You are exactly right! Go to the professional body/paint supply stores and don't ever use the sticky, gunky, crap that you get at Wal-Mart, Sears, Pep-Boys or other general auto parts stores. You'll be amazed on how much better it goes on, how many fewer pin-holes you'll get and how you can really sand it. Hopefully you've invested in a long hand sanding board and a bondo-board length air sander -- keeps things a whole lot straighter and gets the job done. It is the prep work and sanding that really determine the results. Also - be careful putting too much primer on it - as most primer is not terribly elastic (likes to crack), whereas good body filler does have some flexibility. Probably preaching to the choir . . .
there is never too much information when it comes to body work, everone has their ways and everyone learns alot when they do it, and what works best for them, im using 3m 5801 lightwieght body filler, seems to work fine for me, i do have a "dummy stick" also, i went to auto body class at a tech coledge during highschool for year (school year) and have had experience with body work, but just not as a whole, ive been around alot of hot rodder friends that do it and always try and pay attention to what they are doing, and im more of a hands on kinda guy so i just ripped into her and am doing what i can do. i am only going to rough in the body work for know and get it sealed up good, i have to have it at a show friday next week, so it wont be nearly done, but will have a large step done in the right direction. thanks jeff p.s., my night off from body work, i busted my ass at work boring a couple of blocks and doing a set of head so my back hurts from running the manual cylinder hone! but i did go out for a few minutes and spread some more filler in a couple of spots that i wanted to make look nicer
The Jalopy Journal
