Photos of working Dart body lines??

[ab7fh]

I would like to see progress photos of how you blocked out the panels on your Dart and retained/re-created strong body lines. I'm to this point right now and I'm finding it very frustrating

[loiq]

What are you trying to do and what tools are you using?

[smitty72]

no photos , but I like to use a long board to get he lines straight. nothing but time and elbow grease

[rjsjea]

Work the board up to the body line.  Put a line of tape on the topside of the body line and work up to it. Once you got the bottom half how you want it, reverse the tape and work down to the line. 

Time consuming...yes.  Taking your time here will make the paint job much better and body lines nice and crisp

[ab7fh]

Work the board up to the body line.  Put a line of tape on the topside of the body line and work up to it. Once you got the bottom half how you want it, reverse the tape and work down to the line. 

I'll give that a try. I had a pretty good session with it today after I made my first post. I had previously skimmed and blocked the entire panel, but the body line lacked definition when I was done.

What I did  different today was to lay tape about an inch above and below the line. I then filled the body line area with filler, then blocked it to bring the line back.  except for a few low spots it looks really good now. I need to hit it with filler another time or two and I think I'll be good to go.

[krabysniper]

Just an opinion from past expierence, but if you build up more than an 1/8" thick in filler, you didn't do your metal forming/straightening, well enough. Even at an 1/8" you run the very real risk of it shrinking enough in the next couple years that it may crack. With no pics I don't know what you are doing but by the way you wrote it I got visions of many many layer of putty. Maybe I am off, if so just ignore me, but thought I would mention it anyway. .

[MVRCorp]

Be careful.....It's not nice to mess with the Mopar Gods and what they created.

[ab7fh]

Just an opinion from past expierence, but if you build up more than an 1/8" thick in filler, you didn't do your metal forming/straightening, well enough. Even at an 1/8" you run the very real risk of it shrinking enough in the next couple years that it may crack. With no pics I don't know what you are doing but by the way you wrote it I got visions of many many layer of putty. Maybe I am off, if so just ignore me, but thought I would mention it anyway. .

There's no more than an 1/8" at the thickest point in the panel, and it's not at the body line... This is what I started working on top of:



It's epoxy primer which was applied over a media blasted body. Whoever did the media blasting (I bought the car blasted) softened the middle body line.

[ab7fh]

I took a break from it today. Instead of bodywork I installed a new main leaf in my 4x4s spring pack... Oh what fun

I got a lot done yesterday. Most of the panel is where I want it now, before I hit it with 2k primer. I just have to spend a bit more time on the extension behind the rear tire. I got to much material in the crease at the lowest body line and need to clean it out to get the shape back.

Hats off to anyone who does this stuff for a living. It really is an art.

[MyCreation68]

http://www.forabodiesonly.com/mopar/showthread.php?t=15357
check out flyboy's bodywork in his build thread on FABO. Tons of info in there.

[loiq]

A big part of it is how you spread your mud too. What you have looks good, should be no problem getting crisp lines out of that. A metal ruler is a nice cheater tool to test for straightness.

[ab7fh]

My biggest problem is knowing exactly what to look for at each stage. Photos definitely help, but it always seems you can never find exactly what you're looking for when you need it.

[loiq]

I usually try to make the body lines and contours with the mud then sand it to the right shape. How you work the lines has a lot to do with the direction you sand, too. For example, sanding up into a line will move that line up. Also, as soon as you start to see metal through the mud, stop sanding. Use as long a board as possible for any given area. Always sand in an "X" pattern.

[ab7fh]

I've been using an 18" board, sanding in an X pattern. I swear, every time I think I've got it down, I find something else with the guide coat.

I thought I was ready to go, but then I saw I had removed too much material near just ahead of the wheel opening. I've been working on it on and off for a week. I'm taking a day or two off to clear my head, so I can go back at it with a vengeance:D

Since I've never used high build primer before, I'm really not sure how much I can leave for it to fill... Once I get this panel where I want it and lay down some high build, I should have a much better run at the rest of the car... I hope!!

[68_Val_Sedan]

hit it with the high build now ... block it out and if the highbuild didn't get it use some finishing putty to bring it up, and block itas well,  then a light coat of highbuild over the sanded finishing putty , seal it and paint it 

[loiq]

hit it with the high build now ... block it out and if the highbuild didn't get it use some finishing putty to bring it up, and block itas well,  then a light coat of highbuild over the sanded finishing putty , seal it and paint it 

 

That's how we did it at the shop I worked at. The guy there would put on three thick coats sometimes and we'd be blocking for the whole day. Then we'd touch up hte low/high spots and shoot another coat before a final block.

[ab7fh]

Thanks for the tips. They're greatly appreciated

[MOPAR70]

more pics ab7fh. im at the same point in my body work. i have done alot of body work in the past and enjoy it very much. the body on my 72 swinger was all beat up when i got it. its alot better now but i know i have alot more bodywork to get it where i want it. keep on it. looks awesome.