Automotive Body Tools for Your Classic Car

There is no shortcut or “easy way” to do restoration-quality bodywork on your classic car. Learning to weld and use automotive body tools properly requires practice and discipline. Many of the hand tools, metal cutting tools and air tools we discussed in our previous tools post will be needed, as well as some of the following “basic” body tools.

Hammer and Dolly

At the core of automotive metalwork is the hammer and dolly, and it is not the same technique as using a hammer to bang in nails! It is all about precision and moderation with body work.

The majority of hammer and dolly work is to reverse a dent. To do this, you need to have access to both sides of the panel. The dolly acts as a “backup” for the hammer motion.

There are dozens of sizes and variations of hammers and dollies. Good ones last a lifetime – I have had mine for over 30 years.

Slide Hammer

The many uses for a slide hammer include pulling out dents and repairing body panels. The tool has a long round shaft with a sliding hammer weight, to produce force without striking the panel.

Some kits offer a nice slide hammer kit which includes five different components for different pulling uses. Included is a screw and hook attachment needed for dent pulling, as well as two flange adapters for pulling rear axles. The slide hammer weight is 5-1/2 pounds, and the rod is 5/8-18 thread.

I originally purchased my slide hammer for body work, but it has seen many other uses, such as removing stubborn bearings and seals.

Dual-Action Sander

The D-A (dual-action) sander is handy for removing paint or sanding down body filler. The dual orbital motion helps prevent scratching. Its primary use is to “feather” or fan out the area around body filler. 150- or 220-grit sandpaper is commonly used.

When using a D-A sander, keep it flat to the surface and do not press down too hard. Let the sander do the work. Do not forget to wear a respirator.

Sanding Boards and Blocks

When a DA sander is too large or will be too aggressive for the repair area, a body man reaches for a proper-sized sanding board. For tight and curvy places, there are sanding blocks.

The sanding block kits includes several sizes and shapes for various sanding jobs. There is flex in the longer blocks to allow working with different contours. These sanding blocks work best with 3M “Stikit” rolls, 2-3/4″ wide.

To properly sand different shapes and contours of body panels, keep an assortment of sanding blocks. They can be used for both wet and dry sanding.

Spot Weld Cutter

Cutting spot welds is not a quick or easy job. They should be cut out slowly with a spot weld cutter tool.

MIG Welder

Replacing body panels on cars requires welding, any other way is unacceptable for a classic car. If you are sincere about automotive restoration, learning to weld is a must.

Replacing body panels on cars requires welding, any other way is not acceptable. If you are sincere about restoring old cars, learning to weld is a must.

There are plenty of other automotive body tools needed for quality bodywork on a classic car. The process of undertaking classic car body work is an art that requires numerous hours of practice so be prepared to put in the time, and to make mistakes that will have to be done over again.