metalworking dollies include:
• General Purpose Dolly #31032: the work horse of metal-repairing dollies with a unique saddle shape that makes it comfortable to use, and it is almost unlimited in its applications
PHOTO 2: Metal working dollies. From left to right: general-purpose dolly, heel dolly, and metal shrinking dolly.
PHOTO 3: Pneumatic tools. From left to right, top to bottom: ½-inch impact wrench, air chisel,
PHOTO 4: Pneumatic tools. Left to right, top to bottom: DA sander, mini grinder, mini DA sander, and right angle mini grinder.
PHOTO 5: Sanding blocks. Left to right: 16-inch plastic body filler block, (top) 16-inch wooden handled primer block, 8-inch primer block, and round finish sanding pad; (bottom) 8-inch block, 5-inch block, and soft foam block.
• Heel Dolly #31225: shaped like the heel of a shoe, this dolly is used primarily on curved panels
• Shrinking Dolly #31083: used in conjunction with Shrinking Hammer #31034 to remove small areas of stretched metal
Tools you will find at the local automotive parts store include the following commonly used pneumatic tools:
• Air chisel: makes short work of removing rusted-out panels
• -inch drill: covers tasks from drilling needed holes to drilling out old spot welds
• ½-inch-drive impact wrench: removes those “stuck in place for 20 years” bolts and nuts
• Die grinder: cuts metal, removes excess metal after welding, and does a number of other operations that come up only during the heat of panel replacement
• Metal nibbler: valuable when trimming or fabricating new sheet metal replacement panels
Pneumatic tools that are specific to body repair work include:
• Dual action (DA) sander: used to sand or remove old paint
• Mini dual action sander: allows access to difficult-to-reach areas as well as allows finite smoothing of paint nibs once the finish has been applied
• Mini grinder: takes the place of a larger, more cumbersome, full-size grinder
• Right angle polisher/grinder: allows access to difficult-to-reach areas requiring grinding or polishing
Body repair tools that operate only under manual labor include an assortment of sanding blocks. Common sizes include:
• 16-inch block: used on huge flat panels to sand plastic body filler
• 8-inch block: used for sanding plastic body filler and to sand smaller flat panels and lightly curved surfaces
• 5-inch block: used for sanding plastic body filler and to sand small areas on flat panels and deeply contoured panels
• 16-inch primer block: used to sand primer and surfacer and to sand large flat surfaces; has a padded sanding surface
• 8-inch primer block: used to sand primer and surfacer on smaller flat panels and to sand lightly curved surfaces; has a padded sanding surface
• Soft foam block: used to sand primer and surfacer; can be used to sand small areas but works best when used on highly curved or contoured surfaces
• Round finish sanding block: the round design allows this soft foam block to accept most 1000-, 1500-, and 2000-grit finish sanding discs when sanding clear coats
Once the right tools are in hand, the next consideration is supplies. Here is a list of body repair supplies taken from the Norton line of sanding and prepping products (part numbers are included):
• Norton 40-grit File Paper #23615 and Norton 80-grit File Paper #23614: the 3½ x 18–inch sandpapers are used for block sanding plastic body filler; start with the 40 grit and finish with the 80 grit
• Norton 180-grit roll #31687 and 320-grit roll #31683: 3½-inch-wide rolls of sandpaper that are used primarily for block sanding. The 180 grit allows you to quickly cut and level large primed panels and prep them for repriming, whereas the 320 grit is used as a finishing sandpaper prior to applying the final seal coat.
• Norton 80-grit DA sandpaper #31480, 80-grit sanding disc #31481, 180-grit DA sandpaper #31477, and 320-grit sandpaper #31473: 6-inch-round discs that can be used for many tasks, including removing old paint (80 grit), feathering back old paint around repair areas (180 grit), and final sanding areas not requiring primer (320 grit)
• Speed-Lok grinding disc #38675 and Speed-Lok disc #9185: grind and clean difficult to reach areas
• Bear-Tex Scuff Pads #58000: use anywhere light sanding is needed
• PSA 1000- and 1500-grit discs #31552, #31550: for final sanding clear coats
• ¾-inch-wide masking tape #2492: masks off panels or areas of the car not being painted
The result of using the above-mentioned supplies is the need for a top-quality line of refinishing products. For those, I’ve turned to PPG Automotive Refinishing. I’ll explain the necessary additives and mixing ratios once I am ready to use the products. Here is a list of the primary products I’ll be using on this project:
PHOTO 6: Norton body repair supplies. Left to right: 40-grit sandpaper; 80-grit sandpaper; 3-inch, 24-grit sanding disk and arbor; 3-inch cutoff wheels (for use with a die grinder); 24-grit, 5-inch grinder disk; ¾-inch-wide masking tape; structural adhesive; assorted DA sandpaper including 80, 180, and 320 grits; assorted rolled sandpaper including 80, 180, and 320 grits; and a box of scuff pads.
PHOTO 7: PPG professional grade refinishing products. Left to right, top to bottom: DCU 2002 clear, D8072 sealer, D8005 primer/surfacer, DP74LF epoxy primer, DBI black, and BC base coat.
• PPG DCU 2002 Concept Polyurethane Clear: a high quality clear coat used for overall spray applications chosen simply on the merit of my experience with the product
• PPG 2K Chromatic Sealer D8085: a dark gray sealer
