Learning how to do body work?

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whitebomber63

whitebomber63

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Long Beach, CA.
how would i go about learning this skill?
think i would be able to find someone to apprentice me?
or should i just go to a school?


this is something id use my whole life im sure and im still young only 20
id like to get my 63valiant project moving alittle faster...

-Eric
 
Community College. Im learning this now.

They have several programs.

An associates degree (what Im doing). It's like a full time job, 5 days a week, full collision repair and refinishing. This is far beyond what the average car guy needs to know.

Certificate programs (1 year), much like above but with less shop time.

Restoration/hobby classes (once a week on the weekend that teaches you the basics minus all the technical stuff involved with repairing a modern vehicle to OEM finish and safety standards).
 
I've always wanted to learn how myself. I did my engine bay but there wasn;t any damage to repair. Just prep work.

I havnt the space or time but would like to get a old hood, door, etc... off a car and "practice" on it. Take a hammer, make a dent , and try to fix it. lol

I learn stuff it seems better by doing it and learning the hard way I guess.
 
If ya got someone that knows what theyre doing then hook up with em even if you have to work for nothing. It's called paying for an education. It happens everyday. Knowledge is something that there is a lack of. Go get ya some.
Small Block
 
mullinax95 said:
I learn stuff it seems better by doing it and learning the hard way I guess.
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I know what you are saying. I have been the same way all my life but with this stuff I have learned that experience is where it's at.

One of my instructors is 72 years old with 50 years of collision repair experience. I can learn more from this guy in 5 minutes than I can practicing on my own for 5 days.
 
find a locaal bodyshop who doesnt mind if you look over some shoulders, especially if you volunteer some time to assist with dismantling parts. just an idea
 
1968FormulaS340 said:
One of my instructors is 72 years old with 50 years of collision repair experience. I can learn more from this guy in 5 minutes than I can practicing on my own for 5 days.
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Yeah you're right .... I didn't really mean totally without guidance but that's exactly the way it sounded. :read2: I've asked Adam a couple of questions about primer mixing, asked another friend of mine about mixing body filler. I found that to much hardener will in fact make filler hard....... QUICK! :toothy10:
 
I learned by breaking out the bondo and a twelve pack. After the 12 pack it looks good. In the morning I sanded it off and took it to a body man.lol
 
daredevil said:
I learned by breaking out the bondo and a twelve pack. After the 12 pack it looks good. In the morning I sanded it off and took it to a body man.lol
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... LOL

and the more you wipe on the car.... the more you have to sand!!!
 
I do not like Body Work!!!!! It is so damn hard to try to do it exactly like it is supposed to be done.
 
daredevil said:
I learned by breaking out the bondo and a twelve pack. After the 12 pack it looks good. In the morning I sanded it off and took it to a body man.lol
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X2... My bodywork looks great drunk or in the dark... Bodywork is an art, my cousin does show cars, mine looks like an ocean..
 
I was lucky enough to learn in the early '90s from my uncle who is a great bodyman. He briefly showed me what to do, explained it, then let me learn myself from there by trial and error. As already stated, it really is the best way to learn.

However.

If you simply cannot swing that, or cannot go to school, or in conjunction with going to school or learning one-on-one, get some good videos! You can learn a lot from them. It's almost like looking over a pro's shoulder, but then you have to try it yourself, that's where most of the learning will be anyway, once you have the guidance. The paintucation videos are good, and I'm sure there are other good ones. There are a lot of sample videos on youtube as well, as well as some amateur ones, but watch out for those, some of them have bad info!

'73 Roadrunner in early '90s... my learning project (Viper Red):
RoadrunnerBodywork1.jpg

RoadrunnerBodywork2.jpg

RoadrunnerBodywork4.jpg
 
it takes alot of desire and patience. if you were in illinois i'd give you some guidence in my shop. these days it's hard to find someone with the passion that really needs to do this kind of work. usually when someone finds what it's all abought it's not what they expected they're gone
 
If its school you want look at Wyotech. There is two in cali. Im going to the pa campus in april. They offer a street rod course, making fenders from flat plates. its pretty cool.
 
rapidtransitric said:
it takes alot of desire and patience. if you were in illinois i'd give you some guidence in my shop. these days it's hard to find someone with the passion that really needs to do this kind of work. usually when someone finds what it's all abought it's not what they expected they're gone
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Man isn't that the truth.

I have always wondered why bodywork was so high in price. After I got finished with my engine bay I understood why.
 
I learned by watching my dad and one of his friends for many years.... around 13 i started to paint snowmobile hoods for friends. It kind of just grew. Its hard to do a good job right. I rather weld and build engines all day. I hate body work but do it my self to save money.

Like everyone said, school, online learning or find a shop and put some time in. You are 100 percent gonna have to be dedicated. takes forever to get a straight paint job..
 
Just find a shop to work in part time. Hands on is the best way to learn. I've been doing it for 30 years now and that's how i learned.
 
When I was 13 I took a job at a body shop, it started out washing/wet sanding/ buffing cars. After some time the owner asked if I would start taking apart damaged parts on the vehicle and prepping the new parts, prime and wet sand and the pros would pull the dents and frame etc. anyways over time i started watching them and after awhile they started showing me what they were doing, how to do it, etc. and then the boss realized i knew how to do it so he started letting me work on the bigger stuff. That's how I learned. So my opinion to you is to do whatever you think, if you dont have time to take classes then maybe scout around the local body shops and ask if you can work your way up. chances are they may take you in and do what they did with me. GOOD LUCK AND STAY POSITIVE AND MORE IMPORTANTLY HAVE PATIENCE!
 
About 23 or so years ago, I asked my older brother (he had been doing it since the 70's) about going to school for this and he told me, "you wanna learn how to do bodywork, get a job in a bodyshop", so that's what I did.

I know of four guys personally that went to school for this, and one of them even went to Wyotech, anyways I thought from what they learned in school was a rip off. None of them knew how to run a DA the proper way. Don't get me wrong, you can learn basic stuff in school, but it takes a while to really know what your doing.

Now days it's not a bad thing to have all the schooling you can have, I just know in my case, I think it worked out for me.

I'm not saying that there is no one better than me, bar far there are way better than me, but I think I get bye pretty good.
 

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alleyoopmgv nice paint work from the pics...especially black cars...

here is a few i have done
i painted this at 16
S5001614.jpg


this at 17
cuda4.jpg

amchid4.jpg


and i agree with hands on. Reading a book on how to do it to actually doing it is way different
 
racerkilla said:
alleyoopmgv nice paint work from the pics...especially black cars...

here is a few i have done
i painted this at 16


and i agree with hands on. Reading a book on how to do it to actually doing it is way different
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Nice work racerkilla!
 
Good comments guys but here's a few things the kid needs to remember even if he forgets to get out a bed in the morning. Someone that dont know what they're doing with a sander, can screwup more in ten minutes than you can fix in ten days. If everyone would fix their own screwups there would be more good body men. The tool that will cost you the least or maybe free might just turn out to be your favorite. When you have comleted your first car, you WILL come away with a whole lot of respect and consideration for a body/paint guy.
Small Block
 
I learned how to do bodywork by necessity. I flat out can't afford the prices that a real bodyshop charges. (Even though they are worth it).
I have a friend who restores mopars and he is very good with bodywork. I asked a lot of questions and read everything i could get my hands on. I also phoned PPG's tech line and they were very helpful and patient. Then came the hands on part. All i can say is good tools and patience go a long way. (Me being a journeyman welder didn't hurt either).
I'm getting better and faster at it as the years progress!
I am what you call average at it.
If you want to do it for a living, go to a reputable shop in your area and ask them to take you on. Even if you work for free in your spare time, they will see your initiative and enthusiasm and maybe offer you an apprenticeship down the road.
Why work for free?
You are getting paid, it's in knowledge and experience......not money. (and they pay for the supplies while you're learning). lol!
Money will come later.
Also it gives you a chance to see if you really want to do bodywork for a living.
Good luck.
Tom.
 
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