Where would a guy learn the basics of PROPER bodywork?

[Chrisw]

Over the past few years I've become more interested in restoring and actually improving the bodies on cars I have. I would love to do stuff like rust removal/fixes on projects and stuff. Anyone have any suggestions on where to learn that? I was considering something like a few night classes at SAIT... maybe a few welding classes, etc but I'm a bit concerned that I'll be shown the "smooth filler over everything" that you tend to get at a lot of shops. I'm more interested in the "classic car guy spends 100 hours in his garage" type repairs.

Anyone have any experience? Point me in the right direction?

FYI, I have tried YouTube and am not convinced I am learning anything useful...

Except this guy... where is the Calgary version of this guy?? https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=qUehclZVeIs

[TomcoPDR]

(disclaimer: I haven't inquired)

Look into http://www.motiveaction.com/ Motive Action. And I'm not there's an age limit ("up to" a certain age)

[Abeo]

http://autobodystore.com/forum/
https://www.autobody101.com/forums/

read read read read

[MalibuStacy]

High School Autobody Class?

[Chrisw]

So that MotiveAction place seems more like a "turn your life around" kind of place. I don't need a job. I have one. Haha.

As for highschool... not sure they will let me back at 34...

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http://autobodystore.com/forum/
https://www.autobody101.com/forums/

read read read read

This is actually great. I will. Thanks!

[never]

http://www.history.alberta.ca/reynol...workshops.aspx

[TomcoPDR]

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So that MotiveAction place seems more like a "turn your life around" kind of place. I don't need a job. I have one. Haha.

As for highschool... not sure they will let me back at 34...



This is actually great. I will. Thanks!

(disclaimer: not laughing at you)... just having a chuckle, I looked on the motive action site after posting, in more in depth details it's for 18-30yo (and I guess like you said for "down on ur luck" kinda thing) (didn't know till I read in), and we didn't know ur age at time of your posting neither.

Then you say ur 34 (just flashes to all the Beyond "I want to go back to school threads, I want a new career thread"). I'm just picturing you might be some O&G 6,7-figure $$$$$ dude, and here we are telling u to go back to some Lord Shaughnessy/Motive action to learn autobody.

[Abeo]

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So that MotiveAction place seems more like a "turn your life around" kind of place. I don't need a job. I have one. Haha.

As for highschool... not sure they will let me back at 34...



This is actually great. I will. Thanks!

No problem!

Also, once you have read a lot and become an internet expert, try to bridge the gap between what you think you know and actually knowing how to do something from years of experience. It's tempting to be a know-it-all from research, but hands-on experience (and learning from mistakes) is worth a whole lot too.

Speaking purely from my own experiences btw

[Mitsu3000gt]

Certainly not from 90% of the body shops in the city...

[zhao]

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Except this guy... where is the Calgary version of this guy?? https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=qUehclZVeIs

That would be Sait. What he did is nothing I haven't seen before in the shops i've worked at. What he did was also just a temp fix. it'll come back because the cancer is still there on the rusty panels he just cleaned up and welded too.

The problem with you being a backyard guy is to move metal takes experience, and you likely wont get experience to move it and shape it like an experienced bodyman being a backyard guy. Also, no shop I ever worked at filled dents... its actually more time consuming to do that imo, and its complete shit. You work your metal out to where it was, and then you skim it to fill the imperfections, then you multi stage sand that filler so there are no sand scratches.

You can also take Icar courses online for new procedures, theory, etc. I have a number of those under my belt which is good for learning what manufacturers allow/dont allow/what you may of thought you could do but can't, what you may of thought u cant do but can. They have a corrosion course that might interest you if you're planning on doing backyard restorations, because see, just welding that panel on....... well what does that do? its exposed metal on teh backside from the welds so its going to rot out instantly... There is also a reason a lot of stuff we do in a bodyshop involves cuts specifically where the manufacturer says for splicing a panel, and using a welders you dont have access to unless you want to drop 6 figures on equipment.

[MarSer88]

i think you can go youtube to learn as much as you can first

[TomcoPDR]

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You can also take Icar courses online for new procedures, theory, etc. I have a number of those under my belt

Yes exactly very true statement here. Icar certificates help legitimize anyone who is involved in automotive. Though of course just like any other industries one can can be extremely knowledgeable and inventive without any society's status quo paper proof; but for majority, getting that "piece of paper" at lease show ones sincerity to be within an industry. Like with all life hacks tho. These icar courses can get expensive ($$$ 3-figure per course), and if one looks hard enough, even tho open book self study, answers to each courses can be found.

In Paintless dent removal, the ones that care, even with years of hands on experience (trial and error, paying for mistakes, asking other techs); it helps us to stand out being recognize as "pro techs" with these icar course relating to our field (ie. polishing detailing, electrical system when removing items to gain access to fix dents, removing headliner relating to fix dents) versus just giving false impression to anyone asking "these dent guys don't know what theyre doing when touching your cars"

[never]

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http://www.history.alberta.ca/reynol...workshops.aspx

The workshops in the link I posted are coming up soon (early/mid-Feb). I haven’t taken them but several of the guys in our local car group have and they said they were awesome if you’re looking to learn/expand skills restoring classics.