Need Guidance on Removing Body Filler
#1
Racer
Thread Starter
Need Guidance on Removing Body Filler
Started stripping the '73 today, using razor blades, no sanding yet, never done this before. The passenger side front fender looks pretty rough to me, lots of pink body filler on bonding strip and elsewhere. I assume it's not factory.
I'm not sure grinding will get all the filler out, it's very soft. Any other suggestions or techniques?
Thanks for the help,
Chris
I'm not sure grinding will get all the filler out, it's very soft. Any other suggestions or techniques?
Thanks for the help,
Chris
#2
Burning Brakes
Member Since: Jan 2017
Location: The Buckle of the Bible Belt. Joplin Mo
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Some paint strippers will soften the fill, then you can use a putty knife to scrape away. If you go that route be careful, some strippers can also damage fiberglass.
There is a thread in the paint and body section that may be helpful.
Ray
There is a thread in the paint and body section that may be helpful.
Ray
#4
Racer
Thread Starter
Thanks for the replies so far,
Right now I have NOT used any chemical stripper, think I might stay away from that if possible.
Did GM use that pink filler?
Right now I have NOT used any chemical stripper, think I might stay away from that if possible.
Did GM use that pink filler?
#5
Race Director
I do not think that is factory applied body filler.
Grinding this old body filler off is not that big of deal. If you are apprehensive about doing it..just ask for help and we will be her to help out due to I do it about every day....as lust like many others here.
AS for using chemical stripper...that is really no big deal also as long as you are careful with it and there is really little to no chance in dong any damage if you are paying attention to what you are doing. I have used chemical stripper for over 30 years and I have never had any problems resulting form me using it.
Keep up the good work.
DUB
Grinding this old body filler off is not that big of deal. If you are apprehensive about doing it..just ask for help and we will be her to help out due to I do it about every day....as lust like many others here.
AS for using chemical stripper...that is really no big deal also as long as you are careful with it and there is really little to no chance in dong any damage if you are paying attention to what you are doing. I have used chemical stripper for over 30 years and I have never had any problems resulting form me using it.
Keep up the good work.
DUB
#8
Racer
Thread Starter
Yes I am. I didn't have much luck stripping without it, never really got the hang of it, even when I left it out in the sun.
I also noticed using the heat gun softened up that body filler pretty nicely.
I also noticed using the heat gun softened up that body filler pretty nicely.
#11
Pro
Member Since: Aug 2016
Location: Eastern side North Carolina
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It's there because someone did a bad repair. Why? Who knows. And yes, too often it is/was the standard (and incorrect) practice for "fixing" a bonding strip issue.
Speaking from 40+ years of body repair experience, most body men were intimidated by fiberglass repairs. The easy way out was plain old body filler for many. Years later we are seeing these covered up sins. The sad news is that today's generation of body men are less talented than earlier generations.
Speaking from 40+ years of body repair experience, most body men were intimidated by fiberglass repairs. The easy way out was plain old body filler for many. Years later we are seeing these covered up sins. The sad news is that today's generation of body men are less talented than earlier generations.
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Gold Dragon (06-20-2018)
#12
Race Director
It's there because someone did a bad repair. Why? Who knows. And yes, too often it is/was the standard (and incorrect) practice for "fixing" a bonding strip issue.
Speaking from 40+ years of body repair experience, most body men were intimidated by fiberglass repairs. The easy way out was plain old body filler for many. Years later we are seeing these covered up sins. The sad news is that today's generation of body men are less talented than earlier generations.
Speaking from 40+ years of body repair experience, most body men were intimidated by fiberglass repairs. The easy way out was plain old body filler for many. Years later we are seeing these covered up sins. The sad news is that today's generation of body men are less talented than earlier generations.
I still get people who say they do not want 'Bondo' out in their Corvette. I kinda have to laugh. Mainly because I do not use "Bondo'...but I do use a body filler that out preforms 'Bondo', And it is needed to get the panels correct.
So seeing that bondo in this car does not cause me any concern.
But understand ..and this is only my opinion on this. Using a D/A sander can do a lot of damage if the person holding it does not know how to use it correctly. It is a GREAT tool....but using one correctly requires the person to be paying attention on what they are doing.
DUB
#13
Drifting
there is a method of removing filler easily with a welders brush using a propane torch . if interested let me know. cant really explain it on here but would be happy to talk you through it ..
#14
Racer
Thread Starter
Found the same filler on rear yesterday. Thanks again for the comments, and Porchdog I had a feeling there was probably a way to melt that out ....carefully.
#15
Pro
Member Since: Aug 2016
Location: Eastern side North Carolina
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I agree. The trend of today is replace the part if at all possible for speed and the misconception that using body filler is bad. The metal on todays cars is not like that of the old cars where a hammer and dollie and using a vixen file were used to get dents out. I still have all those tools and my tools for using lead also. It has come to pull out the dent as much as you can and fill it in...even if they try to pull the dent out.
I still get people who say they do not want 'Bondo' out in their Corvette. I kinda have to laugh. Mainly because I do not use "Bondo'...but I do use a body filler that out preforms 'Bondo', And it is needed to get the panels correct.
So seeing that bondo in this car does not cause me any concern.
But understand ..and this is only my opinion on this. Using a D/A sander can do a lot of damage if the person holding it does not know how to use it correctly. It is a GREAT tool....but using one correctly requires the person to be paying attention on what they are doing.
DUB
I still get people who say they do not want 'Bondo' out in their Corvette. I kinda have to laugh. Mainly because I do not use "Bondo'...but I do use a body filler that out preforms 'Bondo', And it is needed to get the panels correct.
So seeing that bondo in this car does not cause me any concern.
But understand ..and this is only my opinion on this. Using a D/A sander can do a lot of damage if the person holding it does not know how to use it correctly. It is a GREAT tool....but using one correctly requires the person to be paying attention on what they are doing.
DUB
#16
Race Director
I have used the method to remove old body filler like what 'porchdog' has touched on. It works but I know I have to grind the panel again anyway to prep it for more filler...so I often times elect not to use it. BUT it does work. It can aid in keeping dust down but also add a smell when doing it if you can live with that or not.
And just so there is no mis-understanding. There is no gelooat on this car or any factory corvette panel. This Corvette is an early SMC body panel design.
DUB
And just so there is no mis-understanding. There is no gelooat on this car or any factory corvette panel. This Corvette is an early SMC body panel design.
DUB
#19
Race Director
NO WORRIES...just trying to stop another discussion about this in this thread before it gained any strength. We are all good.
I never got it hot enough to smoke or anything but I will try it that way and see how it does. I could SWEAR when I did try it like you have mentioned...it did not do much at all. Maybe I was trying to do too much at one time instead of taking it slow..
YES...when I have done it in the past I could get a faint whiff of the filler. Kinda like the smell I can get if I really heat up fiberglass to get the adhesive to break free.
DUB
YES...when I have done it in the past I could get a faint whiff of the filler. Kinda like the smell I can get if I really heat up fiberglass to get the adhesive to break free.
DUB
#20
Drifting
i learned this trick from an old body guy when i was young. i was repainting a chop top merc that had at least 5 gals of filler on it. after a day of grinding i had a mess. he came in the next day and threw a fit. he made me clean up then handed me a propane torch and a welders brush. it still makes a mess but it does not get airborne . once you get the hang of it it's like a razor blade and heat gun.