Filler is frowned upon by many people who perhaps don’t know anything about the trade. Sheet metal hand formers might have been able to panel beat your quarter panel to perfection but those skills are very rare these days. Even Aston Martins aren’t hand formed these days. We use the same Fantastic body filler as you used on some really top end cars. You’ve done a great job.
Sorry, that I have another objection, but you are one of the best bodyworker I found on RUclips, but you also put the bondo directly at the blank sheet metal. Bondo contains water and will give it to the metal very slowly. If you put bondo at the car you should paint it with 2K Epoxy first. You can be sure that it will rust between the bondo and the sheet metal in the next years. Kind regards Ralph
Another great job. Block sanding is tiresome work but is worth it for the results. Remember you're working on old vehicles that weren't perfectly flat when brand new. It would not be possible to put a repair like that in without filler and the only way would be to replace the whole panel with only welding around the perimeter. If you want a VW bus with no filler in it prepare for a 100k plus bill. $$$$$ Thanks for keeping it real. Greg from Queensland Australia
Great work keep it up, really enjoyable to watch, having done a 72 van myself, not sure if I'd do it again! I was given a tip, use the minimum amount of the repair/replacement panel needed to remove the rot..... no more. Thxs for sharing.
Hi, you did some a great and phantastic body work and now you hide everything behind a wall of bondo 😮 It would be enought to use metal filler at the seem and normal filler color as primer. I thought only the americans work that way. This is the main reason why their classic cars have more bondo than steel at the car. Best regards Ralph
Thanks for the videos - and really good work on the sanding and how the sliding door fits.........I’ll be rewatching these videos many times when i get to that area on my 79 T2! When you were taking the paint off around the sliding door frame you seem to be using different attachments on the grinder than before (ie on panels) .......hope you dont mind me asking but what were they and should you use certain types for certain areas or is it just a case of what fits best in the area being sanded? Thanks
Hi, I mainly use PolyStrip discs as they remove paint, filler and rust without damaging the metal. Although they don't generate to much heat you need to go easy and keep checking the surface so that you don't cause any damage. I also use a flat twist knot wire wheel to get into any akward areas. Good luck with your rest!
Hi mate, hope you can help you obviously know your stuff ,I have problem with my battery light was working fine but is now not comping on I have replaced the bulb but still no light? Everything seems to be charging ok could it be the earth around the light? It is a 1973 t2 Devon. Cheers john
Hi John, as far as I am aware the blue wire to the ignition dash light or "battery light" connects directly (via the main wiring pin conector) to either the voltage stabiliser or alternator (if converted). The most likely cause of it not working is the very small brass earth conector on the bulb holder - they seem to have a mind of thier own, I'm always having trouble with them and I end up bending them so that they make a better connection. Also the back of the dash pod is liable to fine corosion so give that a good going over with fine sand paper etc. Try conecting an earth wire directly to the small brass earth to test it. If it is nstill not working it is either a break in the blue wire or faulty voltage stabiliser / alternator, (if that was the case the battery would not be charging). Try doing a continuity test from both ends of the wire. Also make sure the replacement bulb is working and not faulty! and check the main pin conector which is near the main fuse box and make sure the blue wire has not come loose or corroded etc. Hope that has been of help and let us know how you get on, Jon
Also should have mentioned that there is a black wire running from the (second from the right fuse - ussually) fuse box to the ignition light area wich provides power, I think it also supplies the indicator dash lights so you need to check you are getting a current through it, if your indicator warning lights work and the black wire is connected to the ignition light area it should be ok, but worth checking anyway.
I like your restoration becaus statisfying😍
Filler is frowned upon by many people who perhaps don’t know anything about the trade. Sheet metal hand formers might have been able to panel beat your quarter panel to perfection but those skills are very rare these days.
Even Aston Martins aren’t hand formed these days. We use the same Fantastic body filler as you used on some really top end cars. You’ve done a great job.
Sorry, that I have another objection, but you are one of the best bodyworker I found on RUclips, but you also put the bondo directly at the blank sheet metal. Bondo contains water and will give it to the metal very slowly. If you put bondo at the car you should paint it with 2K Epoxy first. You can be sure that it will rust between the bondo and the sheet metal in the next years. Kind regards Ralph
And it's a big thumbs up from me 😉
Three solid days of body work Mammoth effort.
Thanks - arms are still sore!
Another great job.
Block sanding is tiresome work but is worth it for the results.
Remember you're working on old vehicles that weren't perfectly flat when brand new. It would not be possible to put a repair like that in without filler and the only way would be to replace the whole panel with only welding around the perimeter.
If you want a VW bus with no filler in it prepare for a 100k plus bill. $$$$$
Thanks for keeping it real.
Greg from Queensland Australia
Cheers Greg
Another great episode, filling and sanding is the worse job ever , well done 👍
Thanks 👍
Great result on those sliding door gaps; nice & even
Filling & sanding always seems to take forever....
Thanks 👍
Thank you for the videos 👍
Glad you like them!
Great work keep it up, really enjoyable to watch, having done a 72 van myself, not sure if I'd do it again! I was given a tip, use the minimum amount of the repair/replacement panel needed to remove the rot..... no more. Thxs for sharing.
That makes sence, although we are dealing with VW T2's here so it all depends on where the rot ends!
Hi, you did some a great and phantastic body work and now you hide everything behind a wall of bondo 😮 It would be enought to use metal filler at the seem and normal filler color as primer. I thought only the americans work that way. This is the main reason why their classic cars have more bondo than steel at the car. Best regards Ralph
Thanks for the videos - and really good work on the sanding and how the sliding door fits.........I’ll be rewatching these videos many times when i get to that area on my 79 T2! When you were taking the paint off around the sliding door frame you seem to be using different attachments on the grinder than before (ie on panels) .......hope you dont mind me asking but what were they and should you use certain types for certain areas or is it just a case of what fits best in the area being sanded? Thanks
Hi, I mainly use PolyStrip discs as they remove paint, filler and rust without damaging the metal. Although they don't generate to much heat you need to go easy and keep checking the surface so that you don't cause any damage. I also use a flat twist knot wire wheel to get into any akward areas. Good luck with your rest!
Hi, where did you get that super long block sander from?
Hi, I made it out of hard wood and stuck velcro strips on it to hold 2 sanding strips at a time - has to be hard wood so it doesn't warp!
Don't down yourself for using filler, were talking real world repair jobs. Like you said, it's on good clean rust free metal so will stand up.
Thanks for that.
Fantastic job .Think your being too hard on yourself about amount of filler ….not sure how you would have got panels any flatter ?? 👍
Thanks 👍
Hi mate, hope you can help you obviously know your stuff ,I have problem with my battery light was working fine but is now not comping on I have replaced the bulb but still no light? Everything seems to be charging ok could it be the earth around the light? It is a 1973 t2 Devon. Cheers john
Hi John, as far as I am aware the blue wire to the ignition dash light or "battery light" connects directly (via the main wiring pin conector) to either the voltage stabiliser or alternator (if converted). The most likely cause of it not working is the very small brass earth conector on the bulb holder - they seem to have a mind of thier own, I'm always having trouble with them and I end up bending them so that they make a better connection. Also the back of the dash pod is liable to fine corosion so give that a good going over with fine sand paper etc. Try conecting an earth wire directly to the small brass earth to test it. If it is nstill not working it is either a break in the blue wire or faulty voltage stabiliser / alternator, (if that was the case the battery would not be charging). Try doing a continuity test from both ends of the wire. Also make sure the replacement bulb is working and not faulty! and check the main pin conector which is near the main fuse box and make sure the blue wire has not come loose or corroded etc. Hope that has been of help and let us know how you get on, Jon
Snowdonia Classic Campers thank you I will work my way through it. Once again thanks
Also should have mentioned that there is a black wire running from the (second from the right fuse - ussually) fuse box to the ignition light area wich provides power, I think it also supplies the indicator dash lights so you need to check you are getting a current through it, if your indicator warning lights work and the black wire is connected to the ignition light area it should be ok, but worth checking anyway.