Spotting Bad Bodywork on Classic Cars

Even though it may not look like it outside we are heading into the buying season for classic cars as the vintage car auction houses are gearing up for numerous auctions in the coming months with the January “Super Bowl” of auctions in Arizona. Like many others entering the car hobby you started by watching the many TV shows about cars and even the televised car auctions. Having attended many of these shows and auctions I can tell you that much of what you see on TV does not look the same in person as the cameras and specialty lighting goes a long way to hide the imperfections. When it comes time to purchase a classic car or truck for your collection you are going to want to be fully aware of spotting bad bodywork.

Repairing rust and / or bad bodywork can be one of the priciest repairs when restoring your classic vehicle. Educating yourself on how to spot poor repairs is the best way to avoid big expenses down the road.

There are plenty of unethical body shops that will cut corners to save time and money to get collector cars ready for sale. Common corners they cut are bad prep work or rust that has been painted over, body panels that have been worked to disguise collision damage, and body filler that has been used to hide dents and dings. Here are a few tips to consider when out looking for a new classic car or truck that can save you a lot of heartache and frustration in the future.

Rust That Has Been Painted Over

This is one of the dirtiest tricks in the book… sanding down the surface rust just enough to cover it up with a coat of paint. It will initially look fine, but within months or even weeks the rust will begin to work its way back to the surface. Looking over the panels closely is the easiest way to spot this. There is usually a slight change in the texture of the paint. You can also use your hands and fingers to feel for any rough or uneven spots on the car. Obvious rust will make the paint crack and bubble. The most important areas to pay attention to are the areas around trim pieces, wheel wells, body joints, windows and the rocker panels.

Spotting Bad Body Filler Work

When it comes to bad bodywork, body filler is the most common abuse you will find. Body filler itself is amazing when used properly to fill in low spots and small defects in the car’s body. Unfortunately amateurs and unethical body technicians will use body filler (a.k.a. Bondo) to fill in dents rather than taking the time to properly repair it. These bad bodywork hacks will simply fill in the dent and let it dry. They can then sand it down and paint it over leaving no trace of it to the naked eye if they are talented at hiding it.

Many body fill jobs can be spotted if you take a close look. You can often see the scratch marks left in the body filler from the sandpaper. You may have to look close in good light to see these scratches under the clear coat. Also keep your eyes peeled for cracks in the paint. Paint on metal will glaze over and eventually fade. Paint that is on old filler or filler that is too thick will eventually crack.

You can also use a piece of paper and a magnet to look for areas with body filler. Since body filler is made of fiberglass, a magnet will not stick to it. You will want to use a small magnet that is not very strong to test for body filler. You can put the piece of paper over any area you suspect may be filled and place the magnet on the paper. If the magnet sticks then you know you have metal underneath the paper. This is why it is a good idea to use a weak magnet so that it does not attract itself to any metal under the body filler.

You should use this technique to test as much of the body panels as possible. If you find a place that the magnet does not stick then you know you have body filler underneath. There are specific tools available like The Filler Detective that can assist you in locating hidden body damage and body filler. These devices can even tell you how thick the body filler is underneath the paint.

Poor Metal Work

Inexperienced bodywork technicians will sometimes make mistakes with working metal or hanging body panels. To find these flaws you are going to have to look very close at the body and under the car and in the trunk as well.

The first place to look is at the joints between panels. You can use your finger to feel for varying widths as you run your finger along the joint seam. Be sure to compare the gap width on one side as compared to the gap on the other side of the car. If the gaps are uniform, then you probably do not have much to worry about. If they are different then you certainly have an issue.

Finding other poor metal work can be a little trickier and needs a little bit more knowledge of what the car lines are supposed to look like. A great trick is to measure the distance between the bottom of the wheel well and the frame rail on both sides of the car. All measurements should match to know that the panels are hung correctly.

If the vehicle has been in an accident it will take a serious professional to get the body panels back to their original state and position. In most cases the panels should be replaced. Take a good look down the side of the car length wise to see if you can spot any waves in the body panel. These waves did not come from the manufacturer so if you see them then you know the car has had some metal work done.

Buying a classic car is a substantial investment and you want to know you are getting a fair deal. Take your time to look over the body panels and other important body parts to make sure everything is intact and that you are not being taken by some shoddy work. This might mean looking inside the trunk and under the carpet as well for any signs of damage or rust. Run your hands on the inside of the body panels as well to feel for any obvious dents or dings. If the seller gives you any grief about your inspection then that might mean they have something to hide and you should take your money and run.

Finally

These tips that we give in this post are only the basics for spotting bad bodywork, and to truly know the full condition of a vehicle may require some disassembling. Chances are you are not going to be able to disassemble a car before you buy it. Unfortunately, truly talented and unscrupulous body shops can conceal quite a bit of damage that even the seasoned eye will have difficulty locating. So, we hope that the tips we have provided will give you the confidence to make an initial decision on the bodywork’s condition. For significant purchase the novice will be well served to retain a professional appraiser to review the vintage car for the body work as well as the authenticity of the car itself. When if doubt the best advise is simply to walk away, and look for the next opportunity.

Do you have any tricks or tips you can share with us and our readers? We would certainly appreciate any secrets you may have on spotting poor bodywork.