filling in the side seams on my VS ?

[R3D_D3AD]

has anyone filled in the side seams on a VS? I'm sure I've read in here some time ago but just can't find any info now.

I'm gonna be painting my VS ute soon and want the sides to be flat, so was thinking maybe I'll fill them in with bog or fiberglass?
Does anyone have any pics of a VS ute or even sedan/wagon that's had this done?

cheers for all and any info

[westbad]

Hi, im a qualified spraypainter/panel beater so thought i would give you a few tips ;-) If you fill them with regular bog it will crack after time, ive smoothed heaps of cars in the past and i always use fiber reinforced bodyfiller aka fiberglass filler for the 1st skim to build up the recess to the same level as the rest of the panel then for the final skim use fine filler or regular bog. The only issue you will have is where the door meets the front guard once smoothed the very front edge of the door where the recess was will catch on the bit you have smoothed on the guard. So the very end part of the recess on the door and start of the recess on the guard needs to angle in slightly to clear each other ;-)
Unfortunately i dont have any photos of the ones i have done in the past but hope this helps.

[R3D_D3AD]

good info cheers mate, so you do the front bumper too or just the sides? I think I'm gonna leave the tailgate as stock too because under the seam is almost an inch raised above the rest of the panel

keep the ideas coming guys

[VryNeat]

id do it the same way door handles are shaved weld a bit of steel in there, smooth out welds, lay bog over joins, sand, metal condition it and paint away

like previously said bog is just gonna crack and flake and turn to shit over time think of the gap your filling and the sealing properties of the product in use and honestly welding a bit of metal in will be 10 times easier and cheaper now doubt

[westbad]

They can be welded up to but it is very tricky to get that right, you have to be carefull not to heat the panel to much or they will warp and then you will be in trouble lol.
Plus all your welds would have to be air tight, any gaps in the weld would cause the bog on top to bubble eventually.

[VryNeat]

thats why u just stitch weld it into place then bog up the gaps left in place

after using litre after litre of body bog and fibreglass based bog i know what id rather be doing

[westbad]

leave gaps in your welds and eventually the bog will blister and bubble.

[R3D_D3AD]

nah mate welding is not an option

looks like fiberglass filler for the big gap is the go

c'mon guys I'd love to see some pics if anyone has any

[jokerflingo]

nah mate welding is not an option

looks like fiberglass filler for the big gap is the go

c'mon guys I'd love to see some pics if anyone has any

I just gotta say it must take balls to attempt something like this that can go so badly wrong especially on a perfectly good car. Good luck.

[R3D_D3AD]

car has panel damage so it's getting a bit of bog and paint no matter what, I got nothing to lose

[DannyboyDS]

I just gotta say it must take balls to attempt something like this that can go so badly wrong especially on a perfectly good car. Good luck.

why? I did it, it's not perfect but worst case scenario, rub it back, do it again.

[jokerflingo]

why? I did it, it's not perfect but worst case scenario, rub it back, do it again.

I didn't know that it had panel damage and needed the bog already. Still takes ball though.

[westbad]

its pretty easy to do.. if you have the skill to rub filler down well to get the correct shape you will have no problems.

[DannyboyDS]

always pays to get whatever help you can too, panel damage is a bugger unless you have someone who knows at least a little about using the tools correctly.

[R3D_D3AD]

pic, pics, PICS!!!

My old man's doing the work I know nothing about repairing panels but I'll hopefully learn a thing or to from him. Basically the whole 1/4 panel got crumpled up and he refuses to even consider the idea of welding in a replacement, so bashing it out and filling it is the go, only thing is I know it's going to be 100% impossible for him to shape the seams back into it, so that's why I'm here getting your opinions

If someone posts some pics of a VS or VR ute with the sides filled in I'll post pics of just how extreme the damage is

[westbad]

post some pics up for the damage mate, ive welded in replacement quarter panels on utes before and its a hell of a lot easier to weld a new panel on than it can be to repair some major panel damage.

[-=$natch=-]

I'm also a qualified painter and have done a few of these jobs and agree with everthing that westbad has said, going by what he's said he has definately done it before as he said. The most effective looking car I've done it to was my old VK, I did the doors, the bumpers...etc, then painted it a nice met. blue with colour coded bumpers plus really dark tint and chrome mags dropped on it's guts...looked nice...wish i still had it now!

The whole respray only took me a week, a day to strip it down and get doors off and strip the areas needed back to metal, then a day was spent bogging sanding and priming the doors, another day prepping the rest of the car and priming. Another couple of days blocking back and repriming where needed and then a couple of days painting and fitting panels..etc. So if your willing to put in the hard work, you can get a lot done in a short period of time which means less down time on the car and which means you'll be back in car hanging skids in no time! lol

[westbad]

I'm also a qualified painter and have done a few of these jobs and agree with everthing that westbad has said, going by what he's said he has definately done it before as he said. The most effective looking car I've done it to was my old VK, I did the doors, the bumpers...etc, then painted it a nice met. blue with colour coded bumpers plus really dark tint and chrome mags dropped on it's guts...looked nice...wish i still had it now!

The whole respray only took me a week, a day to strip it down and get doors off and strip the areas needed back to metal, then a day was spent bogging sanding and priming the doors, another day prepping the rest of the car and priming. Another couple of days blocking back and repriming where needed and then a couple of days painting and fitting panels..etc. So if your willing to put in the hard work, you can get a lot done in a short period of time which means less down time on the car and which means you'll be back in car hanging skids in no time! lol

[R3D_D3AD]

everyone says to cut and weld it, but the old mans being stubborn about it.

anyone got a rough idea how much a replacement panel would cost? would I buy it new or just get from a wrecker?

[westbad]

new panel would be a whole let better and easier to fit mate, theres no way id be trying to repair that.. will be heaps easier to cut that panel off and weld on a new one. I could have that damaged panel off and new one welded on in a day easy..

[R3D_D3AD]

so where would I source a panel from? If it doesn't cost way too much I'll try n convince the old man

[westbad]

new panel wont be cheap if you can find one.. id be expecting anywhere from $600+ at a guess.
Where abouts do you live..?? SSS in melbourne may do one

[westbad]

SSS auto parts Pty Ltd
1952 Hume Highway,
Campbellfield
Victoria 3061 Australia
Tel: 03-9357 8555

[jokerflingo]

I can tell you hear and now you will be much better off getting a new panel as that one is absolutely ****ed, can i ask what caused the damage?

[R3D_D3AD]

right cheers mate I'll give them a call.

little sister was driving on a dirt road and lost control, took out about 30meters of chain link fence scraping along the side. I won't be lending my cars n bikes to anyone any time soon hahah