Mark III Body Question for the body people

[Charles Fuller]

Many moons ago. While I was working on the body mating lines. I read on the forum about back filling the cockpit, rear and dash edges. Then the wheel arches with filler. Watching the utube Mark IV videos, it is described "How to cut each of these edges" but no filler. Do I need to cut on a Mark III body? I could use a flap disc as Jeff K. suggests to clean up the edges. Or does anyone know "What to do on a Mark III?" As always suggestions are greatly appreciated.

[j.miller]

36 grit on and orbital or by hand and then Rage Gold on the rolled cockpit. 700 cars and have never used body filler(other then pin holes) on the wheel openings. I just do a nice trim and hand finnish ..da Bat

[mrmustang]

36 grit on and orbital or by hand and then Rage Gold on the rolled cockpit. 700 cars and have never used body filler(other then pin holes) on the wheel openings. I just do a nice trim and hand finnish ..da Bat

I believe "Da Bat" meant to say 320 grit, not 36 grit.......I highly suspect that catwomen may have spiked his drink with some special formula, causing his fingers to not follow what his brain told them to type out here on the forum :D .


Bill S.

PS: All kidding aside, 36 grit sandpaper is great for knocking down scratches on steel I-Beams, and should never be used on a fiberglass body of any kind.

[Jeff Kleiner]

I believe "Da Bat" meant to say 320 grit, not 36 grit.......I highly suspect that catwomen may have spiked his drink with some special formula, causing his fingers to not follow what his brain told them to type out here on the forum :D .


Bill S.

PS: All kidding aside, 36 grit sandpaper is great for knocking down scratches on steel I-Beams, and should never be used on a fiberglass body of any kind.


Au contraire Bill. 36 or 40 grit is the weapon of choice for the initial knock down of parting lines and rough shaping wheel openings, etc. among those of us who do it all the time. I’m sure my esteemed colleague da’ Bat will concur.

Jeff

[mrmustang]

Au contraire Bill. 36 or 40 grit is the weapon of choice for the initial knock down of parting lines and rough shaping wheel openings, etc. among those of us who do it all the time. I’m sure my esteemed colleague da’ Bat will concur.

Jeff

I can't say I've ever, E-V-E-R used anything sharper than 180 grit on any fiberglass or composite bodied cars, yes, a small 2" 60-80 grit disk to grind out the early body seams, but not a DA equipped with the same, not ever. I'd expect a MK I-MK II.5 body to have 180 grit to knock down the parting seams, MK III body, maybe 180, everything else would be 220-320, for a slower, more controlled and methodical shaping of the wheel well openings and dash curvature/finish. The OP is not talking about seam grinding though, but finish work to the edges.....Up to 400 to get rid of the 320 scratches, followed by Rage Gold, and again, a slow, methodical shaping of the body edges. In the hands of a professional body man, 180 should be plenty, in the hands of an amateur.....Well, it easier terms, it would be like giving a 10 year old a Bazooka, instead of a 22 rifle to learn how to shoot at 12" round targets at 30 yards. Not the best of ideas, no, not at all. Anyone willing to use 36 grit automotive grade sandpaper on an FFR body, without 20+ years of training, is asking for heartache. I'll stand by these words have had to fix far too many of these bodies while I still had my shop.

Bill S.

[Jeff Kleiner]

As I said…

Jeff

[mrmustang]

As I said…

Jeff

Without the proper context :rolleyes:

[j.miller]

Soooooo! I misread. I thought you were doing Rolled Edge. In hindsight looks like you just want to trim the lip and smooth them out. I do my trimming with 36gr on and angle grinder and finish them with 80gr buy hand on a short rubber block. You can use 80gr on the angle grinder for a slower removal of material (iv'e had a bit of practice. You get to decide just how much lip you want (i like them thin). As for prepping any gelcoat surface for body filler I do use 36 or 40 gr. When prepping the rest of the body for polyester primer I sand the rest of the gelcoat with 80gr on an orbital sander. I like all my base materials to STICK and have found those grits to be the best way to get that. Oh, and I still put no filler on the back of the wheel opening lips.....not that ya couldn't, just never saw the need too..Jack

[Jeff Kleiner]

….Jack

I see what you did there ;)

XOXOXO back at you Brother!

Captain O

[rich grsc]

Oh what do you two know. :rolleyes::rolleyes::p Do you guys own a paint shop?--------oh wait

[j.miller]

I see what you did there ;)

XOXOXO back at you Brother!

Captain O

My brother, It is my dream before I retire, (or you do) that we grab one of these little goats by the horns and knock out the body and paint. Without a doubt and a bit of planning we could get Ken in on it. (that would be a TV show) Oh ! Strip Club,,,,,We need a strip club (at least I do) within a couple miles of the set.....so kinda needs to be Cali. I've seen Ill. clubs.....great ! Gonna take me all night to get Presley in drag out of my head.....he does drag.....I swear.....seen him in Palm Spings at "Les Follies"....(iffin he sees this I'm a dead man)... Da Bat

[j.miller]

.....What you have just witnessed and been a part of is why the "Off Topic" section was created in the old Forum. and carried over to this one.

[Jeff Kleiner]

My brother, It is my dream before I retire, (or you do) that we grab one of these little goats by the horns and knock out the body and paint. Without a doubt and a bit of planning we could get Ken in on it. (that would be a TV show) Oh ! Strip Club,,,,,We need a strip club (at least I do) within a couple miles of the set.....so kinda needs to be Cali. I've seen Ill. clubs.....great ! Gonna take me all night to get Presley in drag out of my head.....he does drag.....I swear.....seen him in Palm Spings at "Les Follies"....(iffin he sees this I'm a dead man)... Da Bat

That’d be reason enough to come out of retirement…or maybe better yet as a
last hurrah complete with a dramatic “mic drop” at the end before heading into retirement. No doubt we could get Ken in on the deal so long as cocktails are served. It all sounds good—-except for the Presley in drag part ;)

O-Ring

[mrmustang]

Oh what do you two know. :rolleyes::rolleyes::p Do you guys own a paint shop?--------oh wait

LOL.....


Soooooo! I misread. I thought you were doing Rolled Edge. In hindsight looks like you just want to trim the lip and smooth them out. I do my trimming with 36gr on and angle grinder and finish them with 80gr buy hand on a short rubber block. You can use 80gr on the angle grinder for a slower removal of material (iv'e had a bit of practice. You get to decide just how much lip you want (i like them thin). As for prepping any gelcoat surface for body filler I do use 36 or 40 gr. When prepping the rest of the body for polyester primer I sand the rest of the gelcoat with 80gr on an orbital sander. I like all my base materials to STICK and have found those grits to be the best way to get that. Oh, and I still put no filler on the back of the wheel opening lips.....not that ya couldn't, just never saw the need too..Jack

The key word that you and I use is "experience", without it, we can both agree the use of a low denominational grit, automotive grade sandpaper, can be a costly mistake. Your shop, your choices, and as the retired shop owner, I understand why, my old shop, my choices. It's all good either way, again, if you have the hands on experience. Otherwise, we both, I'm sure, had to fix those disastrous mistakes.


Bill S.