innerware Posted September 29, 2005 Share Posted September 29, 2005 Hey all. I have read posts where people ask is this too much rust. Well this is similar but with bondo. What is too much bondo? My 77 280 that I started on not to long ago I am prepping the body. Apon sanding to the metal at all the holes (getting ready to fill trim holes and the like) I have noticed that the PO must have had body work done. There is like 1/8 inch thickness of bondo on the drivers door right near the horizantal line/crease. Also I noticed the rear passenger tail light surround at the far right leading edge is pretty much all bondo 1/8inch thick at least. There is considerable bondo in other places too. The passenger rocker area too. I guess this is why the car looked so straight and clean. Where I have ground it down to metal there is no rust though only clean metal and the car lookes ok where it was done. Who ever did it did well. I will take some pictures later today and post them. But what are some horror stories and what have you all put up with? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
preith Posted September 29, 2005 Share Posted September 29, 2005 I always thought that 1/8" thickness was pretty much the limit. Anything more and you'll risk it cracking, etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dragonfly Posted September 29, 2005 Share Posted September 29, 2005 Sounds to me like you have about the right amount. The reason I say that is because you said the car looked very straight and you also said that you have not found anything thicker than 1/8". As a rule of thumb bondo should not be applied any thicker than 1/8", if you are filling an area that requires more than 1/8" thickness you should do it in layers. But from what it sounds like on your car is that someone actualy took the time to pound out the metal to the point that they never needed more than 1/8" of bondo... that is a good thing. It is better if the metal is worked to the point that bondo is not needed at all but the reality is that most people do not have the time/knowledge or the money for someone who does. Be careful grinding out all the bondo you find or you will have to either work the metal of refill the bondo. Dragonfly Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
innerware Posted September 29, 2005 Author Share Posted September 29, 2005 thanks guys. I was hoping it was thin enough and I wasn't too screwed. Apon retrospect seeing the car again today I don't think that it is too bad afterall. I was just suprised is all. I was really hoping that for a car with 140K miles on it and one that sat for 7 years untouched it would have been more stock and less reworked. But since it is straight and all the panel lines are crisp I guess I am lucky enough. I will stop taking bondo away as I have yet to find rust under it and will assume the rest is clean underneath and the work was done well. Thanks guys Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ZR8ED Posted September 29, 2005 Share Posted September 29, 2005 A friend of mine and myself were doing a resto on his 240. It was in a previous life, a show only car that had seen way too many years of neglect. So we started to strip it down. (paint looked pretty good.) So we pull off the hood, and the two of us could barly lift it off!!! It had 3" of bondo to make this wicked looking power bulge. The 3-4" flares were solid bondo. The rear bumper styling was solid bondo! There must have been 500-700 pounds of bondo! No wonder the suspension was near flattened out!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
b__sosick Posted September 29, 2005 Share Posted September 29, 2005 that's just blasphemous. why would you do that to a poor unsuspecting z? :[ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SHO-Z Posted September 29, 2005 Share Posted September 29, 2005 There are too many flexible body fillers out there, "ANY BONDO IS TOO MUCH". I would not use any BONDO anymore since I found out about the new flexible body fillers. Also I have found filling small holes like trim holes to solder them up with 50 50 solder if you do not have a MIG welder. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dr_hunt Posted September 29, 2005 Share Posted September 29, 2005 Bondo, has to stick to work, so the surface has to be super clean and rough, and if it's too thick it doesn't cure and solidify properly, which results in cracks, either cause it didn't cure or it didn't stick. Really it was never intended to be applied very thick and was explained to me by a really good bodyman Jim Stagnetti. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gb20 Posted October 2, 2005 Share Posted October 2, 2005 When I started sanding my 280 the body looked real nice. The passenger rear was good to the metal, then the suprise at the door. The sander grabbed and went in deep. There was at least 2" of bondo covering a nasty dent. I still don't know if I want to try and pound out the dent or look for a better door. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chewievette Posted October 2, 2005 Share Posted October 2, 2005 My 280zx although seriously rusted and mostly beyond repair had some serious bondo work done to it. On the hatch there is a piece about 8" in diameter and 1/4" thick that Flaked off! looks like it didn't stick to the metal at all. Its going to take all kinds of work if I want to get this car on the road, that is IF I want to put it on the road. It has no title so it might get the race car treatment, but if I can find a car with a better body I'll just start there. Good luck with your bondo! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stony Posted October 3, 2005 Share Posted October 3, 2005 here is mine after i started plucking then chiseling away at the bondo on my left 1/4. i later replaced the 1/4. The pictures explain why I was kinda pissed to find this to say the least. Im pretty sure the previous owner knew about it but didnt say anything about it. Anyways its all gone now Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J__ Posted October 4, 2005 Share Posted October 4, 2005 ^^^ holly crap... thats a bit too big of a hole to fill with bondo... it was all bondo'ed to look flush from THAT? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stony Posted October 5, 2005 Share Posted October 5, 2005 Yes... the car looks like it was rearended at one time. it was pulled out but instead of replacing the 1/4 the pounded it in and formed the 1/4 with BONDO!!!!! i was like WTF. I felt so stupid that i didnt catch it when i was looking at the car before i bought it. At any rate its all gone now so >>>> Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Mobius Posted October 6, 2005 Share Posted October 6, 2005 There are too many flexible body fillers out there, "ANY BONDO IS TOO MUCH". I would not use any BONDO anymore since I found out about the new flexible body fillers. BONDO is simply a brand name. They now make flexible fillers, just like many other companies. BONDO really has become a term synonymous with the type of product, like Kleenex, instead of facial tissue. Personally, as a professional in the autobody buisness, I prefer Evercoat products. Every shop I have worked for uses them. They adhere well and sand nicely. They feather well and don't clog the sandpaper too much. For most metal work, we use the Rage or Rage Gold. For smaller stuff, to fill pinholes, or where flexibility is important, they make a great polyester filler called Metal Glaze. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Icehound Posted February 18, 2010 Share Posted February 18, 2010 (edited) Stony takes the trophy, but here's what I inherited... Edited February 18, 2010 by animationchambers Add photo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MAG58 Posted February 18, 2010 Share Posted February 18, 2010 ^^ And this is why I never look at a car without a magnet in hand. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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