can soneone help? body damage question

[visonofdisorder]

hello, i am purchasing a 89 honda civic manual froma neightbor for 200 bucks, about the only thing wrong with it is that it has some pretty decent hail damage, i plan on replacing the fenders and hood anyways but i was wondering about the roof, there is prob about 30 quarter size dent on it, i was wondering if i could just fill them in with body filler and sand them down to look decent, or is there a prob with that?

[CivicSpoon]

I'd say take off the headliner and bang them out or use a dent puller and then fill them in.

[1990civicdxhb]

use bondo,i fix & shave everything with bondo (body filler),its easy,not hard,looks the same as what it would (thats if you pretty good with it)
ive fixed harder dents then hail dents with body filler & it came out perfect,
beating the dents back out will only leave you with a dent you haft to push back in,so you can bondo it smooth,plus the hassel of taking the headliner out!

[TheSilentChamber]

Originally Posted by 1990civicdxhb

use bondo,i fix & shave everything with bondo (body filler),its easy,not hard,looks the same as what it would (thats if you pretty good with it)
ive fixed harder dents then hail dents with body filler & it came out perfect,
beating the dents back out will only leave you with a dent you haft to push back in,so you can bondo it smooth,plus the hassel of taking the headliner out!

Please dont listen to this moron.

The proper way to do this is remove the headliner and use a shrinking body hammer on the inside and dolly on the outside, it will more than likely take two people. Bondo is to fix minor imperfections in surfaces and should never be used to more than 1/8" thick, if even that. After hammering them out you will still more than likely have to put a skim coat of body filler on. I would only recomend a polyester catalized body filler (popular brand name available alot of places is Ultimate Bondo). After you remove all you can with hammer/dolly sand the outside with 40grit to the bare metl, apply the filer and let it cure, block sand the rough shape with 40 grit then finish by wetsanding (with a block) with 220 grit. Follow with high build primer lightly spray with flat black, then let completely cure and then wetsand (with a block) again with 220, this will revil any low spots. The low spots (if there is any) will remain black when you sand. These areas will require more attention. Most roofs you can only sand with very little pressure also as it warps in easy when pressure is applied to it.

[visonofdisorder]

ok, yeah ive heard that just using straight bondo is not the best thing to use, but i dont really have the money or the ways to get dent popping tools, and what about the ones you cant pop out from the inside like on the top of the door, and on the side of the roof?

[TheSilentChamber]

same methode. A body hammer and dolley (its a piece of metal that you hold on the other side of the dent that your hammering on so that it accualy have some structure to it) can be picked up at most parts stores for less than $20. You can mow some old womans yard and earn that easy. Practice on the small ones, then move up to the big ones. When I started doing body work we happend to have a old car sitting in the yard that I practiced on but sence your on a budget I dont think you could find a whole car to practice on. But take your time, you'll get frustrated but remember its metal, you cant mess it up were it cant be fixed (well unless you like .... well lets not get on that subject). Good luck. I can answer just about any question you have about body work, painting, ect and I'm on and off the boards all night so ask away if you have any more questions.

[big bad mohawk guy]

go with civic spoon, but use a rubber malet a hammer might break through

[Civic Jim]

yeah im with the others mate, just take uot the headlining and then see if you can tap them out

[TheSilentChamber]

Originally Posted by big bad mohawk guy

go with civic spoon, but use a rubber malet a hammer might break through

I never quiet figured out why people want to try to use rubber mallets to hammer out dents. If your hitting the metal with something softer than it is your never going to get the surface flat. and if you "break through" you need to just take the hammer back to the hardware store, trade it for a rope, and hang yourself.

[CRXsiZCpa]

if your gonna do it, do it right! SilentChamber knows what he's talking about.

[Figori]

Wow... That deserved a quote in the sig... Thanks for keeping it alive around here SilentChamber...

[Darb 2k]

Originally Posted by TheSilentChamber

I and if you "break through" you need to just take the hammer back to the hardware store, trade it for a rope, and hang yourself.

god u are funny. and u are right as well

[CivicSpoon]

Originally Posted by TheSilentChamber

I never quiet figured out why people want to try to use rubber mallets to hammer out dents. If your hitting the metal with something softer than it is your never going to get the surface flat. and if you "break through" you need to just take the hammer back to the hardware store, trade it for a rope, and hang yourself.

Yes you are correct. I was just thinking about how much of a bitch it'd be to bust a hole...but I guess that's what the special hammer is for; I didn't even think about that. Damn time for me to get some sleep...

[TheSilentChamber]

heh, this is nice. Usually when I get quoted its follwed by a remark like "asshole".

[91civichatch2571]

heh, this is nice. Usually when I get quoted its follwed by a remark like "asshole".

you are an asshole. a smart one though when it comes to body work