[41Helen]

Hey all,

I am working on a 41 Chevy Business Coupe. I am a novice when it comes to body work and I want to make sure I set myself up for success. The car is still in black primer and it's not going to be a show car. It's going to get another coat of matte black primer when it's "done".

The door bottoms (inner and outer) are rusted out. I have new patch panels ready, so today I took on the Drivers Side and cut off the bottom 4 inches of both bottoms. Being an 80 year old car I planned on encountering a skim coat or two of bondo on the original doors. However what I found was a solid quarter inch of bondo. What's the best course of action?

• Sand down all the bondo and see what I have?
• Buy re-pop doors (don't really want to do this haha)
• Sand down a bit of primer from where I am welding in the new bottoms and just weld them in?
• Something else I am missing?

 

[idrivejunk]

When the bottom rusted out, the crown went away. If the mud went on after that, theres why its thick. I might knock it off halfway up checking for damage. If big yes, strip all and fix dent first. Don't stretch by hammering on-dolly. If no, tack in shell and skin patches but don't fold edges yet. Only enough to hold while you check fit. Sounds like you know the rest of the drill. Its a tough job to do decently and I like to keep gravity in mind when planishing a high crown panel back up with it laying down on a stand or whatever. That part might go better with the door's back edge on the floor.

 

[39 master]

Grind the old bondo off as well as the old paint just to see what you have. Take your time (it's cold out) and fix it right. If you try to skip a few areas you will end up regretting it.

 

[41Helen]

Really good point about not doing it on the stand to maintain the integrity and whatever shape the panel has! Guess it’s time to get dirty and start sanding mud lol

When the bottom rusted out, the crown went away. If the mud went on after that, theres why its thick. I might knock it off halfway up checking for damage. If big yes, strip all and fix dent first. Don't stretch by hammering on-dolly. If no, tack in shell and skin patches but don't fold edges yet. Only enough to hold while you check fit. Sounds like you know the rest of the drill. Its a tough job to do decently and I like to keep gravity in mind when planishing a high crown panel back up with it laying down on a stand or whatever. That part might go better with the door's back edge on the floor.

 

[41Helen]

Grind the old bondo off as well as the old paint just to see what you have. Take your time (it's cold out) and fix it right. If you try to skip a few areas you will end up regretting it.

Do the whole door then? In my heart I know that’s the right answer I was just hoping I was wrong ha