How to Use Body Filler - DIY Tips From A Show Car Builder

Now i see why show cars are so expensive.

1: Sand the tail gate with 80 grit not 220 when applying body filler.
2: Knock down the High area in the tailgate or pull out the edge of the tailgate so you don't have to build up and make a thick lip.
3: Always sand your body filler down to 220 before priming Please!
4: Use powder Guide coat it will reveal all sand scratches!
5: Give your primer plenty of dry time!
Trust me on these steps! I have learned the hard way!

I don't use epoxy for my 1st coat anymore. I thin lightweight polyester body filler with fiberglass resin, then roll on with a paint roller to skim the whole vehicle. Cheap, easy, super smooth, a great DTM plus tough as nails and waterproof

Your 1st tip for any show car builder should have been to metal finish as close as humanly possible. It ends up making the filler so much easier and less prone to issues down the road. NEVER use more than a 1/16" of body filler as per the manufacture's specs.

What if the tailgate is 5-10mm lower ,will you build a V!?

So the said tailgate will never be opened and closed ?

Skinning cat's whatever works for you as long as it's got longevity , two pack epoxy highbuild primers, have come a long way,but there's not substitute for nice metal work , thanks for the tips

Nice video that's exactly how I do it👍👍🍒

$50 on the table that when you close that tailgate that Bondo will pop right off and crack eventually over time on the top of that tailgate that you build up

Says it all, show car builder, most of those cars dont run, smoke n morrors

I work for a high-end auto restoration company, mostly doing packards, but also muscle cars. While body filler will always be used at various levels, when you have situations like the bedside tailgate issue, we would never let that much filler be at a corner point. One bump and filler can break off. Time for metal work. Also, 2-day drying time on epoxy should be sufficient. I also would fill the entire bottom of the tailgate, then cheese graded the filler for the first coat. Although we have sanding blocks as long as 4 ft. Note that the resion e coat is removed many times. Rust is left on parts before coating.

Excellent video. Thanks for sharing. Getting ready to paint my 1996 Landcruiser.

Americans love the bondo

Just found ya. Come find me.

A Master at work😅 !!!!!!!!

The top of the tailgate was a perfect candidate for lead

I was all on board until he started building height on the tailgate with filler, that was excessive, needed a combo of adjusting the tailgate and bumping metal around

Does the body filler your using say apply to bare metal or on to paint

this gives true high end car building shops a bad wrap... i give it to them for using epoxy.. and making sure they do not break threw the epoxy .... but you never ... ever finish your body work in 80... and use your " high build" primer as a band aid... primer shrinks ... you will see those 80 grit sand marks... your body work should always be finished in atleast 180.. if not 220... you should be using a powder guide coat between your grit changes from 80 to 180 to insure you get your 80 grit sand marks out... but it said these guys build sema cars... fast... low quality .. most those cars dont get finished before they get to sema... they cant run inside so they rush them to get there and they only need to look good in pictures.... i guess this video shows that even "show car builders" are not doing it right 🤷

Thanks for helping DD speed shop!!! Keep helping the little guy, love your costumer service

Very nice video,clean, to the point with great info. 👍😎

Not all Epoxy Primers sand so easily I'm wondering if that's VP-2050...

Scotch bright for filler? I guess show cars never get used so it doesn't need to be durable.

very helpful... thank you!

Thanks for the tips, whatever kind of car your doing it's still good info. I just did a car and all the panels came out straight, but after assembly the panels do not fit perfectly, just like the factory and that's what we were going for. A good paint job with a factory fit.

220 grit and then fill lol? The true professionals are few and far between.

Take the tailgate off really

I always wondered why show cars looked a bit off to me. Now I know it is because some guy bondo'd the crap out out of it.