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What's a reasonable budget for GT body work

Posted by Lacrosse33

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Re: What's a reasonable budget for GT body work #41
100DashSix Dan K Alexandria, Virginia, USA	Posted: May 09, 2012 02:45PM Registered: 6 years ago Posts: 142

My question is, where SHOULD you put Bondo? I thought it had no place on an MG.

In reply to # 2063035 by pinkyponk Don't put bondo on your castle rails.

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Re: What's a reasonable budget for GT body work #42
pinkyponk Adrian Page Nova Scotia Canada, Canada 1971 MG MGB GT 1973 MG MGB MkIII	Posted: May 09, 2012 03:15PM Registered: 2 years ago Posts: 2,721

Many MGs are held together with bondo. You can put bondo anywhere you don't want a magnet to stick.

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Re: What's a reasonable budget for GT body work #43
superdave david morris north carolina, USA	Posted: May 09, 2012 03:44PM Registered: 2 years ago Posts: 519

In reply to # 2063071 by 100DashSix My question is, where SHOULD you put Bondo? I thought it had no place on an MG.

Go to any custom shop and see how they will skim Bondo on an entire panel and then sand 99.9% of it off. That .1% is where the "slick" comes in.

I'm a big proponent of finding a shop owner willing to follow behind your work, but that person isn't always easy to find. You can save thousands of dollars and the painter can do what he enjoys most, just spraying the car. As for the metal replacement, you are going to have to learn to do it yourself or exercise your wallet a bit. The choice is yours. I say buy a welder and start burning metal.

Your original question is open ended and a bit hard to answer. 8K for a budget is reasonable. I echo the thoughts about dropping your car off at a shop and saying "No hurry". I've been there, done that, have the t-shirt.

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Re: What's a reasonable budget for GT body work #44
favedave David Church Saint Joseph, MO, USA 1967 MG MGB GT "Marilyn" 1995 Ford Probe 1995 Ford Probe "The Probe"	Posted: May 09, 2012 05:31PM Registered: 2 years ago Posts: 1,824

Back in the late 60s I went with a bud to Moss Motors just to visit the place. North Hollywood I think, I wasn't driving. At the time they actually did restoration and maintenance work in the back. There were Lotus Elites, and Morgans, MGs, Healeys, and a Ferrari 250 GT the body man was prepping for a repaint(Red of course). He was bitching about how much body filler the factory used to get the aluminum body straight.

Bondo, or other brand of body-filler, or old school lead is a must unless you have an absolutely dent free, and here's the had part, perfectly assembled body. No B which has had much use in the last 50 years is dent free. Certainly the factory did a fair job of assembling the cars, but the varients in fitting replacement parts, even from an identical model are legendary. If you do anything special, a Sebring Kit for instance, you are going to get to know body filler very well. The factory used it when they built the cars, to correct damage inadvertantly caused during construction. The cars were shipped around the world and given the finest handling steveadores at busy POEs offer. A little fender binder in the port, or a cargo that shifted in heavy seas..more body filler on the car before it got to the showroom.

If you want your body panels to be smooth and flowing one to the next, you're going to have to use it.
Somebody said a gallon, even if it takes two don't worry, you are going to sand 90%+ of that off and in most places have what amounts to a thickness more akin to a layer of paint.

It is not structural material

It just makes structural material smooth and beautiful.

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Re: What's a reasonable budget for GT body work #45
pinkyponk Adrian Page Nova Scotia Canada, Canada 1971 MG MGB GT 1973 MG MGB MkIII	Posted: May 09, 2012 07:47PM Registered: 2 years ago Posts: 2,721

I used at least a gallon but I grated and sanded most of it off. Anyone who can fit a front or rear fender to an MGB without filler is a better man than me. I tried using lead once but that is a skill I didn't master.

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Re: What's a reasonable budget for GT body work #46
100DashSix Dan K Alexandria, Virginia, USA	Posted: May 09, 2012 08:19PM Registered: 6 years ago Posts: 142

Interesting! Good tips. I didn't know about using Bondo to smooth down the final look.

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Re: What's a reasonable budget for GT body work #47
pinkyponk Adrian Page Nova Scotia Canada, Canada 1971 MG MGB GT 1973 MG MGB MkIII	Posted: May 09, 2012 08:45PM Registered: 2 years ago Posts: 2,721

In reply to # 2063337 by 100DashSix Interesting! Good tips. I didn't know about using Bondo to smooth down the final look.

Watch an episode of that Chip Foose show Overhaulin if you want to see some of the best in the industry use tons of bondo.

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Re: What's a reasonable budget for GT body work #48
deo-pa Dennis Owen Hummelstown, PA, USA 1969 MG MGB	Posted: May 09, 2012 10:12PM Registered: 2 years ago Posts: 184

What you are proposing is a major investment in time, money, and headaches. I know you are the original owner and probably envision returning your baby to its former glory. Nonetheless, I'd sell it for say $1,500 and buy one the other guy did all the work on for say $6,000 and spend the next year driving your car instead of working on it. You'll have more fun and be money ahead. The pleasure of driving will soon cause you to forget that it's not your original car.

Dennis Owen (Hummelstown, PA)
1969 MGB
Essentially stock but de-smogged.
Turned into a wonderful driver by our own Jack Austin.

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Re: What's a reasonable budget for GT body work #49
NOHOME Peter Plouf London, Canada 1961 Austin-Healey Sprite Bugeye "Lil" 1967 MG MGB GT "Maggie (GT From Hell)"	Posted: May 10, 2012 05:59AM Registered: 6 years ago Posts: 11,884

In reply to # 2063460 by deo-pa What you are proposing is a major investment in time, money, and headaches. I know you are the original owner and probably envision returning your baby to its former glory. Nonetheless, I'd sell it for say $1,500 and buy one the other guy did all the work on for say $6,000 and spend the next year driving your car instead of working on it. You'll have more fun and be money ahead. The pleasure of driving will soon cause you to forget that it's not your original car.

Careful there, the "Headache" bit is not always applicable and should be replaced with the word "Challenge".

In reply to # 2063460 by deo-pa
You'll have more fun and be money ahead. The pleasure of driving will soon cause you to forget that it's not your original car.

Believe it of not, there is a contingent who consider the finished project to be more of a "headache". All you get to do with a finished car is wash, wax,tune, pay insurance and routine boring maintenance...nothing to "look forward to" with a finished project if you know what I mean.

This hobby is as much about money as it is about transportation...not so much in either case. winking smiley

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Re: What's a reasonable budget for GT body work #50
pinkyponk Adrian Page Nova Scotia Canada, Canada 1971 MG MGB GT 1973 MG MGB MkIII	Posted: May 10, 2012 06:50AM Registered: 2 years ago Posts: 2,721

I'm with Peter. Driving a car isn't much of a hobby for me. Restoring one... now that's a different story!

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Re: What's a reasonable budget for GT body work #51
rlich8 Royal Lichter Chicago, USA 1971 Jaguar E-Type Convertible 1976 Triumph TR6	Posted: May 10, 2012 10:12AM Registered: 4 years ago Posts: 1,750

I guess it's a minority opinion to just go out and buy a nice car.

For me, cars are for driving---not averse to a project like a trans rebuild or adding an OD, but I'd blow my brains out if I was sitting in a garage doing body work.

I think these cars turn us all on in different ways. Some of us want to build V8 conversions, some of us want to do bolt for bolt restorations, some of us want to buy a rusty car and revive it, some of us just want to go out and buy a nice car and drive it!

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Re: What's a reasonable budget for GT body work #52
wicklowwanderer David Steverson Marietta, Georgia, USA 1969 MG MGB GT "Miriam"	Posted: May 10, 2012 10:21AM Registered: 4 years ago Posts: 806

David,
I did some work on a local MGB not long ago. Here's the details:

* Car was largely stripped of trim pieces, I removed windshield/frame, some lights, vent windows, some misc. trim.
* Welded in patch panels on one dog leg, both fender bottoms (panels provided by owner).
* Repaired some other body damage.
* Sanded, primed, sealed and painted car (including trunk, floors, and a bit in engine compartment).

I provided the paint (PPG base/clear) and charged $1175. I do this more as a hobby and to help MG's back on the road.

Maybe you can find a local person as well.
David

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Re: What's a reasonable budget for GT body work #53
Lacrosse33 David Jefferson Birmingham, USA	Posted: May 10, 2012 11:07AM Registered: 1 year ago Posts: 15

Where are you?!!!

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Re: What's a reasonable budget for GT body work #54
gooser Drake Myers Danville Va, USA	Posted: May 10, 2012 11:22AM Registered: 5 years ago Posts: 6,926

well put royal.

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Re: What's a reasonable budget for GT body work #55
pinkyponk Adrian Page Nova Scotia Canada, Canada 1971 MG MGB GT 1973 MG MGB MkIII	Posted: May 10, 2012 11:52AM Registered: 2 years ago Posts: 2,721

In reply to # 2063792 by rlich8 I guess it's a minority opinion to just go out and buy a nice car.

For me, cars are for driving---not averse to a project like a trans rebuild or adding an OD, but I'd blow my brains out if I was sitting in a garage doing body work.

I think these cars turn us all on in different ways. Some of us want to build V8 conversions, some of us want to do bolt for bolt restorations, some of us want to buy a rusty car and revive it, some of us just want to go out and buy a nice car and drive it!

I think the car has some sentimental value to the OP. He bought it new. I know I have a bit of an attachment to mine and I've only owned it for 30 years.

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Re: What's a reasonable budget for GT body work #56
rlich8 Royal Lichter Chicago, USA 1971 Jaguar E-Type Convertible 1976 Triumph TR6	Posted: May 10, 2012 01:39PM Registered: 4 years ago Posts: 1,750

In reply to # 2063873 by pinkyponk

I think the car has some sentimental value to the OP. He bought it new. I know I have a bit of an attachment to mine and I've only owned it for 30 years.

Emotions'll make ya do things sometimes! To that extent, I understand! smiling smiley

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Re: What's a reasonable budget for GT body work #57
Starbuck Monte johnjulio Greensboro, North Carolina, USA 1967 MG MGB GT "Toaster" 1974 MG MGB "The B" 1979 Triumph Spitfire 1500 "Shitfire"	Posted: May 10, 2012 07:01PM Registered: 4 years ago Posts: 3,316

In reply to # 2062722 by ClayJ
EDIT
...I would not use rattle-can paint, it won't hold up the the heat and oils for very long. You need a paint with hardener in it. Its fairly easy to paint the engine bay with minimal equipment....

I rattle can painted my 74 roadster engine bay, interior and trunk and it held up fine for 0ver 10 years and 100k+ miles.
if you prep it right it will hold up fine.
I just redid my GT engine bay, wheel wells and undercarriage and will be doing the interior areas as well...looks good and was prepped correctly.

Pro paint with hardener is always preferable but good spray can paint with proper prep is a perfectly viable alternative.

"...They say that a man with two restoration projects is a poor man...I now have three...WTF was I thinking!?!?!?!?!?!?!" UPDATE---I now have four projects!

1967 MGB-GT, 1974 MGB Roadster, 1995 Chevrolet Corvette LT-1, 1979 Triumph Spitfire 1500, 2010 Mini Cooper Convertible (Wifey's)

My 1974 MGB restoration at: http://mgbproject.blogspot.com/
My 1979 Spitfire restoration at: http://spitfire1500project.blogspot.com/
My 1967 MGB-GT restoration at: http://mgbgtproject.blogspot.com/

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Re: What's a reasonable budget for GT body work #58
dtownsend David Townsend Rutland, Vermont USA, USA	Posted: May 10, 2012 07:05PM Registered: 3 years ago Posts: 922

[/quote]Pro paint with hardener is always preferable but good spray can paint with proper prep is a perfectly viable alternative.
[/quote]

Agreed. I've had great success with the specialty coatings from Eastwood and recently started using the epoxy based chassis paints from VHT. Incredible stuff. Goes on great and is tough as nails. Colors are limited but the stuff sticks to darn near anything and finishes well.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/10/2012 07:06PM by dtownsend.

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Re: What's a reasonable budget for GT body work #59
miatadon Don Scott Calistoga CA, USA 1967 MG MGB MkI 1980 Triumph TR8 1989 Honda Prelude 1991 Honda Civic 1991 Mazda B-Series → more	Posted: May 12, 2012 12:07AM Registered: 5 years ago Posts: 674

Please excuse my sacrilege, but an alternative to spending a fortune on your B GT might be a car like this one. The first series of Miatas, especially an SE like this, are not very common now, especially that are still in good condition. The hardtop gives you the same closed-car experience as a B GT, and the AC gives you about 30 degrees cooler driving in the summer. I had one just like this, and the friend that bought it from me told me it is still going strong with 140k miles on the odometer.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1991-MAZDA-MIATA-SPECIAL-EDITION-2-054-ORIGINAL-MILES-MINT-CONDITION-/150813422775?pt=US_Cars_Trucks

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Re: What's a reasonable budget for GT body work #60
ohlord Rob C North of Seattle, N.W., USA 1971 MG MGB "Bedouin 2"	Posted: May 12, 2012 12:34AM Registered: 1 year ago Posts: 1,865

Miata? An MG without a soul. Surely you are jesting. winking smiley

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