> yeah, I'd like to get that 22 hours labor job. Sounds like good pay !
> I'll be praying for you that they do really good work , whatever is decided
> to be done.
> I can't say I see a lot of really good work done, especially in body and
> paint work. I know of precisely two body shops , of hundreds I've seen
> work
> from, that are capable of really perfect
> workmanship................including the whole thing too...........the
> wiring, the protecting all surfaces from rust etc.
>
> I hope it works out really good !
> Scott
> turbovans
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Matt Drew" <t3vanagon@GMAIL.COM>
> To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
> Sent: Monday, November 24, 2008 1:13 PM
> Subject: Body work question
>
>
> Volks-
>>
>> Quick one for those in the know:
>>
>> * Body shop initially told me that they could shape the front panel (below
>> the grille/above front bumper cladding) back to "new" for considerably
>> less
>> than the 22 hours it would take to replace it.
>>
>> * I was sent me an estimate that included replacement of the panel (at 22
>> hours) and when I called to ask why they didn't do the estimate to include
>> the reshaping, was told it was due to replacement being "the right thing
>> to
>> do".
>> -Note: He still is saying that he can do it, but that replacement is
>> (again) "the right thing to do".
>>
>> * My question: If the panel can be re-shaped to look the same as it did
>> before the accident, why is replacement "the right thing to do"? Is it
>> because he'll make more money replacing it rather than reshaping it
>> (making
>> it the right thing for HIM to do)?
>> OR, rather, are there structural integrity issues at play that I've not
>> been
>> advised of?
>>
>> Insurance *may* cover replacement, but I want to make sure that I'm doing
>> the REAL "right thing" for both me (fiscally) and my Van.
>>
>> -Drew
>> '90 GL "Blackbeard"
>>
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