[jww]

Originally Posted by dhutton

Filler gets a bad reputation because it is abused by so many. Properly applied and worked filler is perfectly fine imho. How many folks commenting here have actually done show quality bodywork?

Don

Good lookin cars!……… Black’s pretty unforgiving

[TAKerry]

dhutton, and 400, both beautiful work. I could look at that stuff all day.

My biggest concern with this 'spread all over' technique is longevity. I would think the product would shrink and crack. I know nothing last forever, and anything I do now will most likely outlast me, LOL.

I am at the finishing stages of my TATA but I enjoy to a great degree doing body work (or as an old timer I knew used to say 'body and fender'). I have a chevelle that needs everything and cant wait to start getting my shop dirty again. You guys are an inspiration.

[Hesster1977]

Painted my T/A in my garage.
After sitting in friend's yards and fields for 20 years, I dragged it to my house, stripped it to bare metal, etched it, skim bondo where needed, sealer coat, epoxy primer, and shot it with single stage Acrylic Urethane.
My experience is quality Bondo is OK, but never use too much, and it has to be well sealed or you get paint pops and/or paint adhesion issues.
No clear coat for that paint, it yields the deepest black when you sand it smooth and buff the hell out of it until is is like glass.
Still holding up pretty well after 10 years.

[dhutton]

Originally Posted by TAKerry

dhutton, and 400, both beautiful work. I could look at that stuff all day.

My biggest concern with this 'spread all over' technique is longevity. I would think the product would shrink and crack. I know nothing last forever, and anything I do now will most likely outlast me, LOL.

I am at the finishing stages of my TATA but I enjoy to a great degree doing body work (or as an old timer I knew used to say 'body and fender'). I have a chevelle that needs everything and cant wait to start getting my shop dirty again. You guys are an inspiration.

When you skim a panel most of it is sanded off. Only a thin trace should remain in the lows and will not crack. The directions clearly state the max allowable thickness. Do not exceed it. Use a quality filler. I like Evercoat Rage Ultra. Sands like butter.

Here’s another one headed to Goodguys in the fall.
Don

[455dan]

Shot these all in regular garage never skim coated a full panel but I have not painted a show winner either. Sorry for the resolution pics of pics

[n20ta2]

I skimmed the panels on all these cars, bare metal quick skim coat over properly straightened sheet metal then blocked. I have never had an issue with shrinkage because the filler is very thin and like I mentioned before 90% gets sanded off. Everyone has a different method and spot filling areas is fine too. This is just faster for me because I don't have to go back over areas I missed that you can't feel.. my orange gto was sold to a member here and he turned it into a drag car that has been on the cover of Dragzine. I believe 90% of the paint was applied by me, I think they stretched the quarters and had ro blend those

[jww]

My current project. Filler where needed but otherwise just epoxy, 2k and blocking.
Oops, sorry for the sideways pics

[burd]

Talked to a GTO guy up on Woodward, he says, - NO BONDO IN MY CAR. ya ok.

[jww]

I agree, hard to believe given the age of these cars..
Maybe he’s an “all lead” kinda guy ??

[fairwayhit]

As a "hobbyist", I don't have the skills to skim coat (or metal finish). It is too hard to mix up that quantity of filler and get a nice light skim before it kicks. Very hard to get it even. It takes a lot of skill to skim a panel without loosing the body lines or changing the contour. Poly is probably the way to go, but takes a different gun (larger tip) and you have to be careful around the edges, etc. Poly definitely lets you get things laser straight, though. However, If you end up with half a can of the stuff left, it is just a waste as it isn't good for anything else. That stuff is pretty expensive, so you better get it right with one can.

I prefer to use SPI epoxy and sand enough to see where you need filler. Then several more coats of epoxy followed by additional rounds of sanding until everything is straight. The SPI epoxy sands very easily and sort of acts as it's own guide coat since it sands to a slightly different color. It builds fairly well and has a long recoat window. It is also somewhat self leveling and will not "shrink". I can't speak for other Epoxy on those items. I like using several coats with rounds of sanding so I "sneak up" on getting it straight.

The reason I prefer this over poly or skim coating is that I don't have enough skill to get those methods straight without several rounds of sanding and guide coat. If you apply the subsequent rounds of epoxy within the recoat window, you eliminate most of the problems with poor adhesion, etc. Also, you can sand through to bare metal, or the filler you applied, and just recoat with more epoxy and keep going. Also, if you miss a ding, you can use a little filler in that spot and go back on the next round of epoxy. Just keep at it until you finally get it straight. I think this way it is easier to keep the buildup to a minimum. If you end up with a half a can of Epoxy you can always use it for suspension parts etc.

I know using all epoxy takes a lot longer, but the backyard hack like me can get things straight and the additional mils of epoxy just protect the panel. Time/effort replace skill.

No one is ever going to mistake my work for Kindig, but I know my limitations. If I were paying a professional to do the work, I would have no issue with them using Poly or skim coating a panel as long as the total mils were kept to a minimum. But as a hack who is only going to do a couple cars in their lifetime, Skim coating isn't for me.

[n20ta2]

Originally Posted by fairwayhit

As a "hobbyist", I don't have the skills to skim coat (or metal finish). It is too hard to mix up that quantity of filler and get a nice light skim before it kicks. Very hard to get it even. It takes a lot of skill to skim a panel without loosing the body lines or changing the contour. Poly is probably the way to go, but takes a different gun (larger tip) and you have to be careful around the edges, etc. Poly definitely lets you get things laser straight, though. However, If you end up with half a can of the stuff left, it is just a waste as it isn't good for anything else. That stuff is pretty expensive, so you better get it right with one can.

I prefer to use SPI epoxy and sand enough to see where you need filler. Then several more coats of epoxy followed by additional rounds of sanding until everything is straight. The SPI epoxy sands very easily and sort of acts as it's own guide coat since it sands to a slightly different color. It builds fairly well and has a long recoat window. It is also somewhat self leveling and will not "shrink". I can't speak for other Epoxy on those items. I like using several coats with rounds of sanding so I "sneak up" on getting it straight.

The reason I prefer this over poly or skim coating is that I don't have enough skill to get those methods straight without several rounds of sanding and guide coat. If you apply the subsequent rounds of epoxy within the recoat window, you eliminate most of the problems with poor adhesion, etc. Also, you can sand through to bare metal, or the filler you applied, and just recoat with more epoxy and keep going. Also, if you miss a ding, you can use a little filler in that spot and go back on the next round of epoxy. Just keep at it until you finally get it straight. I think this way it is easier to keep the buildup to a minimum. If you end up with a half a can of Epoxy you can always use it for suspension parts etc.

I know using all epoxy takes a lot longer, but the backyard hack like me can get things straight and the additional mils of epoxy just protect the panel. Time/effort replace skill.

No one is ever going to mistake my work for Kindig, but I know my limitations. If I were paying a professional to do the work, I would have no issue with them using Poly or skim coating a panel as long as the total mils were kept to a minimum. But as a hack who is only going to do a couple cars in their lifetime, Skim coating isn't for me.

Totally agree! There is more then one way to skin a cat and If you can get to the same end result with a method that works for you then that's what you should do.

[MUSLCAH]

Originally Posted by dhutton

Filler gets a bad reputation because it is abused by so many. Properly applied and worked filler is perfectly fine imho. How many folks commenting here have actually done show quality bodywork?

Don

Everyone on here is an expert…just ask them

[jcleinmark]

Been laying on Bondo for 35 plus years , never coated complete panels,,, a d I could straighten anything in the day,,, I would say that smashed quarter panel don't need replaced,, let's straighten it,, and would be straight,, unlike some of the cars at car shows,, lots of wavy stuff out there,, always had fun clipping cars in the days,,,

[jcleinmark]

Just repair area that ends it

[MUSLCAH]

Originally Posted by jcleinmark

Been laying on Bondo for 35 plus years , never coated complete panels,,, a d I could straighten anything in the day,,, I would say that smashed quarter panel don't need replaced,, let's straighten it,, and would be straight,, unlike some of the cars at car shows,, lots of wavy stuff out there,, always had fun clipping cars in the days,,,

Back in the day….it was called “ Quarter in a Can “… lol

[jww]

Originally Posted by jcleinmark

Been laying on Bondo for 35 plus years , never coated complete panels,,, a d I could straighten anything in the day,,, I would say that smashed quarter panel don't need replaced,, let's straighten it,, and would be straight,, unlike some of the cars at car shows,, lots of wavy stuff out there,, always had fun clipping cars in the days,,,

Yup, you’re right.!!! Lota quarter panels in a gallon of mud!!! And never more than 1/16”, right!??

[jcleinmark]

Originally Posted by jww

Yup, you’re right.!!! Lota quarter panels in a gallon of mud!!! And never more than 1/16”, right!??

O yeah for sure ,lol

[MUSLCAH]

Haven’t used my Viking air Board….or the filler rasps …in about 40 years…lol

[HoovDaddy]

I don't skim coat an entire car, but sometimes it's necessary to do an entire panel to get it flat. If it's minor I'll build it up with epoxy primer and block. I use only epoxy primer from the bare body, to blocking, to sealer as I think the job is more stable and more durable with just one product, and I find it more economical. We all know most of it ends up on the floor. I also use lead on the sail panels and any other areas that require shaping. With most repop panels, there is way too much work required to get a good fit, so there is always welding followed with lead. I know it won't crack at least in my lifetime.

This is my first post here. I've been building cars for 54 years as a hobby. I started out with Pontiacs in the late 60s, worked at a Pontiac dealer in Royal Oak, MI (started a few days after the one your thinking of closed it's doors) then I got into Chevy's for a few decades and last year I got a '69 Firebird again that I'm working on.

I accidentally started a car club a couple decades ago for people that don't have the skills to build a car. They put sweat equity into a current project and then the club builds their car while they continue to learn. No labor charge, just feed everybody and supply the garage and tools.

Below is some of our recent work, these all started out as little more than parts cars.

[400 4spd.]

HoovDaddy, I want to welcome you to these forums, and I highly commend you for starting such a club. The pictures of the results are impressive.