D-I-Y Car Body Repairs

Having done extensive body repair on my own car just by myself some time in 2001, it would be nice to share here on how to do it. By the way, I also owned and operated an auto repair shop for 7 years in the 1980s.

If one were to consider in doing-it-yourself auto body repair, you should have some basic interest in working with metal sheets. To do this kind of metal working the basic tools needed to repair dents and small rust holes are:

1. Ball peen Hammer
2. Rubber Mallet
3. Metal dolly
4. Tinsmith's Spoons
5. Wire brush, steel or bronze
6. Sandpaper for wet & dry use

Others that you need for wet sanding & drying:

• Sponge
• Pail of water
• Sanding block or wood
• Soap
• Several clean rags

Working on dents does not necessarily mean hammering the body part to its original shape. All that is needed is to work back the dent to about at least 1/8 of an inch to its original shape. Making it shape to almost original will be completed by applying body filler and putty. In the process of gently hammering back the dent, paint will either chip-off or crack. It will be necessary to do the following:

1. Wet sand away the paint and surrounding areas up to about 2 inches away from the exposed metal. Try to "feather-off" the paint meeting the bare metal to allow proper adherence of the body filler to be applied. Use 120 grit sand paper for this. Wet sanding is advisable then wipe thoroughly dry.
2. Dab the exposed metal with rubbing alcohol or anti-rust compound. Make sure to avoid applying it on the painted area.
3. If rust is evident, use steel brush or bronze brush to remove, if possible, all traces of rust.
4. It is at your option to thinly hand paint with primer the bare metal if it is not larger than the size of your palm.
5. Let the area totally dry before applying body filler. If you are a beginner, most body fillers come in two parts. The hardener, usually in a small plastic tube, is the catalyst to harden the compound. Use it sparingly because using too much will cause the filler harden real fast in a couple of minutes. Mix the compound well and apply with gentle pressure in one direction to fill the depression on the body. Apply the filler close to the nearest undamaged paint.
6. After the body filler has hardened and dried wet sand gently with 320 grit sand paper to follow the contour of the body. Make sure that the body filler feathers where it meets with the original paint. Feathering means there is no ridge felt when you run your finger tips on where the ends meet. It takes time to be accurately sensitive to feel this difference to the touch. Running over theends several times with your closed palm and finger tips will give you the "feel".
7. To complete the filling, apply very thinly, glazing putting over the body filler to cover slight imperfections and pores. Again wet sand with 600 grit sand paper the entire area that you worked on. Overlap slightly sanding on the original paint. Let dry completely.
8. Apply primer surfacer spray (available in aerosol cans) with a color closest to your original paint. After the primer has completely dried, wet sand again with used 600 grit sand paper or new 800 grit sand paper. Wipe and let dry completely.
9. Apply paint color of your car from 4 to 6 coats letting each coat dry completely before applying the next coat. If the color code of your paint is available, normally you can get them too in aerosol cans.
10. After the final coat has completely dried, wet sand the finish very lightly with 1000 grit sand paper.
11. To bring out the sheen and luster of the paint job and blend it to the original, rub the entire work with fine rubbing compound with consistent light pressure strokes. Wipe off the repaired area and buff with circular motion.

NOTE: Know if your original paint is enamel, lacquer or acrylic. NEVER apply acrylic over enamel or lacquer finish. Enamel or lacquer over acrylic is just fine.

• Mask off areas not to be painted. Hold the spray about 8 to 10 inches away from the area.
• Spraying motion should be back and forth overlapping each stroke by about 1/3 of its width.
• Spray stroke speed should be close to 1 foot per second but not faster.
• Release trigger or button away and past the work area if you need to stop or pause.
• If a mistake or error was made and defect shows on paint applied, let dry completely then wet sand area with 1000 grit sand paper. When dry, resume painting finish.
• To add shine and luster protect color, you can spray a clear coat to the last color coat.