Should You Use Filler?

[SierraV6]

When I was a lad the only panels available were Pop On or I think the other was Veng. They were okay but you couldn't mix and match

I have a pair of MK3 Granada front wings made by Pop On. They seem good quality, I guess I’ll find out how well they fit in due course!

 

[Smallfry]

I have a pair of MK3 Granada front wings made by Pop On. They seem good quality, I guess I’ll find out how well they fit in due course!

This is one of the problems with non genuine panels. They LOOK OK until you try to fit them.

 

[SierraV6]

This is one of the problems with non genuine panels. They LOOK OK until you try to fit them.

Indeed. Aftermarket Capri panels used to be notorious, especially front wings.

 

[8ob]

nothing wrong with a bit of filler, proving there is zero chance of moisture getting into the repair from behind.

Fixed that for you

Bob

 

[steveo3002]

Fixed that for you

Bob

yeah youre not wrong , try and seal both sides with epoxy primer or worst case smear of furry filler for first

 

[Onoff]

Indeed. Aftermarket Capri panels used to be notorious, especially front wings.

Yep, folk sometimes buy the aftermarket Capri wings just to cut sections off and repair the originals.

A Pound coin thickness gap at the shuts is the aim I recall.

 

[Jack_K]

I was supplied a cheap mini bonnet when it was supposed to be a heritage one. The raised section down the middle was clearly wrong, it was almost a sharp triangle. The original and heritage ones are a rounded shape.

The weird thing is that I always find rust under the heritage panels but not the cheap ones.

 

[Morrisman]

This is one of the problems with non genuine panels. They LOOK OK until you try to fit them.

I read an article on the manufacture of the giant pressing tools used to produce car body panels at the factory. I’d always assumed they just machined a chunk of steel the right shape for the panel, and start banging our body parts.
But no, apparently they have to modify and change the design numerous times to accommodate stretching, flexing, spring back etc. plus sometimes steel needs ‘tucking’ in places to take up slack. Sometimes it tears, or ripples appear. It can take many attempts before they get it perfect. And that’s with the big motor manufacturers bankrolling the operation.

I wonder how aftermarket panels are made?

 

[Robotstar5]

I read an article on the manufacture of the giant pressing tools used to produce car body panels at the factory. I’d always assumed they just machined a chunk of steel the right shape for the panel, and start banging our body parts.
But no, apparently they have to modify and change the design numerous times to accommodate stretching, flexing, spring back etc. plus sometimes steel needs ‘tucking’ in places to take up slack. Sometimes it tears, or ripples appear. It can take many attempts before they get it perfect. And that’s with the big motor manufacturers bankrolling the operation.

I wonder how aftermarket panels are made?

It's probably different now, but we used to have cheap "pre-production" tooling made that could stamp 30 - 50 parts before it started to wear, if the parts were acceptable then the proper production tooling was made.
This allowed any changes to be made before investing in expensive tooling.
When the Austin Metro was been designed some spyshots were taken of "Austins new car" but they were of a prototype tooling model so the real Metro looked different.

 

[Smallfry]

I read an article on the manufacture of the giant pressing tools used to produce car body panels at the factory. I’d always assumed they just machined a chunk of steel the right shape for the panel, and start banging our body parts.
But no, apparently they have to modify and change the design numerous times to accommodate stretching, flexing, spring back etc. plus sometimes steel needs ‘tucking’ in places to take up slack. Sometimes it tears, or ripples appear. It can take many attempts before they get it perfect. And that’s with the big motor manufacturers bankrolling the operation.

I wonder how aftermarket panels are made?

Years ago I talked to the owner of the local panel shop about this, and he said they made a cast of hard rubber to use as a press tool

I can't see that being true, but for sure most non gen panels seem a tad too small, and distort if one tries to pull them into the correct position.

 

[marlinspike]

I've done a similar repair and used filler. Unless you are really experienced with bodywork I think a bit of filler is inevitable.
If you watch US car shows even high end companies like Kindig Customs use filler, often quite a lot if it. If you prime with epoxy as Morris said earlier, you should be able to get a decent finish.

 

[SierraV6]

Years ago I talked to the owner of the local panel shop about this, and he said they made a cast of hard rubber to use as a press tool

I can't see that being true, but for sure most non gen panels seem a tad too small, and distort if one tries to pull them into the correct position.

Based on a video I once saw, there seems to be a lot of fettling by hand. In some instances at least the basic shape is pressed, and then details are added/improved using an English wheel, bead roller, or even a hammer and dolly. I think it was Ex-pressed panels where I saw this being done on one of the restoration channels on YouTube a few years ago. I suspect some panels aren’t feasible for a relatively small manufacturer to press in one go.

I've done a similar repair and used filler. Unless you are really experienced with bodywork I think a bit of filler is inevitable.
If you watch US car shows even high end companies like Kindig Customs use filler, often quite a lot if it. If you prime with epoxy as Morris said earlier, you should be able to get a decent finish.

Trev’s blog on YouTube has a really good video on filler that puts it in perspective!