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

[cudaken]

 Once againg reinforcment of working a dent to little. Left Front Fender again. Thought I was close, but when I blocked a little more found yeat another dent farer back.

Little trick on body lines. Use tape on either the top or bottom of the line you are trying to make. Spread your filler and pull off before the filler set up all the way. That will help make a crisper line. I forgot to take the PIC before I pulled off the tape and paper. So I used a clean pices for the PIC.

To make the line or should I say filler deeper you can use more than one pices of tape on top of each other. On my Charger I use double sided tape, about 1/8" thick, saved time and did not need to worry about the layers of tape over lapping.

[cudaken]

 Time for a nother Cuda Ken tip. When you are spreading filler a round areas like marker lights some filler will get where you don't want it. You can maske it, but if the filler sets to long will leve ragged edge. What I do, is use a drill and cut the filler out. You don't press down at all, just let the bite tip touch the metal. Use the side of the bite to cut the filler and ride the edge of the metal out line of the marker.

In the last PIC, you will see sonme filler left, pooped that out with a screw driver. Then use some 120 grit to clean up.

[cudaken]

 Next is a driffrent kind of filler. Slang used is icing like what is used on a cake if I spelled it wrong. Icing is a cross of body filler and primer. You mix like a normal filler but is very runnie. Little hard to work with due to that fact but is the reason it works well. It will flow out more than a normal filler and is great for small defeacts or shallow low spots. It also can be spread over primer or bare metal. I normaly use it over primer. It is also easyer to sand than normal filler, I use 120 then 220 and then primer.

In the hood PIC, of the right side I used no filler, just the icing.

On the door, could barely feel a low spot on the body line. I

I use Evercoat Metal Glazes 100414, there are others but I have yet to use them.

                                                          Cuda Ken

[AirborneSilva]

Damn Ken, the mods really need to make your how to threads stickies.  Great info your putting out 

[cudaken]

 I am going to ask Troy about doing that. I would hate to see it buryed 6 pages back after I am done with the AMX.

                                         Ken

[41husk]

I think between Ken and drop top we have one of the best sources for paint and body help on the net

[dodgecharger-fan]

Absolutely! These threads are fantastic.

and this is the kind of work that I'm doing on my car right now..

[Charger_Fan]

 

[cudaken]

 Thank you guys again, but give Drop Top his dues as well. I am not that good of a bodyman, I just keep at it till it is right. I do know when it is right, just takes me longer than a good Bodyman would. Remember the old saying, people that can do, ones that can't teach 41 Husk, nothing to do with you.

Sure old Drop Top could teach me some tricks, kind of wish he would chime in as well. Only time you cannot learn is either reading my spelling or someone is throwing dirt on your faces.

                            Cuda Ken, and you guys think I know something

[AirborneSilva]

                                         Cuda Ken, and you guys think I know something

Ya know a crap load more about body work then I do that's for certain 

[derailed]

Ken, Thanks for the great thread. Ive been following closely and learning alot. I am planning on stripping down my 67 LeMans and doing as much of the body and prep work myself. Not alot of rust work involved but plenty of blocking and smoothing. Keep those tips coming and thanks!

   Eric

[cudaken]

 Next part is boring but it something you need to do, Masking. You are prolably going "that a no brainer" and it is to a point. But it can take some time, first car I masked took 5 hours? Old as I am now about a hour if 80% of the chrome is still on the car.

Most of you will not spend the money for one of these but make's life a lot easyer. If you think or know you will do more than 1 car it is very helpfull. A cheap one like I have will range from $49 to $79 range. Bolt of 18" paper is about $20.00 (will do 4 cars) and 6" is about $5.00 if you can buy just one. Most machines will hold a 18" and a 6" roll at one time. I do not have a 6" roll on mine at this point.

Side tary on it is to hold you Cam 2 cans!

[cudaken]

 First thing is make sure the Chrome and glass is clean! To fold reason, you don't need crap blowing out from under the paper and getting into the primer. Second is tape will not stick to dust. You can get the primer off, but takes longer than keeping it off.

First thing I do if there is molding or felt to keep material off of is out line the area I am mashing with 3/4 wide tape. When I mask I start at the bottom. Makes it easyer to roll the paper up, and I did say roll.

First I stick the paper on the bottom and pull out the extra paper straight (Doning Driver Glass)

[cudaken]

 Next I roll the paper up and under it self

[cudaken]

 Then I seal it up. Try to make you wrapping tight as well. If it is lose it will flap more and better chances of blowing off.

[cudaken]

 If the car still has trim on it rather it be the door handel I pictured or chrome use a razor to trim arould the edges. I will more than likely remove the handel for painting but with being a AMX I have no idea how to open the door with the handle off.

[cudaken]

 Next tip is going to be the best I have given you so far. Aluminum Foil!

This is handed for masking K-frames, front Bars, A-arms or in this case rear springs.

[cudaken]

 On that last PIC, I used a garbage bag to cover the drum.

Now for the folks that will be using new's paper to wrap with. Firt I open the paper up like I am going to read it with the top on top and there is a reason. Lay it half on the hood and other half hanging off the fender. Lean aginst the paper with my leg's to hold in places. Pull the bottom pices up a little and lay tape across the top with half of the tape on the paper, and other on the hood. Press down the part on the paper. Pull the next pices up and over the other pices about 2"'s and repeat.

[cudaken]

 Next take the top pices, pull it off and tape to the pices below it and seal together with tape. When you pull the paper up, pull up the pices that is on the bottom, other wise you will pull them apart

[cudaken]

 Note in that last PIC, the windsheild was cleaned as I spoke about.

I layed the paper at the base, let about 3" hang off the driver side post. Folde the paper with tape at a 90 degree angel and tape to glass. I then rolled the extra paper under and sealed to glass. I also fold and tape the paper to it self to take up the slack. This will help make the paper fit the cruve of the glass.

[cudaken]

 Remember when I said put the tape at the top of the newspaper? Here is the reason, there are holes at the bottom. If you tape the bottom of the paper your car will have primer all over the glass and or chrome.

Reason I did not out line the glass is due to the fact there was no chrome.

[cudaken]

 Then just finshes up. Took me longer to post the PIC than mask the windsheild. Took me about 5 minutes with taking the PIC.


                    Cuda Ken, masking again

[41husk]

Did you get any primer on it last night?

[68mmcharger]

Thanks for the body work class. Great pictures.

Are you putting body filler directly on bare metal. Is it better to put it over primed/sealed metal? What works best?

[cudaken]

 Filler needs to go on bare metal, icing can go over primer. If a little bite of filler is on primer or paint your still OK.

                             Cuda Ken