Auto body repair & detailing/cracked front end

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Expert: Cameron Orsich - 11/6/2006


Question
hey cameron, i have a 2005 slk 350 benz and i the other day i was pulling out of a parking lot and the front bumber "skirt" caught the curb and put (2) 3" cuts in it...one to the left of my front plate and one to the right.... i've seen guys putty and paint, but is this easy and will it make my car look cheap?...thanks for any advice i can get on the matter. -chris  

Answer
Your right...aside from looking like an obvious repair, bondo affords no strength.

The proper way to make that repair is the dreaded fiberglass cloth and resin method...I'm talking about a strip as wide as the valance and as long as the width of the car...in other words, don't attempt to make a two spot repairs, as for the amount of fiberglass and resin you'll, it will be noticeable if you attempt to feather each.  Rather, I suggest a coverage which is one continuous stretch, spanning beyond the damaged areas.  I would just to one continues straight stretch, stopping the repair upon the valance in a manner that is symmetric to either side.

Alternatively, you could go beyond each repair about ten inches farther out than the damaged area, but I prefer the former...going ahead and putting strip or two of cloth over a long run; then making my feather coming up.

Auto body repair & detailing

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Cameron Orsich

Expertise

NOTE: MY EXPERTISE IS AUTO BODY...PLEASE limit your questions to the subject of GENERAL AUTO BODY PANEL QUESTIONS...you know: OlD Fashioned, Do It Yourself, By Hand, Back Yard, Under Shop Lights at 3:00 AM AUTO BODY QUESTIONS. I can answer auto body questions for any make, model, or year regarding replacing valances, door skins, fenders, etc... I can also answer questions on how to grind, weld, fiberglass, fill, paste and spray top coat, feather, mask, prime, paint (enamel, lacquer, base-coat/clear-coat), touch-up, melt-in, wet sand, wool polish, sponge polish, finesse, and much, much, more...to much to list here. I love air tools, but if you don't have any...no problem...as I can answer all your questions on how to achieve superb results doing it yourself...the old fashioned way...by hand. If you want a shop answer, go to a shop and pay someone to do it for you. If you want to take pride in doing it yourself, just ask someone who's been there and done that--me, Big CO. I'm available to answer general Auto Body questions for those whom want to do it themselves. Please...no collision, basket case, or train wreck questions. If you have something special that you want to fix, paint, or restore yourself; but don't know how, you've come to the right place...ask me...Big CO, the neighborhood know it all with the shop lights on all night

Experience

Having put myself and my brother through college in the late 80's and early 90's buying and selling over 250 cars. I restored my first car, a '72 350 Chevelle Malibu 4 barrel, in 1978 at just 16 years old. From there, I never looked back...usually restoring classics or sport cars: 340 Cuda's, 396 SS Chevelle's, Novas, Dusters, late 60's Mustang Convertibles, GTO Judges, 455 Buick Grand Sports, about a dozen 280ZX's ('79-'83)--the most recent, in July of '06, I sold a '83 280ZX on cars.com to a gentleman that flew in from Colorado to my state of Ohio just to purchase it from me. As for experience: Have replaced valances, door skins, fenders. Have grounded, welded, fiberglassed, filled, pasted and sprayed top coat, feathered, masked, primed, painted (enamel, lacquer, base-coat/clear-coat), touched-up, melted-in, wet sanded, wool polished, sponge polished, finessed, and much, much, more...to much to list here.

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