69 AMX Body Work, will help the people doing there own bodywork.

[41husk]

    Ken this is Eric the progress looks good call me and we can talk about supplies 

[cudaken]

 Every think has been blocked one time. Not it is time to show a few more tools. First one is a Air File and there are two kinds and I have both.

In Line Air File and Vibrating Air File.

One in the PIC is a Vibrating Air File. After I used one to qoute Wil Smith from 4th of July "I got to get me one of this"! It is the sizes of a normal air file but Vibrates like a jitter bug. Give me some 320 Air file paper and I can make anything straight. Reason I like it better than a In Line is it does not leave deep scrathes that need to be filled with primer to make feel smooth. In Line does cut faster but I also tened to cut off to much filler so I rather do it slower.

  I will ad finding one is tuff, most counter people will give you funny look when you ask for one. Would need a good air supply to keep up with it. Your A/C has wheels, for get it. 3 HP with a 60 Gallon tank will work, I have a 5 HP with 80 gallon tank.

Thing in front of it is a Dolly, I forget the exact name of this one but as you can see it has a curve to it. Been 26 years sence I went to Voteck school. I used this one to help get some of the curves back where they belonged, that and the Pick Hammer I showed above.

[cudaken]

 Left Quater, or for now on listed as LQ is the worst part of the AMX. Eric said it was a old repair that he uncoverd when he stripped the AMX. Wish I could have seen it in paint first, but by hand I did not like the way the dent was worked.

Will not show well in the PIC, upper body like was still sunk in and conture pushed up. I used a heal dolly and the other one I did show to work the metal. Sorry I have no PIC doing this, but bother in law took of on me. Also the LQ had a extra body line like a Charger at the bottom. That would have beeb fine if it was a Charger. I used the round Dolly in the PIC on the inside of the trunk and worked the Pick hammer to sink th unwanted body line. Remember, soft fast taps.

Also ground to bare metal as well. You should never stick a body filler over paint or primer as a rule of thumb. Little bite you can slide on, say 3/4" to 1" but still best not to.

One thing most new people do is they try to reapir to small of a area. If you look at the fiist PIC then the second one you will see I took to bare metal farther then where you can see the dent.

[cudaken]

 That last PIC showed the body line that should not be there pretty well. Filler is from one of Eric students try to help.

OK, the only part I hate about body work, spreading mud. Sanding, blocking etc not a problem. Just don't like spreading the stuff.

I used a 6" spreader on a dent this sizes, in fact the only sizes I buy. If I need a smaller one I just cut a bigger one down then I have 2 to 3 of them. Better you get at it the lest work you will need to make it straight. Tim, a bodyman that worked for me got it down to a art form.

I used a new can of Everycoat Z-grip but was still a little thicker than normal. One tip is to use some lacquer thinner to thin filler out a little. But I did not have any and used what I had.

[cudaken]

 This is after I used the Air File. Still in first coat of filler, next I will do another skim coat (means lite coat) and air file a gain.

Old trick I use to use and will again if I can find a red harder for the filler. Use blue and red harder to make the driffrent layers of filler driffrent colors. Help's find high and low spots much like guide coat.

                                Cuda Ken

[cudaken]

 I got the skim coat on the quater. Hit with the air file again still using 80 grite paper. Looks a little closer now. There looks to be a low spot in the center but it is a illusion. Now that I am half way close I sparyed some more guide coat on it and will work by hand with a long boy. Sorry but I forgot to take a PIC of it.

[cudaken]

 Next PIC is of a nother tool called a Pull Rod. They are used on small dents such as the one in the fender I am getting ready to show. You drill a hole in the area to be pull, pull on the dent with the rods and work the area around the dent to get the metal back into shape.

Turns out I did not need them on the dent, but I thought I go ahead and post the PIC's

[cudaken]

 Next PIC will be of the hood and fender dents. As I said be fore most people try to fix to small of a area. Both spots had been repaired before but when the AMX was stripped most of the filler was removed. What you see is the impact point and what would look like to most people the whole dent.

If you look at the area I ground down, that is the aera that will need to have filler applied

[cudaken]

 Boy the filler is ruff. I was trying to take PIC and spread filler at the same time and it was setting up. Remember, the smoother you get the filler the less work you will have.

Dent is the filler is pretty small so I am using a DA to ruff it in. As you can see the dent is in the center of a bodyline. I let about 2" of the pad go over the body line while holding it flat aginst the part I was working. PIC should explain what I am trying to say.


                          Cuda Ken

[cudaken]

 Lets talk about a few more tools I used today.

On the top is a in line air file. I talked about this on the first page. It moves back and forth and cuts faster than the oscillating air file. Reason I used it today? I am cheap, other one has a fresh pices of paper on it and did not want to waste it.

Center is a 3" Rubber Block. Most people will have seen this and is nothing fancy. I use it to work small dents or small area's of a larger repair like the Left Quarter.

Bottom is what I call a Long Boy. Most are made of wood, this one is plactic. I use this when I am close to having the area the way I want it for 2 reasons.
   1 When close it is easy to go to far when using a air tool.
   2 When you are close, how it feels while you are sanding comes in to play. Air tools, you cannot feel the panel.

[cudaken]

 Got back on the LQ today. Last PIC showed it in guide coat. I used the In Line Air file with 80 grit for this next PIC. If you look at the rear you will see it stayed black, a low spot.

[cudaken]

 On that last PIC you will see I started to work the dent that was on top of the body line.

Over all the filler was where I wanted it but there where still spots that need to be addressed. Used a 3" spreader and went after them.

With great care I used the DA to cut down the new filler but stayed out of the filler that was right. Just knocked down the peaks. Then I used the rubber block with 120 grit to bring it to the same level as the other filler. Next I used the oscillating air file with 150 grit.

Remember the rubber hose? I used that to work the upper part of the bodyline with 80, 120 and 150 grit paper.

[cudaken]

 Starting to look like something in that last PIC.

Next I used the Long Boy and felt the panel while I saned it. Felt pretty close to where it should be. Ran it across the top line on the edge maybe 5 passes to level it out just a little.

Quarter is now ready for some high fill primer.

[cudaken]

 Couple of more tips,

Work more than one spot. I did not post about all the areas I worked today but if you look at the PIC you will see I was working the left door and what you dont see I was working hood RQ, RD and RFF. You also kind of do it in shifts. Spread your filler lets say on the LFF, LD and LQ. While that filler is drying you spread filler on the RD, RFF and RQ. While that is drying you work the pther parts that have sat up. If you are a Bodyman, if you only work one spot or in fact 1 car you will go broke.

Have all areas that need filler ready for filler! Most people inc my self never mix just the filler that is need. Alwise seems there is just a little left, why waste it?

On the LFF, it is close to primer as well. I also worked it with the rubber block. Found a nother little spot right behind the main dent and another one 12 O Clock high.

[cudaken]

 Last PIS's are just a reinforcment about the fact most people fix to small of a area. PIC's are of the hood dent in the rear.

Note I used Masking paper to keep filler off the cowling. Hood is now ready to be worked with the rubber block.

                                   Cuda Ken, sanding again.

PS, if you guys are looking, just take the time to say high, K--k you or what the hell do you think you are doing D-mb F--k. I type slow and took me over a hour just to post what I just did. Alos feel free to ask questions as well.

[Roth68rt]

Cudaken, this is the best class I have ever attended.  I learn something on every post.  Thank-you and keep it coming, I want to see that AMX in paint.   

Steve

[69bananabeast]

you should make a CudaKen's  Auto Body for Dummies book 

[41husk]

Looks good ken, I can help you out with the primer since I will also need primer give me a call!

[cudaken]

you should make a CudaKen's   Auto Body for Dummies book  

Nic, I think I am

Steve, so do I.

Allen, I have primer but it not the yellow high fill primer I want to use on your Challanger. Ask Eric to call me as well. Need to speak with him about sheet metal and need some cash so I can pick up the air nibbler so I can cut the sheet metal for the floor.

             Cuda Ken

[41husk]

I will let him know.

[Charger_Fan]

Sure is looking great, Ken. Today is the first time I've checked this thread...I'm definitely gonna be checking back! 


Hey, do we need to start up a "get Ken some new pants fund"? Or are those your lucky pants & you're afraid to wash or replace them?

[cudaken]

 Charger Fan, you should know by now I don't throw any thing a way. Them there pants have Mopar Mud on them

Good thing you have not seen the back side

Glad you enjoyed the posting.

                               Cuda Ken

[41husk]

Ken, Is that Hemi bondo?

[cudaken]

 Well Allen, funny you broght that up They are the work pants I wore when I did the Hemi Charger


                           Cuda Ken

[41husk]

put those holy muthers on ebay, all your financial problems are over