1998 z28 bodywork
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On The Tree
Joined: Apr 2005
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From: Sylvester, ga
1998 z28 bodywork Just bought this 1998 z28 from a buddy. Car only has 128k miles but they have been pretty rough. Guy who he bought it from hydroplaned the car a few times. He thought putting the huge ricer wing on the back would stop the problem. Dumbass never thought to put some new tires on the car. Old ones were slick as onions. I'm gonna try to do most of the body work myself. I'm just looking for some advice on how to go about repairing the damage. I'm pretty sure i'll have to buy a new rear hatch. I wanna get rid of the wing anyway and go back to a stock spoiler. The driver side rear is busted. Drivers door has a hole in it towards the front of door. Drivers rocker panel is dented. needs a few dents massaged out of both rear quarters. I am planning on doing a base/clear paint job of factory white color. Not looking to sink a lot of money. Just get it looking decent and all one color.
Call Mercer Motors and insist that you bought the car when it looked new and within a few days it looked like that. Demand money from them till you drive them nuts just because that sticker is on there.
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On The Tree
Joined: Apr 2005
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From: Sylvester, ga
What are the best choices for body filler and primer. I've read that i need a flexible primer. I'm guessing that 3m makes something? What's the best way to fix the whole in the door? I can handle the metal work but know nothing about the fiberglass door.
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On The Tree
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From: Sylvester, ga
my main work is gonna be the rocker panels and the quarter panels. I don't have access to the weld on dent pullers. Only ones I have are where you drill holes in the panel then put the hooks in and pull out. Is that gonna work on the rockers? What's the best way to get these dents out that I cant get to the back side of?
Get ready to work. Body work is very labor intensive. Car looks very fixable but please buy or borrow a weld on dent puller. The dents that can be reached from the inside just use a body hammer and dolly and try to push the dent out from the inside. It doesnt take much force to move metal around you just have to know where and how to move it. You can buy a basic set of hammers from Eastwood or Harbor freight. Fiberglass is fun and if not done correctly it can get ugly. As for brand of body filler I have had no problems with Evercoat. Have fun.
Oh yea make sure there is no "foam" or seam sealer behind anything you weld, cut, torch or crap can get ugly quick. If you can get access behind that certain panel do so. The problem with the drill and pull method is your left with a bunch of holes and a weak panel.
F***K THOSE wood screw dent pullers!!! They completely destroy the panel. Get a stud gun and do it the right way. To the OP, don't even mess with this if you don't know what you are doing. Take it somewhere and have it done right. Either that or keep the car until you die and be buried in it. That way no one else has to try to fix what you didn't fix the right way.
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On The Tree
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 187
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From: Sylvester, ga
Get ready to work. Body work is very labor intensive. Car looks very fixable but please buy or borrow a weld on dent puller. The dents that can be reached from the inside just use a body hammer and dolly and try to push the dent out from the inside. It doesnt take much force to move metal around you just have to know where and how to move it. You can buy a basic set of hammers from Eastwood or Harbor freight. Fiberglass is fun and if not done correctly it can get ugly. As for brand of body filler I have had no problems with Evercoat. Have fun.
Btw if you zoom in on the drivers door pic you can see the hole in the door that I'm talking about. Right now my idea is to fiber glass a metal patch on the inside of the door skin. Then go on the outside and build the hole up with fiberglass, then body filler to smooth things out. I'm sure this is wrong but it's all I can think of.
TECH Resident
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 900
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From: Valdosta Ga.
That's a tough spot to fix RIGHT on that quarter panel. Just use fiberglass mat on the inside of the door, then fiberglass reinforced filler on the front to fill most of whats left, and finish with evercoat body filler. Man that pic looks like Georgia alright!
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On The Tree
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From: Sylvester, ga
I'm trying to get the rear quarters right. Can anyone post a pic from the rear of the car looking down on the hatch. I'm trying to get the gaps right, how wide should they be? 1/4"? Also does anyone have some measurements on the factory quarter panels. Im trying to see how much if any they are off. I was looking for some measurements from quarter panel to quarter panel at the factory weld joints that are under the weather stripping.
Registered User
Joined: Jul 2013
Posts: 15
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From: kansas city
body shop supply house will have two part repair glue for ridged plastics for the door, requires a special gun to apply but u can push out an mix on board....as for dents if u use a pull hook just make light pulls in each hole going back an forth till its works out.. moving metal slow is the key to not stretching the metal...then cover holes with evercoat short strand fiberglass filler ( first coat its water proof an will stand the test of time )...it will last as long as any other repair..then top coat with high quality filler such as rage from evercoat..sands easy wont pin hole...hope this helps
Registered User
Joined: Jul 2013
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From: kansas city
qt gaps typ. are 1/4 inch at hatch an close to that at dr gap...as for stud guns yes great tool... but one time use kinda costly...an weldind a stud on bakes finish from back side an cousing oxidation. rusting much faster than surounding metal...so its a toss up actually...good luck an enjoy
Thread Starter
On The Tree
Joined: Apr 2005
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From: Sylvester, ga
don't know if it is gonna mess things up in the long run but I have gotten most of the dents popped out by getting them hot with the heat gun then using a can of computer duster to freeze the metal. Most of the smaller stuff just popped right out. I saw it on youtube and had to try it.
12 Second Club
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Thread Starter
On The Tree
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 187
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From: Sylvester, ga
Damn. Didn't know it was such a crime to work on your own stuff. Gotta pay somebody to do everything for you huh. Our sport of hotrodding, and it is a sport, is supposed to be about working on your own rides. Sweat, blood, and beer makes cars fun to me. I got a jy hatch for $100. Less than $200 in paint and body fillers. Not trying to build a show queen. Just a fun street rod. If you guys have those deep pockets to pay a man to fix your stuff for you that's fine, but you will never have the satisfaction of getting your hands dirty and know that you built your own ride. BTW i will always try to be a 17 yr old kid at heart. No fun in being a old fart.
