Recommeded tool for Body repair?

[TopDown]

I'm working on the body of a 66 Coronet and i was wondering if anyone can suggest tools/equipment that will help the job go by quicker or be more effective?

There is also rust below the rocker panels and on some corners of the doors. Is there any recommended ways to kill rust without welding new metal? (i don't know how to weld)

Lastly, because i can't afford a decent paint job, i was thinking about spraying the car myself. Are there any suggestions on good paint, CFM/PSI, etc.

Thanks for any help!

 

[66_B_Body4ever]

Tough question to answer, Compressor, mig and 20K worth of tools...lol Depends what you have now I suppose. To give you advice about paint see the thread "Paint what is best" further down in the body and paint forum. I suggest saving your money and pay a professional to do your painting, lots of money in materials can lead to costly mistakes!

BTW, no shortcuts for rust...cut it out and replace the cancer...no other true way...

 

[detmatt1]

All other ways of fixing rust without removing and replacing with good metal are temporary.

 

[GOMOPAR]

You could probably find an affordable weld kit on Craigslist or wherever.
There are plenty of video how to's on the web. Spend a day making sparks on some junk yard sheetmetal, and you'll be good to go.

If you don't have a spray booth and mucho skill, which most of us don't, have a pro paint it.

You won't be satisfied with your homemade paint job. It might be okay for a tractor, but not for a classic car.

 

[Donny]

Humm...sounds like you have your hands full! No tools, no welding skills, just ambition! Good on the ambition part. Suck other people's brains about this trade/hobby, learn as much as you can about the work, the skills needed, etc. How old are you? If you are young, like 15 or so, this is a good time to learn this stuff via exposure. I did it that way when I was 15, now, I'm 44 and have the tools, and the time, and (I think) the skills! This stuff takes time, but, if you are good in it, and like it, then the tent is always big enough, and I will always let someone in that wants to be there! Good luck!

 

[poly1963]

:banana:

 

[5.7 hemi]

" BFH " big f-ing hammer! lol! All the mentioned suggestions sound on target.

 

[MrCoolDale]

The past few days, I taught myself how to weld. I watched a quick tutorial on youtube, grabbed some scrap fenders from a junk yard (he gave them to me for free when I told him why I needed them) and just practiced welding. I was really surprised at how easy it really is. I bought my welder from Home Depot. It's a Lincoln and it cost about $260 and works perfectly for body welding. Now I just need the new pans.

A media blaster is a god send. They really help with stripping paint and surface rust off your body. I've had mine for years, and can't remember what I paid. They are as easy to use as a can of spray paint. Just turn the sucker on and start spraying nice long patterns.

I've been avoiding using any filler on this car, and have found that using a mallet and dow rods have been able to get almost any dent out.

As far as painting goes, I wouldn't do it yourself. I have a nice paint setup in my garage, but I only use it for smaller projects that don't matter too much. When it comes to a classic, do it right. Find a nice sheib paint shop around you and have them do it. You can save a lot of money by doing all the prep work yourself. Media blast it, use some self-etching primer, then prime it the color you want. Give it a couple coats of primer, and take it out to get painted. If you're really on a dime, you can go to Maaco, but you get what you pay for with paint jobs.

With everything listed, you're probably looking at about a solid grand.
$250 for the mig welder
$100 for the sheet metal to replace those rust spots
$50 for the media blaster (a quick google lent a round-about price)
$75 for primer
$15 for mallet and large dow rods

And that leaves a about $500 for a half-way decent paint job. I'm sure you can find all those things cheaper on craigslist, or if you just shop around and find stores that price match.

I hope this helps. Good luck on project, and post lots of pictures. Mine are soon to come.

 

[66_B_Body4ever]

[/QUOTE]With everything listed, you're probably looking at about a solid grand.
$250 for the mig welder
$100 for the sheet metal to replace those rust spots
$50 for the media blaster (a quick google lent a round-about price)
$75 for primer
$15 for mallet and large dow rods

And that leaves a about $500 for a half-way decent paint job. I'm sure you can find all those things cheaper on craigslist, or if you just shop around and find stores that price match.
[/QUOTE]

Wow...pretty good prices! I'm movin' to the US!

 

[MrCoolDale]

I do need to make a small adjustment. After going around to home depot, pep-boys, and lowes, I couldn't find a media blaster for under $120. I saw small ones online for $50, but I didn't take the time to realize that they aren't large enough for practical applications on a car. You're going to need a larger one that'll typically run about $150ish. And you're going to need a half-way decent air compressor. However, if you're redoing a classic, I would assume you have a nice one capable of a constant 75psi or better. If not, that'll run you about $350 for a cheap one, or $500 for a nicer one.

All things considered, I'd have to change that solid grand to $1500. Unless you have the compressor, than you can knock about $400 off that.

 

[375instroke]

For bodywork, I'd only use a MIG, not an FCAW (flux core arc welding). I painted my first car at a night school while earning high school credits, so I had access to all the professional equipment for free, like boot, spray guns, plasma cutters, MIG welders, and all that stuff. I just paid for my materials. There may be something like that in your area. Perhaps at a community college.

 

[Donny]

50 bucks for a Media Blaster? Wowsers! My Media Blasting equipment cost $24,000.00!

 

[MrCoolDale]

I'm going to assume your media blaster is one of the larger ones with a built in compressor. There are some out there for about $50 - $100 that are nothing more than a spray gun with a small (attached) hopper and you hook that up to your compressor hose. I have one that just looks like a 50gal drum, with a hose coming out the bottom. You hook your compressor up to the gun and you're set. I think mine cost me about $200, but I'm not absolutely certain.

Another tool you'll want is a trim removal tool. They are really handy when you want to pull off that trim around your doors and windows. Don't just tape that off, pull it off.

 

[MarPar]

50 bucks for a Media Blaster? Wowsers! My Media Blasting equipment cost $24,000.00!

OOOH! Mister fancy pants!!!! :tongueflap: LOL ya ok, i'm jealous, sue me :rolling:

 

[Donny]

Hardy Har Har Har!!!! Built in compressor? Ammm, no, the compressor is external, about 1500 lbs, 5ft tall, 6 ft wide and 4 ft deep, 210 cfm at whatever air pressure I want, from 10 psi to 100+ psi. :banana::banana:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rzTPoQEftjo

 

[69 Runner]

Damn. Sounds like an L-1011 firing up:rolling:

 

[res1vw21]

$75 for primer

um yha no, I get a good discount at the paint store and a good 2k primer is more like 350. and yes I am a body man, I wouldn't use a $75 primer it will most likely shrink back on you and cause your paint job to look like crap.

For decent paint (base/clear) sealer and primer you are looking at around 1200. Yes it can be done cheaper and the color matters as far as price but when it comes to paint you get what you pay for. that is to do the entire car with a bit of left over for touch ups.

 

[Donny]

Yeah, and putting an Amp meter on it when I start it is frightening! It is pulling over 500 Amps, very hard to start, unless it's about 90 degrees outside!

 

[AdamR]

Get yourself an easywood catalog and start ordering 1 of each.

 

[375instroke]

My first car was painted with a $25 a gallon of Nason synthetic enamel. Start with a practice car.