Auto Body Classes in Bay Area Cali.

[ethan santin]

Hey there FABO, I have a unique question.

I am a student and about to finish my sophomore year in collage. I have been in and out of my collages auto shop over the 4 semesters I have spent here, working on my 72 duster. The next big plan for my duster is paint and body. I have absolutely zero experience with body work and would like to do all the body work my car needs my self. Very unfortunately, my collage does not offer any kind of opportunities for body work experience. I've begun asking around my school and other people I know what the best choice to make is and have gotten very different answers, from going and trying to work at a body shop to figuring it out with YouTube videos and ask around on forums. Wanted to come on here and ask any of you what the next step would be. Should I or could I even figure out and teach my self body work? Or should I try and pursue some auto body classes. If any of you are located in the east bay and know of any reputable auto body classes, or Community collages with good auto body classes, I would love to know about them to.
Thank you for reading, I know its not an easy question to answer but I was really interested in what you guys have had to say.

Ethan

 

[mopowers]

You can definitely teach yourself. Start watching some youtube videos and you'll be surprised how fast you'll pick it up.

Does it need sheet metal replacement? How extensive is the damage? Do you have any tools now? Maybe post some photos to help folks understand what all would be needed.

And before @Kern Dog gets to it,

 

[lenky1]

I've been doing bodywork work and paint for almost 25years. A lot has changed if you could find a shop to intern would be a great experience. It would be tough though because time is money in the shop and it's hard to find someone who is willing to sacrifice their time. You tube is your friend. Many on here will give you their opinions and you need to find what works best for you. Good luck to you in finding a good path

 

[Tanker]

You can absolutely do the basic stuff yourself. Bondo is an excellent product when applied correctly and is easy to learn and use. Use the right tools. It makes a huge difference, and be patient. Don’t be afraid to embrace do-overs. You’ll make mistakes that need correction. That’s a normal part of the learning process. The saying “haste makes waste” is a basic truth, so take your time. As others have said, watch YouTube videos. You can learn a lot from them. Pay attention to the tools that are being used in the videos and how they are being used. When I did the work on my Duster back in the mid eighties there were no videos to watch so I had to figure it out through trial and error, yet still managed to do a decent job. You’re in a better position today with all of the resources available to you, so go for it and good luck.

 

[barbee6043]

^^^All good advice.
You might check into a vo-tech school body class.
I look at body filler like this. Some people are born with artistic (ART) abilities, so those peeps have a big advantage. I was not so endowed, but I have learned over the decades to "get by!"
The good thing about body work is that 99% of it can be corrected!! Patience! like said! like said! It is like anything, you can read and watch all the vids, but no-thing can substitute for experience! Just do it! Unless you want to pay a shop $8-10,000!

 

[A56]

You can definitely teach yourself. Start watching some youtube videos and you'll be surprised how fast you'll pick it up.

Does it need sheet metal replacement? How extensive is the damage? Do you have any tools now? Maybe post some photos to help folks understand what all would be needed.

And before @Kern Dog gets to it,

View attachment 1716406795

Well, he's a "fertile" man don't ya know.

 

[ethan santin]

Thanks for all the feedback guys