On Fri, 27 Aug 1999, Douglas Frank wrote:
> I'm about to go look at a GT6+ tomorrow...question on technique--
> specifically, using magnets to find bondo hidden under paint.
> Do I use a real powerful magent? I suspect not-- I'm guessing that one
> uses one of those flexible refrigerator-art types. Confirm? deny?
> What should it 'feel' like when I hit bondo?
Definitely NOT a powerful magnet, IMHO. The "refrigerator-art" type you
mention would be good. Perhaps better yet, a small bit of magnetic sheet
vinyl (which sometimes forms the base for refrigerator art, now that I
think about it)!
Basically, the weakest magnet should stick to painted steel. But a weaker
magnet probably won't stick to thick layers of filler, and definitely
won't stick when filler is the only material within several inches of the
magnet. :-)
Once (if) you find an area where the magnet won't stick, keep moving it
around in that area and see if it will stick close by. Also, gentle taps
in that area with your knuckle should produce more of a "thump" sound,
while on the steel itself it should be more of a "ringing" noise.
Obvious places to check first are sills and other lower body panels, of
course. On a GT6, there is an exposed vertical seam between rocker panel
and rear quarter panel, that seam found just forward and below the rear of
the door. If you don't see a seam there, odds are very good there's rust
hidden by filler (although some folks fill just the seam for a smoother
look).
With other areas of sheet metal, where filler may have been used to smooth
out accident damage, sighting down the panels in good light often will
show up wavy panelwork. And one great place to look is on the wheel arch
"flanges" where inner and outer panels are joined together. There should
be obvious spot-weld indentations along each wheel arch. If you don't see
them, or if you see sloppily applied and sanded filler (which I see an
awful lot; amazing how lazy some body shops can be), you're dealing with
some level of repair that requires further investigation.
Nice thing about GT6s and such is that it's pretty easy to get "inside"
most of the outer panels to see what sort of work has been done. The
entire underside of the bonnet assembly is easy to view. Oh, and if body
color paint is peeling off the underside here, and a reddish or other
color primer (sometimes black) -- or another body color -- is showing,
that's a sure sign of a replacement or used bonnet, respectively. (Some
shops don't take the necessary time to prep the underside to make the
paint stick properly.) With a GT6, simply checking for the spare tire will
reveal much of the inner rear structure, worth looking at closely if you
suspect any rear-end collision damage.
Most of all, trust your eyes. If bumpers and seams don't line up evenly,
be suspicious and investigate further. But don't misinterpret a wide gap
between door and bonnet, paired with a narrow gap between door and rear
fender, to be a sign of previous damage. That was pretty normal. What you
need to look for is unevenness of any given gap along its length, i.e.,
bigger gap at bottom of door/bonnet joint than at top, etc.
Finally, while it's not too likely you'll find a nearly 30-year-old car
with all original paint, nonetheless look for overspray, other evidence of
careless masking or quick painting around bumpers instead of removing
them, etc., etc., and swirl/grinder marks in the surface of the paint.
Spotting all these things takes some practice, but it's not hard to
develop a "feel" for it. I would suggest spending some time in a
"second-rate" used car lot (as opposed to the front row of the Lexus
dealer's "pre-owned" section) and check out the cars as I've described
above. After a while, you should be able to develop skills to a point
where you can spot bad bodywork from 20 ft. or better!
--Andy
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
* Andrew Mace, President and *
* 10/Herald/Vitesse (Sports 6) Consultant *
* Vintage Triumph Register <www.vtr.org> *
* amace@unix2.nysed.gov *
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
|