How to Use Body Filler - DIY Tips From A Show Car Builder

We brought our 1968 C10 SEMA Truck build over to No Coast Custom and Rod Shop to walk through how to go from metal work to body filler and prep for the paint job. We’ll show you how to use Bondo body filler as we apply it to our Chevy C10 body work.

Before starting on the body work, we sanded off the e-coat so we could get a nice surface to put some epoxy on and let that sit for a week. Then we sanded over the epoxy as a guide coat to show any low spots around the tailgate that need some extra work. You don’t want to sand through to the bare metal, just enough to give the filler something to bite into.

When it comes to mixing the body filler, it’s good to pour the mixture into about a three inch by three inch circle with a single stripe of the hardener across it, but be sure to refer to the can for specific instructions.

Perfecting using Bondo body filler may seem like a lot of work, but if you break it into small steps and follow along the project gets simpler.

#bodyfiller #bodywork #c10 #truckrestoration #bondo

0:13 - Prep for Auto Body Filler
2:23 - How to Mix Body Filler
2:58 - How to Apply Car Body Filler
3:48 - How to Sand Auto Body Filler
8:20 - How to Fix Panel Gaps with Body Filler

Parts from this episode:

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[banjohero]

1: Sand the tail gate with 80 grit not 220 when applying body filler.
2: Knock down the High area in the tailgate or pull out the edge of the tailgate so you don't have to build up and make a thick lip.
3: Always sand your body filler down to 220 before priming Please!
4: Use powder Guide coat it will reveal all sand scratches!
5: Give your primer plenty of dry time!
Trust me on these steps! I have learned the hard way!

[steveroy]

Thanks for helping DD speed shop!!! Keep helping the little guy, love your costumer service

[tbranscom]

I was all on board until he started building height on the tailgate with filler, that was excessive, needed a combo of adjusting the tailgate and bumping metal around

[kpaisan-mh]

Excellent video. Thanks for sharing. Getting ready to paint my 1996 Landcruiser.

[thomasstott]

this gives true high end car building shops a bad wrap... i give it to them for using epoxy.. and making sure they do not break threw the epoxy .... but you never ... ever finish your body work in 80... and use your " high build" primer as a band aid... primer shrinks ... you will see those 80 grit sand marks... your body work should always be finished in atleast 180.. if not 220... you should be using a powder guide coat between your grit changes from 80 to 180 to insure you get your 80 grit sand marks out... but it said these guys build sema cars... fast... low quality .. most those cars dont get finished before they get to sema... they cant run inside so they rush them to get there and they only need to look good in pictures.... i guess this video shows that even "show car builders" are not doing it right 🤷

[brucerohn]

I work for a high-end auto restoration company, mostly doing packards, but also muscle cars. While body filler will always be used at various levels, when you have situations like the bedside tailgate issue, we would never let that much filler be at a corner point. One bump and filler can break off. Time for metal work. Also, 2-day drying time on epoxy should be sufficient. I also would fill the entire bottom of the tailgate, then cheese graded the filler for the first coat. Although we have sanding blocks as long as 4 ft. Note that the resion e coat is removed many times. Rust is left on parts before coating.

[jodaddysdodgegarage]

Very nice video, clean, to the point with great info. 👍😎

[jeffreystorer]

Skinning cat's whatever works for you as long as it's got longevity, two pack epoxy highbuild primers, have come a long way, but there's not substitute for nice metal work, thanks for the tips

[jamesward]

One "Tip" regarding body filler few will share is when you're finished sanding, ready to prime, do one more step - paint Mipa over the entire area, using a brush. Yes, a brush. One coat is fine. Once you do this for the first time, you will never prime over body-filler without doing this, ever again. It eliminates so much ball-ache, it's unreal.

Not gonna bore ye with the how, what why - just try it. Your filler will look like glass & blend perfectly with the surrounding surfaces - no more "show through". First time you try it, you WILL go "Wow!". It then becomes your standard pre-primer treatment. Mipa isn't cheap, but it is priceless.

Never seen a single video on its use - my rationale on that is anyone that uses it doesn't want others to know the benefits & they treat it as a "Trade Secret". Which is probably fair enough. Every trade has secrets. I guess Mipa is one too.

[khancross]

9:57 wouldnt it be easier and cleaner to cut the space with a angle grinder after the bondo dried completely? The edge then does not need another layer of filler because wipping it of when it is wet, damages both side edges

[matthewallen]

Yes bondo will stick to 220. Especially on epoxy because the grit can dig in more than on metal. Yes polyester primer will cover 80 and not shrink back. There are old cars in my town i did 20 years ago to prove it.

[polara]

Not all Epoxy Primers sand so easily I'm wondering if that's VP-2050...

[thetongardengnome]

I gotta big American truck that needs body work. The cab is covered in rivets and the surface is all uneven.
Should I use a paint stripper around the rivets where a DA can't reach.

[immanutt]

So the said tailgate will never be opened and closed ?

[robokiss]

Does the body filler your using say apply to bare metal or on to paint

[margenat]

What if the tailgate is 5-10mm lower, will you build a V!?

[camerondulohery]

The top of the tailgate was a perfect candidate for lead

[coykehoe]

id be tempted to use high build surfacer on those low spots ...probably skip the first blocking session all together with enough primer surfacer over epoxy and a pint of bath tub gin

[KeesV.]

Deze man wordt niet gehinderd door enige kennis..😮😂

[Oo-rctp]

Says it all, show car builder, most of those cars dont run, smoke n morrors