How to find a mobile panel beater.

[gaz1]

So I have run out of ability Tried to remove an section of "oil canning" in panel using a tourch and it did not go well at all
As the van needs some work all over was looking for a mobile pannel beater to do some "rough out" work (mobile the van is on a jig)

But all i can find localy is the paintless repair guys and they are not intrestes or charge more than a replacment panel..

Any thoughts on how to find a old school metal mover? (Based in Southampton)

Thanks

Did look at a 3day classic car restorers course but at £450 that is a lot of panel beating work ..

I did the typical tried a little bit went ok then tried again little more and now have no oil can but a moon Scape.

Was hoping that it would cost less to get a few dents knock of a panel that have it replaced.

from what youve just posted you want top notch work but you dont want to pay for it

since youve already had a go yourself and found its not easy to do

if you dont like the price of repair then your left with replace all comments have stated it would be cheaper to replace or do it yourself

but your not thinking of there time doing the work checking and redoing heating the material until its nearly straight

 

[ArAKern]

never mentioned perfection, and £50-75ph is fine. but what I think you are are saying an expert can not fix a panel for less than a replacement then that would explain why I cannot find one the skill has been priced out of the market. (same reason I stopped doing PC repair on the side cheeper to buy a new one)

No issues replacing panels already replaced the whole of the front clip and roof section.

 

[bert]

Where abouts are you?

 

[Burdekin]

I have a large and small shrinking disc. Fantastic tool for removing stretched metal.

 

[ArAKern]

The Van is in Southampton. but did find another course that looks a better bet.

Intensive Classic Car Restoration

Learn all the skills required to have the confidence to take on your own classic car body repairs.

www.eventbrite.co.uk

 

[ArAKern]

Well Just to close of this thread went on the above course last week. Great course our instructor was Andy from Yesterday Secrets of the transport museum fame. A lot of focus on welding to BS standard. ( Interesting bit was using cup and peal tests to check welds). Then built a sill section from scratch.

Final afternoon was metal finishing, It was hard to watch a Andy take a Ball Pein and picking hammer to a pristine E-type Jaguar front wing and remove the dent in under 5min, took us a little longer!! Shown how to metal shrink using an oxy torch but then was introduced to carbon rod shrinking. What took a expert a few min to do with a touch, a complete novice could do in 20sec.
In the end I was able to fix 4 doors and an engine hatch in a few hours. Andy made me flip dents that I would of happily filled. All in all a great course I now just need a proper workshop and several £k in specialist tools.

Before

and after, not perfect but the lows will be taken care of with primer.

 

[gaz1]

Well Just to close of this thread went on the above course last week. Great course our instructor was Andy from Yesterday Secrets of the transport museum fame. A lot of focus on welding to BS standard. ( Interesting bit was using cup and peal tests to check welds). Then built a sill section from scratch.
View attachment 340546
Final afternoon was metal finishing, It was hard to watch a Andy take a Ball Pein and picking hammer to a pristine E-type Jaguar front wing and remove the dent in under 5min, took us a little longer!! Shown how to metal shrink using an oxy torch but then was introduced to carbon rod shrinking. What took a expert a few min to do with a touch, a complete novice could do in 20sec.
In the end I was able to fix 4 doors and an engine hatch in a few hours. Andy made me flip dents that I would of happily filled. All in all a great course I now just need a proper workshop and several £k in specialist tools.

you dont need specialist tools just to build that, you might think so but you dont

most of that can be built by using a wide mouth deep vise a piece of wood so you dont mark the steel when hammering and a hammer

i bet you found building the sill was interesting

 

[AVI_8]

Well Just to close of this thread went on the above course last week. Great course our instructor was Andy from Yesterday Secrets of the transport museum fame. A lot of focus on welding to BS standard. ( Interesting bit was using cup and peal tests to check welds). Then built a sill section from scratch.
View attachment 340546
Final afternoon was metal finishing, It was hard to watch a Andy take a Ball Pein and picking hammer to a pristine E-type Jaguar front wing and remove the dent in under 5min, took us a little longer!! Shown how to metal shrink using an oxy torch but then was introduced to carbon rod shrinking. What took a expert a few min to do with a touch, a complete novice could do in 20sec.
In the end I was able to fix 4 doors and an engine hatch in a few hours. Andy made me flip dents that I would of happily filled. All in all a great course I now just need a proper workshop and several £k in specialist tools.

Before
View attachment 340548
View attachment 340549
and after, not perfect but the lows will be taken care of with primer.

Where did you go for the course?

 

[Seadog]

If you look at the link it tells you. Brooklands!

 

[CompoSimmonite]

Large dent LHS Rear lower quarter, both cargo door have been re-skinned but with welding warpage. the short side large "oil can" and welding warpage.
I may be being picky what is the acceptable amount of filler depth?

Remove doors and take them to a panel beaker rather than them coming to you. Then replace the dented lower rear quarter with a new panel ?

 

[armalites]

Well Just to close of this thread went on the above course last week. Great course our instructor was Andy from Yesterday Secrets of the transport museum fame. A lot of focus on welding to BS standard. ( Interesting bit was using cup and peal tests to check welds). Then built a sill section from scratch.
View attachment 340546
Final afternoon was metal finishing, It was hard to watch a Andy take a Ball Pein and picking hammer to a pristine E-type Jaguar front wing and remove the dent in under 5min, took us a little longer!! Shown how to metal shrink using an oxy torch but then was introduced to carbon rod shrinking. What took a expert a few min to do with a touch, a complete novice could do in 20sec.
In the end I was able to fix 4 doors and an engine hatch in a few hours. Andy made me flip dents that I would of happily filled. All in all a great course I now just need a proper workshop and several £k in specialist tools.

Before
View attachment 340548
View attachment 340549
and after, not perfect but the lows will be taken care of with primer.

Excellent, in a world where it seems everything is backed up it's a good result to find a course that you jump straight on that turned out to be very good. The sill section looks like a very satisfying achievement for a short course.