Anyone use a high school auto shop for body work? (1 Viewer)

[Nader]

I'm thinking there's very little an amateur can screw up on fixing the rust on my rig. The panels are flat, and replacement sheet metal for the tricky parts are widely available. There's no interior trim or upholstery to dick with, and I'm not a stickler for deadlines, originality or perfection. So I'm thinking about letting students work on the rig. High school, community college, technical school, whatever. Has anyone done this? Bad idea?

The idea reminds of how I once let a student at a beauty school cut my hair. He was slow and meticulous, took very little off, then the instructor came around and finished off the job. Pretty decent do when it was done, for about 5 or 10 bucks. I forget.

 

[kurtnkegger]

I might do a trade, or technical school...They are much closer to a real world working application than a high school class. There's plenty an amateur can screw up on our junk...look at all the nightmare threads laid down about "previous owners"...Sheet metal warps easily when welded, I would rather have someone with some experience working on my bodywork.

 

[bugsnbikes]

been there, done that- be careful

 

[oldschool4wheeling]

Do it yourself!! It is a hell of alot more rewarding.

To quote, " I'm thinking there's very little an amateur can screw up on fixing the rust on my rig. The panels are flat, and replacement sheet metal for the tricky parts are widely available. There's no interior trim or upholstery to dick with, and I'm not a stickler for deadlines, originality or perfection. "

You made my point!

 

[Nader]

been there, done that- be careful

View attachment 1426324

I'm new here, so you can't post up a pic like that and not elaborate. What happened?

 

[1973Guppie]

Your thinking is wrong. There is alot that can go wrong, especially with the metal work. If you don't care about your truck then fine but if your truck is original it is now valuable. Too much heat welding in panels you will get warping. Or they may just lay a bunch of bondo in there and it will eventually suck up rust. I guess it just depends on the rig.

Also, replacements panels are not a simple plop in and go. It takes time to line things up and do it properly. Especially if you are cutting out braces and such as the body will need to be braced properly or it will collapse on itself and become not aligned. Proper metalwork takes alot of time.

 

[alabamatacomaguy]

been there, done that- be careful

View attachment 1426324

I think I remember reading about that one on the blue forum for fjc. Didn't some type gas explode in it while in a garage. I think I remember reading the owner was inside the vehicle and lived, think I remember it damaged the garage pretty badly as well

 

[Stephen Hancock]

I'm thinking there's very little an amateur can screw up on fixing the rust on my rig. The panels are flat, and replacement sheet metal for the tricky parts are widely available. There's no interior trim or upholstery to dick with, and I'm not a stickler for deadlines, originality or perfection. So I'm thinking about letting students work on the rig. High school, community college, technical school, whatever. Has anyone done this? Bad idea?

The idea reminds of how I once let a student at a beauty school cut my hair. He was slow and meticulous, took very little off, then the instructor came around and finished off the job. Pretty decent do when it was done, for about 5 or 10 bucks. I forget.

Do it yourself. Whiz wheel and a $300.00 mig then Bob's your Uncle.

 

[Nader]

Do it yourself. Whiz wheel and a $300.00 mig then Bob's your Uncle.

BTDT with an '69 Alfa Romeo Duetto I turned into a race car about 10 years ago. Talk about rust. Before and after pics below. I just don't have that scope of repair work in me anymore, and the time suck, noise, and mess wouldn't be fair to my young family or close-by neighbors. But I wouldn't mind shooting the paint myself in the driveway. I did that with the Alfa race car in an afternoon (without isocyanates).