Auto
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There comes a time when just about every
car on the road needs some form of rust or
otive
body repair. Quite often, if the car is a daily
driver for running errands, repairs are never
made, and the car eventually ends up in
junkyard heaven. For our beloved collector
B
cars, hot rods, and muscle cars, dents, dings,
O
and rust are not an option, and neither is the
D
scrap heap. And for just about any restoration
YW
project, the bodywork is by far the most
expensive part of the process.
O
In Automotive Bodywork and Rust Repair,
R
veteran restorer Matt Joseph shows you the ins
K A
and outs of tackling both simple and difficult
rust and metalwork projects. This book teaches
you how to select the proper tools for the job,
ND R
common-sense approaches to the task ahead of
you, preparing and cleaning sheetmetal, section
fabrications and repair patches, welding options
U
such as gas and electric, forming, fitting and
S
smoothing, cutting metal, final metal finishing
T
including filling and sanding, the secrets of lead
R
filling, making panels fit properly, and more.
Also included is a comprehensive resource
EP
guide. Whether you decide you want to tackle a
A
full restoration project, or just want to save
I
money by doing minor repairs yourself,
R
Automotive Bodywork and Rust Repair is the
book to get you through it.
Matt Joseph has published
more
than
1,800
feature
articles on a wide variety of
automotive topics, in many
automotive trade, consumer,
travel, financial, and general
J
periodicals and newspapers. He
o
has hosted two automotive-
se
themed radio talk programs,
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and presently works in TV. His
previous books include The Standard Guide to
Automotive Restoration
and Collector Car
Restoration Bible. He continues to work as an
industry consultant, providing services to
SA
corporate, financial, and government clients on
1
various aspects of automotive design, marketing,
66
advertising, publications, and policy.
U.S. $26.95
For a free catalog of all our books, write, call or visit our website:
39966 Grand Avenue
ISBN 978-1-932494-97-6
North Branch, MN 55056
Item SA166
(800) 551-4754 or (651) 277-1200
Written, edited, and designed in the U.S.A.
www.cartechbooks.com
Printed in China
Matt Joseph
CarTech®, Inc.
Dedication
39966 Grand Avenue
To the legions of craftsmen who, over
North Branch, MN 55056
the centuries, managed to forget about
Phone: 651-277-1200 or 800-551-4754
the rigidity of sheet steel and treated it
Fax: 651-277-1203
as if it were plastic in order to form it
www.cartechbooks.com
into a myriad of useful and beautiful
© 2009 by Matt Joseph
shapes and structures.
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be repro-
Front Cover:
duced or utilized in any form or by any means, electronic or
Being adept at bodywork not only helps in restora-
mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any infor-
tion, but modification as well. Here, a transmission
tunnel is being altered to accommodate an aftermar-
mation storage and retrieval system, without prior permission
ket transmission. (Robert Genet photo)
from the Publisher. All text, photographs, and artwork are the
property of the Author unless otherwise noted or credited.
Title Page:
One of the more common areas of rust is the lower
The information in this work is true and complete to the best of
corner of doors. Material is being removed to
our knowledge. However, all information is presented without
facilitate a repair.
any guarantee on the part of the Author or Publisher, who also
Back Cover Photos
disclaim any liability incurred in connection with the use of the
information and any implied warranties of merchantability or fit-
Top Left:
ness for a particular purpose. Readers are responsible for taking
The sound that you hear when you hit metal on an
suitable and appropriate safety measures when performing any of
anvil brims with useful information. A good anvil
rings on impact. An inferior anvil thuds.
the operations or activities described in this work.
Top Right:
All trademarks, trade names, model names and numbers, and
Plastic filler is filed in much the same way as lead
other product designations referred to herein are the property of
filler. The same body files used for lead can be used
their respective owners and are used solely for identification pur-
with plastic fillers.
poses. This work is a publication of CarTech, Inc., and has not
Middle Left:
been licensed, approved, sponsored, or endorsed by any other
High-speed abrasive disks are great for cutting into
person or entity. The Publisher is not associated with any prod-
contoured panels, but are pretty much limited to
uct, service, or vendor mentioned in this book, and does not
cutting straight lines.
endorse the products or services of any vendor mentioned in this
book.
Middle Right:
It is best to cut a temporary line into either the old
or the new panel, for a trial fitting.
Edit by Bob Wilson and Scott Parkhurst
Layout by Chris Fayers
Bottom Left:
Hammering off-dolly is a precision operation that is
ISBN 978-1-61325-252-9
used to shape metal without stretching it.
Item No. SA354
Bottom Right:
Fabricating a splash shield involves rolling the first
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
of three lengthwise beads into it with a hand-
operated bead roller.
Joseph, Matt
Automotive bodywork and rust repair / by Matt Joseph.
PGUK
p. cm.
63 Hatton Garden
ISBN 978-1-932494-97-6
London EC1N 8LE, England
1. Automobiles—Bodies—Maintenance and repair. 2. Auto-
Phone: 020 7061 1980 • Fax: 020 7242 3725
mobiles—Conservation and restoration. I. Title.
www.pguk.co.uk
TL255.J67 2009
629.2’60288—dc22
Renniks Publications Ltd.
2009016169
3/37-39 Green Street
Written, edited, and designed in the U.S.A.
Phone: 2 9695 7055 • Fax: 2 9695 7355
Printed in China
www.renniks.com
10 9 8 7 6
C O N T E N TS
Acknowledgments...............................................4
Chapter 9: Filling ..............................................84
Introduction ........................................................5
The Secrets of Lead Work ........................................85
The Project: Decklid Panel Repair ............................85
Chapter 1: What You Should Know
Applying Lead Filler Material ...................................87
Before You Start............................................7
Applying Plastic Fillers .............................................92
Panel Types, Configurations and Reinforcements .....8
Autobody Steel............................................................9
Chapter 10: Special Projects
Plasticity and Elasticity.............................................10
and Procedures ...........................................96
Work Hardening: The Metal Remembers.................11
The Project: Fabricating a Splash Shield ..................96
At the Factory and Afterward ...................................14
Making Panels and Trim Fit ...................................103
Necessary Tools and Equipment ..............................15
General Considerations ............................................18
Quarter-Panel Replacement ....................................103
Door Re-Skinning ...................................................105
Chapter 2: Limits of Materials, Equipment
Hanging Doors........................................................107
and Skills........................................................20
Mounting and Adjusting Trim ...............................109
Inherent Advantages.................................................23
Divide and Conquer ................................................24
Chapter 11: Before You Paint .........................110
The Danger from Behind........................................111
Chapter 3: Types of Jobs ...................................26
Damage Repair ..........................................................26
Chapter 12: Minor Rust Repair to a
Small Rust Repairs.....................................................31
Fender Edge ..............................................115
Small Patch Piece Welding Methods ........................34
The Approach .........................................................115
The First Step: Evaluation.......................................116
Chapter 4: Cleaning, Modeling and Cutting ..37
Removing the Bad Metal ........................................116
Preparing and Cleaning Sheetmetal.........................37
Planning and Modeling the Repair ........................117
Cutting Panel Materials ............................................39
Cutting and Forming the Metal Patches................118
Getting Shapes and Contours Right ........................42
Final Fitting.............................................................121
Chapter 5: Forming, Fitting and Smoothing...44
Welding Considerations .........................................121
Simple Tools and Equipment ...................................44
Cleaning, Positioning, Fixturing and Welding ......122
Applying Plasticity/Elasticity, Work Hardening
Grinding the Weld Beads and Shrinking the
and Annealing.......................................................45
Bulged Area .........................................................124
Hammering Techniques that Work ..........................47
Final Steps before Filling ........................................126
Bending, Beading and Prying...................................49
Tinning ...................................................................127
Power Forming..........................................................50
Applying the Lead Filler ........................................128
Pulling Approaches to Moving Metal ......................51
Shaping the Lead and Finishing the Job................130
Smoothing, Stretching, Shrinking and
Forming Operations..............................................52
Chapter 13: Repairing Collision Damage
in a Decklid ..............................................133
Chapter 6: Bumping to Move the Metal
The Approach .........................................................136
the Right Way.............................................55
The Early Steps........................................................137
Metal Finishing.......................................................148
Chapter 7: Metal Finishing...............................60
Filling ......................................................................153
Indicating, Feeling and Other Human Tools to
Determine Panel Surfaces .....................................60
Chapter 14: Sources and Resources................157
Filing Done Right .....................................................63
The Art of Pick Hammering .....................................66
Local Sources...........................................................157
The Disc Sanding Alternative ...................................67
Non-Local Sources .................................................158
Knowledge and Problem-Solving Resources ..........158
Types of Joints ..........................................................71
Appendix
Welding Smaller Pieces into Large Constructions ...72
Soldering Data ........................................................160
Fixturing ...................................................................73
Colors of Steel at Different Temperatures ..............160
Electric Welding........................................................73
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
As the author, one of the greatest
spent several days there studying and
that you sometimes have to pinch
rewards for writing this book has been
photographing many projects in
yourself to remember how incredibly
all I have learned while doing it. Part
progress. It was a great and enlighten-
challenging and difficult some of the
of this is because an author has to
ing experience. I learned much about
work being done there is, and how
clarify his or her own thinking about
how quality work can be done on a
superb the results of that work are.
the specific subjects of the work.
production-like basis. Watching the
L’Cars has some of the best equipment
When you are explaining something,
skilled metal men at MCR, Inc., com-
that I have ever seen. More important,
there is no room for cobwebs and
plete complex and difficult projects—
it has workers like Blaine, Wayne, and
ambiguities in your own mind.
certainly and quickly—inspired me
Matt, who know how to use that
A larger benefit is that doing
with some of the confidence needed
equipment to full advantage. These
research for and writing this book
to do my own sheetmetal work in a
men also know how to use the sim-
has given me the wonderful oppor-
more planned and efficient manner. I
ple, traditional tools of body work—
tunity to meet some incredible peo-
doubt if any other shop surpasses
hammers, dollies, and the like—as
ple—people who are among the best
MCR’s ability to produce consistently
well as I have ever seen it done. And
practitioners of metal crafts in the
great restoration results, on time and
they do it with good humor, learning
world. You will meet many of them
on budget, with the muscle cars on
and sharing knowledge with each
as you read these pages.
which they work.
other as they go along. The results
Herb Statz, from Waunakee, Wis-
L’Cars, in Cameron, Wisconsin,
are spectacular, embodying the high-
consin, has worked tirelessly with me.
and its genial proprietor, Bob
est quality that I have ever seen in
He modeled the skills, techniques,
Lorkowski, embody the essence of a
this work. These men make the most
and processes shown in many of the
craft guild approach to automotive
difficult tasks almost seem like rou-
photographs in this book. You can’t
restoration. This is a full service
tine chores, and bring what seems
miss him. He and his skilled hands are
restoration shop that can perform
impossible to within reach.
in more than half of the photos.
almost every restoration task, from
Sam Fiorani of the Eastwood
Beyond providing hands, Herb pro-
engine machine work to autobody
Company helped me out with some
vided the enormous benefit of his
metal work, upholstery, and refinish-
great photographs from Eastwood’s