ok so i bought my car this way(looks like someone was tap dancing on my roof) only paid 300 for the car. so i've asked around and everyone says bondo will crack(would have to be put on pretty thick). so my question is...if i put some bondo to level out the peaks and valleys a bit, could i fiberglass over top of it to reinforce it? (not just one layer...multiple layers of reniforcement). forgive me if this sounds novice and im sure it is, but i can't weld and can't afford to pay someone to fix it for me...if u guys think this will work, or have any other ideas let me hear them
you can pop the dents out from below and shrink the ridges that may be left,I would not just fill them with any kind of filler or fiberglass as the roof flexes. Post some pics
No need to weld.Look up what they call a shrinking disc.If you can operate a hand grinder,you can do this.Using bondo then fiberglass...you'll be sanding/grinding for a longggg time!
random hero,check this out.keep in mind there are different kind's of disc you can use.a hammer and dolly set,will set you back about 25-35 bucks at harbor freight http://www.hotrod.com/howto/hrdp_0607_dents/heat_shrink.html
I had the same thing with my roof . Find a good metal man ( the older the better ) to teach you . My roof was push down 2 1/2'' with 4 pressure buckel in each corners . I used a slap file and a dollie to fix the oil can in the roof this will tighten up the roof skin . Then I cut out the center roof support rebent it to support the roof . When I was done I had just a skim coat of body filler on the hole roof . The biggest thing is take your time and learn and good luck. Jay
The shrinking disc of death. I saw it in one of those rat rod magazines. Good article though on how to.
A good roof is a dime a dozen since they seldom rust out and there are lots of parts cars out there. You could very possibly spend way less time by cutting the roof off and welding another on. I have replaced many a roof. An experienced body man can do this in a days time and you would only have enough body filler (bondo) to cover where you welded at the posts. I personally would rather do this rather than having to wipe an entire roof panel with filler. And no, the fiberglas idea would not work. That would create way more problems that you even know. Good luck with the car.
I agree with Ray on this one. Loading up a flexable area like a roof with bondo and fiberglass is trouble looking for a place to happen. If the roof is so damaged that it's just one dent after another it would take far less work to simply replace it with a dent-free one. The end result will be a much cleaner job with a whole lot less bondo.
go buy yourself a hammer and dolly and some other body tools, and get to work. I hate the fact how almost everyone wants to use fillers and what not these days, hardly any one wants to learn to do real, old fashioned body work.. I never use fillers on my cars, once my work area is how i want, I will start the lead process if needed. Its truly a lost art. Im fortunate my grandpa passed down skills and tools for me to learn the good ol way to do real body work.
hey its all good man. i hate bondo too. mostly just from looking at it on cars i bought. im no body man and no ones ever showed me a good way to do it. (only lesson i ever got was from a kid younger than me and 20 hours on a 30 year old bottle of scotch). but when it comes time to do my body work, im gonna collect every car magazine i own with info on the topic buy some hammers, fire up the welder and go to town. hell its only metal, people were shaping it better than most body shops a thousand years ago. I just wish that when they build these cars they actually put some effort into it, instead of all these stampings, extrusions, and spot welds. didnt they know that guys would be screwing around with all these inferior assemblies 30 years later. I guess my point is UNIT BODIES SUCK , BUT DONT YA LOVE EM?
