Could anybody point me in the right direction to a good web site, forum, ect. on paint, body work for steel bodies? Thanks in advance! Muddy

 

I sent you a PM.

There is not much difference between repairing a steel body car versus that of a fiberglass car. Each have their "pro's" and "con's"...BUT...the basic principles are still the same. PROPER PREPARATION!!! Procedures are different...due to being a steel body...such as welding, brazing, leading, and pulling dents out, etc. The difference lies in making sure that you TRY to reduce/stop any growth of rust....while on a fiberglass bodied car...you have to worry about cracks, seam separations and panel distortions.

RUST is your enemy on a metal bodied car!!!!

"DUB"

 

Rust never sleeps on a fiberglass bodied vehicle either. It simply happens "under the skin". Your question leads me to believe you have acquired a steel bodied project to complement your Corvette. Whatcha got, and fire away with the questions!

 

Hey Dub & Mark...
Dub, before I saw this thread, I saw your PM! I was replying (about 5 paragraphs) when I lost it...wtf! I hate it when that happens, LOL

I have not been in the painting section for quite some time now...when I painted the LT-1 4 years ago, there was no painting section...needless to say, sure wish you guys were around then. If you care...search my history... you'll see the project unflold.

Since then, I've painted a 1948 Mercury sailboat (wood), sold that and picked up a Santana 22 in which we just completed. The latter was shot with Awlgrip. You may know the product.

Regarding the thread... last week, trailering the Santana home... I managed to crunch my 08 Tacoma tailgate...wtf!! Anyway, I hammered and doll'ied for a couple of days (gently) very thin!! The problem was and somewhat still is... I have some swelling due to the hit (it was buckled pretty good).

Last night I googled and came up with heat! Here we go...got the gas ax out... and with some success managed to pull the strech out..but, also managed to distort to some degree. Dolly & hammered some more...looks pretty good. Well, not bad anyway. This afternoon, I took some Evercoat and found some more high's Q. Can I tap these highs with the existing EverCoat in place?

Thanks heaps for your time and consideration!! Muddy

 

Yes you can use a pick hammer to lower the level, be sure to grind the filler back from the area after and reapply. You will fracture/unstick the filler in the process. Hope you get it straight!

 

Mark...I assume the pick hammer is one with a...some what sharp tip on it... and to assume again, so as to isolate the area in concern...interesting! Yea, the high I'm looking at is dime size or smaller...Thanks for the input!! Muddy

 

You got it right. Be sure to back the area with a dolly, and use wee tiny taps at first... the metal will likely move easily. Hit it too hard and you'll stretch the metal again.

 

Muddy,
When you were heating the panel with the gas ax...did you by chance apply water to these areas to shrink it back...and thus strengthening the panel again...and not make it so flimsy. I don't think that the tailgate is made out of HSLA steel...which should not be heated with a torch. A torch can make HSLA steel brittle. And usually HSLA is used in frame rails and "crash" areas of the car....but you never know.

Seems like you about have it completed...but I was just wondering if the panel could "pop" in and out on you...which is usually a sign of stretched metal.

YEAH...the steel on new vehicles is so weak..you can blow on it and make a dent. Hard to get back right due to the thin gauge of steel....unlike that of the steel on a 55-57 Chevy. I applaud you for spending the time to fix it.

"DUB"

 

Just got back...from 5 days with the Santana 22...sailing and fishing!

Dub...yes I did use water immediately after heating up quater size spots on the pannel.... I could see the shrinkage as I did so...

There was a point...that the pannel was popping on me...it would pop in...and leave a nice 6 inch divot...WTF! Thought I lost the tailgate, but, after heating up again...what I thought was an area that was causing this pop...it remedied the pop...and seems strong. No popping even if I smack it pretty hard... I'm sure once I weld back the rear re-inforcing..she''' be good! I'll get back into it..with in the next couple of days...and post up some pic's...thanks heaps Muddy

 

Glad to read that you got it repaired...RIGHT ON!

"DUB"

 

Work in progress Dub Thanks for the input! Muddy

 

Dub: Members...I've got this 08 Tacoma tailgate straightened,dollied and filled. I've stripped the paint (outside) down to metal and scuffed the jam's...

Q. Should I seal the tailgate? If so, should I seal it at this point, or on top of the Dupont high build?? B/C, C/C will be Dupont too...

Thanks in advance!! Muddy

 

I am more concerned that you have a good primer to resist corrosion on the bare steel. As for applying a sealer...it is often times wise to do so. It provides a good cross-linking from the primer to your paint. Not only that it often times can aid in holding "things" down and not having a reaction between your new paint and the previous paint. You do not have to seal all of your prepped painted surface...I would concentrate on the areas where you have broken through the paint and got into the primer and/or bare steel. But this would depend on the properties of the sealer...some require the full panel to be covered...so do not. Some sealers are clear and some are pigmented...so it all depends.

"DUB

 

Thanks heaps Dub! The sealer I have (better than a quart) is what i have left over from the Vette. For the life of me... I can't remember if I shot the sealer before the high build or after. It is a pigmented sealer and it is Dupont... I'll go get the part number (sealer) and check Duponts web site, tech sheet. Have a great evening! Muddy

 

Well, finally managed to find some time to finish my crunched Tacoma tailgate. Unfortunately, I did not get any pic's of the damaged unit, I'll attempt to describe...

I had the tailgate down for a better visual while I was backing up the Santana 22 (sailboat) trailer. I had to jack knife this trailer into position and caught the ladder of the trailer head on with the tailgate in it's horizonal position. The result was, top of tailgate, just off middle was bent towards the hinges approx 2 inches. Catching it right in the middle of the top edge... bowed the outside and inside out approx. 4 inchesin both directions. Needless to say, had a lot of creasing going on...in all directions Lots of streach

I removed the tailgate linner, then cut 4 sections out of the inside tailgate to gain access to the outside pannel. From their I hammered and dollied...to the point where I had to heat up the pannel, numerious times, hit with cold water rag so as to shrink the pannel. I found this technique on the internet From their I only had to use very min. bondo

I then removed all the paint on the outside of the pannel, scuffed the jams, shot BC/CC the color sanded.

Not bad for a first time metal worker, LOL Materials used...approx. 110 bucks as I had most of the material from painting the vette. I did have to buy the new plastic rubber guard on top of the tailgate. The old one...was really crunched! Muddy

Thanks Dub and members for your help