body repairing???

Post by **silviaDRAG** » Mon Jun 02, 2003 11:01 am

Anyone in here knows how to fix the body of the 240sx. I need some help on my fastback 240 there is some body damage on the taillight and it surroundings I been trying to pound the stupid thing for about 5 hours and still nothing really changed can anyone help me with my problem and recommend some tools I should get to pop the dent on the back of my 240? or any suggestions on what I should do? I know it would be easier to just bring it to the body work shops but their too expensive. Is there any experienced or professional that can recommend something?

Website · Post by **quiksilvia** » Mon Jun 02, 2003 11:01 am

i just finished my car, can u bondo the thing or is it too deep

Post by **98TURBOKA** » Mon Jun 02, 2003 11:01 am

I work and have worked in a body shop for the past 5 years, and just to let you know bondo is not the answer for just anything. If you have a very small dent (around the size of a quarter) it will work but if it's much bigger than that you really should pound or pull out as much of the dent as you possably can. The tools that we use in my body shop probably cost more than alot of peoples cars, but are needed to do a quality repair. My suggestion is take it to the body shop, there are a few differant ways that they maybe able to repair it (blending the paint or not- for color match) that may save some money, but even if you don't have them blend for color match atleast yoou will have (depending on the shop) a decent repair that doesn't have just primer covering the work, decreasing your cars value and becoming a major eye sore.

Website · Post by **quiksilvia** » Mon Jun 02, 2003 11:01 am

just to let YOU know, i grew up in a body shop and i did not say that bondo will fix anything, thats why i was asking, sorry about you.

Post by **Radian** » Mon Jun 02, 2003 11:01 am

You can try a slide hammer depending on the size of the dent, but it is sounding like you might need to take it in if you really want a nice final product. Body work is as much art as it is tools. It isnt' like working on an engine, everything needs to be perfectly smooth before you paint, and there are way too many little tricks and tips to list in a forum such as this.Also, beware of bondo. Bondo actually dosn't have any adhesion qualities, it is held in place by a rough surface on the metal creating force on the filler, and the paint.On an '88 civic I had as a joke I filled in a HUUUUGGGGGEEE dent on the side of a door, it took like 1.5 GALLONS of bondo!!. Oh man that car was a POS. The bondo held on for a week or two, untill someone slammed the door hard. What a good laugh.:bearchug

I AM THE GREAT BONDINI

Post by **goshoryuken** » Mon Jun 02, 2003 11:01 am

My 89 240sx had a hole the size of a football in the left door and a dent on the right fender the size of a tennis ball and I took it to the shop . . the guys bondo'd it and painted it to match the original paint . . there's NO ONE . . who can tell it was every painted without taking the door panels apart from the inside. .... So yeah . . basically I would reccomend a body shop . .

ps - it cost me 350 for what I described

-GoShoryuken

Post by **Radian** » Mon Jun 02, 2003 11:01 am

goshoryuken wrote:size of a football in the left door and a dent on the right fender the size of a tennis ball

The depth of the ball too?Did they pull it out or just fill the whole thing in? If they filled the whole thing in I'd be worried, see my previous post (extreme I know, but the same concept)

Website · Post by **quiksilvia** » Mon Jun 02, 2003 11:01 am

did the whole plate o bondo fall off the door?

Post by **Radian** » Mon Jun 02, 2003 11:01 am

Yeah-the whole damn thing! We were drinking at a party outside and we were looking at the POS when a buddy went over and started slaming the door. It took about three tries, but the whole lump fell to the ground, and the thinner edges shattered off. We kicked it arround for a while. Ahh the memories.I sold that civic to a friend who striped it and is turning it into a rally car. We'll see were that goes.

Post by **honda_eater** » Mon Jun 02, 2003 11:01 am

about a year ago i had a dent in my rear passenger quarter panel about the size of a big beachball (1/4 depth), resulting from a hit and run on my parked car

... I got in the trunk used a big bar and popped it out as much as I could and used some bondo and shes absolutely perfect now. If I had a dig cam I'd show you but unfortunately i dont. good luck, dont F---- up your car

Post by **98TURBOKA** » Mon Jun 02, 2003 11:01 am

quiksilvia wrote:just to let YOU know, i grew up in a body shop and i did not say that bondo will fix anything, thats why i was asking, sorry about you.

I didn't say that YOU said that it would, I was just tring to give the guy a little bit clearer answer so he didn't go and fu**up his car. If you grew up in a body shop you should know that bondo is crap and that if you are going to accually put the time and affort in to the repair then you might as well do it right and spend a little more so you don't have chunks of the sh** falling off your car when you take it to the car wash or just shut your door.

Post by **Meantime** » Mon Jun 02, 2003 11:01 am

This whole thread brings up memories of my friend's VW Bug in high school, which was about 80% Bondo. We used to call it the Adobe Car.

Post by **Radian** » Mon Jun 02, 2003 11:01 am

Most ricey cars are about 80% bondo

Post by **98TURBOKA** » Mon Jun 02, 2003 11:01 am

They have to put heavy duty shocks on their cars just so they ride level due to the extra weight from the bondo.

Post by **goshoryuken** » Mon Jun 02, 2003 11:01 am

Since I got my work done a few months ago . .I dont know, but it looks and feels perfect if not better..The hole didn't go straight through the door but was more like . .a FLAT football . . it was on the surface of the door and was about half a cm deep. I'll post some pics when it's back this weekend...

-GoShoryuken

Post by **98TURBOKA** » Mon Jun 02, 2003 11:01 am

As long as you took it to a reputable shop you should be happy with the out come. It helps when you get someone that takes pride in their work. Send some pics when it's done.

Post by **Radian** » Mon Jun 02, 2003 11:01 am

Yeah, Bondo is really all in how you use it. If used correctly there is really nothing else that can come close. I've worked with it for years, starting on the POS $400 cars when I was 16 and working up to my hondas and '78 280Z. Obviously, the more you use it the better you get, and now I can work on par with a body shop.There is a Bondo alternative, a metal filler that works teh same way as bondo (catalyst). I forget off hand who makes it, but I like it better than bondo.

Post by **98TURBOKA** » Mon Jun 02, 2003 11:01 am

Rage gold from evercoat is some great filler.

Post by **chrispy** » Mon Jun 02, 2003 11:01 am

i didn't feel like reading all these posts but what about using a slide hammer? look at my cardomain site and you will see it worked great.

Post by **FrEaK** » Mon Jun 02, 2003 11:01 am

Get a slide hammer, a dolly, some shop hammers, and a little bit of body putty and knock yourself out...

Website · Post by **quiksilvia** » Mon Jun 02, 2003 11:01 am

slide hammers are good for moving like the whole bumber, but for fragile nissan sheet metal, hitting it from the back(he he he)is all you need

Post by **98TURBOKA** » Mon Jun 02, 2003 11:01 am

Accually a slide hammer would work great for moving the sheet metal, especially around the taillamp where all of the metal is reinforced!!

Post by **FrEaK** » Mon Jun 02, 2003 11:01 am

yea anything like the rear quarters love slide hammers, re enforced

Post by **chrispy** » Mon Jun 02, 2003 11:01 am

yes , i used the slide hammer on all my big dents, then the dolleys to make it a little smoother, and top it all off with body filler.

body repairing???

body repairing???

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