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Auto body repair & detailing/Questions Answered by Expert Dave Norgardt
| Subject | Date Asked |
| instrument clusters | 5/20/2012 |
| Q: What is the difference between part number 10317701 & 10317704 on a 2001 Pontiac Montana cluster ... A: ...I did some checking, but could only find out that both part numbers are still available from GM, ... | |
| Paint repair | 5/8/2012 |
| Q: I have a 2007 Versa and moved to New York from Az about a year ago. I guess I haven't washed my car ... A: ....As I have been working at a Dealership for the past 20 years, there is a product that we use ... | |
| replacing bushings for door hinges - pathfinder | 5/3/2012 |
| Q: I have a 1992 Nissan Pathfinder and of course the door hinges sag down at this age of the vehicle on ... A: ...In regards to letting the door hang on one hinge while doing the other....2 reasons on why I ... | |
| replacing bushings for door hinges - pathfinder | 5/2/2012 |
| Q: I have a 1992 Nissan Pathfinder and of course the door hinges sag down at this age of the vehicle on ... A: ....In regards to taking the door off, you will definitly be required to do this....There will be ... | |
| paint | 4/14/2012 |
| Q: My car is usually exposed to sunlight in the mornings. With the exposure, what extent of damage ... A: ....The type of paint is dependent on the year, make, and model of the vehicle...You can check out ... | |
| passenger side window off track | 4/13/2012 |
| Q: The electric passenger window glass tilts "forward" when lifted by the scissor until the force is so ... A: ...I know this is a pain to do, but what I recommend, is to clean out the glass run completely...( ... | |
| how to find a cheap body shop | 4/12/2012 |
| Q: I own a 2002 SAAB 9-5 that I maintain myself, except body and paint. The book value is nil but the ... A: ...My name is Dave Norgardt...We had talked a couple of times before....I hope any advice I offered ... | |
| passenger side window off track | 4/12/2012 |
| Q: The electric passenger window glass tilts "forward" when lifted by the scissor until the force is so ... A: ...Generally in a lot of cases the cause for the glass to tilt forward, is that the front glass ... | |
| paint | 4/12/2012 |
| Q: My car is usually exposed to sunlight in the mornings. With the exposure, what extent of damage ... A: ....Depending on what type of paint is on your vehicle, whether it is a single stage paint, which is ... | |
| Rear fender removel on 1995 GMC dually | 4/10/2012 |
| Q: I've got a 1995 GMC ext cab dually. It's needs some TLC,I'm starting to get paint bubbling around ... A: ...Sorry it took me this long to get back to you..I am in the process of moving...I have only ... | |
| life expentancy of pain | 4/5/2012 |
| Q: I was renting a townhouse condo that sat empty for almost a year in florida. The home had many ... A: ....Unfortunatly this is not my area of expertise...I specialize in the ... | |
| Auto body Question | 4/3/2012 |
| Q: which type of vehicle construction uses a frame only in areas requiring extra support and a strong ... A: ....The answer to your question is a Semi-unitized or Platform Frame design....They use heavy duty " ... | |
| 2009 Mazda CX7 | 3/24/2012 |
| Q: A piece of trim from the roof of of my car blew off after going through a car wash. I want to ... A: ....Generally, trim items of this nature are usually a " Dealer " item only...I would suggest for ... | |
| bondo over lead | 3/15/2012 |
| Q: I have a trunk deck that has trim holes filled with lead 40 years ago &the job still looks good. ... A: ....There are a few different ways to go about repairing this...Once lead filler is applied, it is ... | |
| uneven paint | 3/14/2012 |
| Q: Dave, I just bought a 2009 Silver Audi TT used car and noticed, after 30 days, the rear bumper has ... A: .....If the LH drivers side of the bumper cover is lighter than the RH passenger side, as I am sure ... | |
| fender removal | 3/7/2012 |
| Q: How do you remove and replace front passenger fender on a 2000 cavalier? A: ...First of all, you will need to remove the RHS wheelhouse splash shield...Generally, it will be ... | |
| rear bumper cover | 3/6/2012 |
| Q: How do I remove the rear bumper cover from my son's 2001 Chevy Malibu? Thanks for your help A: ....First of all, open the trunk lid and partialy remove the interior trim panels on both right and ... | |
| Prep-work on plastic & metal for re-paint & cover up | 3/1/2012 |
| Q: 02 Montero xls(not sport) it's glacier pearl wht & sahara metallic Beige but was key along side ... A: ....You can start with the same grit on the plastic as well as the metal panels...180 grit is a good ... | |
| door hinge | 2/28/2012 |
| Q: i have a 99 dodge ram 1500 that has a sagging drivers door. I replaced the hinge pins and that ... A: .....Yes, they are adjustable at the hinge or " A " pillar....Both the upper and lower hinges are ... | |
| Lr3 light on the back | 2/7/2012 |
| Q: ! I have an LR3 2006 and the light on top of the back door fell off, I bought the new one and ... A: ....If your courtesy light does not have any screws holding it in, as you had mentioned, it will ... | |
| 1972 chevelle frame | 1/26/2012 |
| Q: I have a crack in the frame right behind where the front lower control arm bolts on, curious if this ... A: .....Any crack in a frame, becomes an automatic safety issue, as I am sure you are aware. Depending ... | |
| Hood hinge adjusting | 1/25/2012 |
| Q: I have a 1966 Oldsmobile Delta 88. About 7 years ago, the hood on its own became raised up in the ... A: ...From your description that the hood became raised up on it's own, makes me think that the springs ... | |
| replace rear end on toyota pickup | 1/20/2012 |
| Q: can i use a rear end of an 02 toyota prerunner(4x2) to replace the rear end on my 85 toyota sr5 ... A: .....This is a question that I cannot honestly answer without doing some research...Sorry....My ... | |
| 1999 Subaru Forester | 12/30/2011 |
| Q: I have a 1999 Subaru Forester. I just replaced the alternator and battery. Both brand new parts. The ... A: .....First of all, if you have replaced the alternator and battery with brand new parts, generally, ... | |
| new roof for 2007 Tahoe? | 12/27/2011 |
| Q: My Tahoe had a branch fall on it during high winds a week ago. Smashed the front windshield and put ... A: ....Yes, it is completely safe to install a factory roof, as long as the technician follows the ... | |
| 2000 Cavalier | 12/24/2011 |
| Q: Dave My duaghters friend backed into the front of her 2000 Cav. Damage is a scrape on the bumper and ... A: Your best bet, would be to take it to your local Autobody shop, and get an estimate. Most reputable ... | |
| paint | 11/19/2011 |
| Q: My son taped off a scratch he was trying to repair with regular blue paint tape and when I peeled ... A: ...Without seeing the vehicle, and from your description of what happened, in my opinion, it sounds ... | |
| Fender Removal | 11/17/2011 |
| Q: I have a 2001 Sentra SE and need to remove and replace replace the front left fender. I'm just ... A: ....Yes, you will have to partially remove the front bumper cover..Generally, there is 1 bolt, ... | |
| auto problems | 11/14/2011 |
| Q: have had issues with my car lately. The last couple of weeks my car has been revving while in idle. ... A: ....This is a problem, that I cannot properly diagnose without seeing the vehicle...I would need to ... | |
| Possible bent frame | 11/10/2011 |
| Q: Someone backed into me a few months ago, it was a hard hit to the driver's side front corner. The ... A: ....First of all, what I would do, is to take your vehicle straight back to the Toyota Dealership at ... | |
| 94 camry rh fender side lamp hole? | 11/8/2011 |
| Q: on the following item it says it does not have a hole for side lamp for the fender, is it going to ... A: ...From what I can tell, the signal/marker light is positioned on the very front of the fender...It ... | |
| Touch-up paint code | 11/4/2011 |
| Q: My question is again in regards to my 2002 PT Cruiser and my replacement door. The door has a few ... A: ....I just called one of our painters, at the Chrysler Dealership that I work at, and was told the ... | |
| Exterior Door Trim Adhesive | 11/3/2011 |
| Q: I have a 2002 PT Cruiser with a badly dented right rear door. I was fortunate enough to find a ... A: ...You are definitley on the right track....Glad to hear you were able to purchase a door in the ... | |
| repaint 1989 Ford Bronco | 10/14/2011 |
| Q: I have several questions, first I have a large rusted area on the top of my truck can I repair it ... A: ...In regards to priming the top of your truck after you have repaired it, the ultimate would be to ... | |
| roof repair/replacement | 10/13/2011 |
| Q: I am working on a 1979 Ford crew cab roof that has been severely damaged by the previous auto shop ... A: ...If you would like to repair this roof, first off, I would suggest removing the headliner...That ... | |
| Slight Repair ! | 10/7/2011 |
| Q: Greetings ! Hoping all is well. Recently I was in an auto accident and my vehicle was luckily ... A: ...What I suggest, is to go down to your local autobody/parts supply store, and pick up a grey ... | |
| Body measurement specificiations | 9/26/2011 |
| Q: I was wondering if you may be able to tell me where and if I could find some body measurements in ... A: ...You are in luck...I have worked at a Chrysler/Dodge dealership for the past 20 years, and have ... | |
| window- electonic-off track -Dodge | 9/17/2011 |
| Q: My B-3500 luxury model bus had clothes stuck in window: I yanked towards the car very hard over and ... A: From your description, it sounds like a few things have possibly happened. Either the lift channel, ... | |
| Round indentation | 9/5/2011 |
| Q: On the front quarter panel of my 1966 Oldsmobile Delta 88 there's a 6" diameter round indentation ... A: You can try this a few different ways. First, from the top side, the quickest and easiest way, would ... | |
| Center support damage | 8/30/2011 |
| Q: I am looking at purchasing a salvage vehicle that has had an impact to the side of the vehicle. The ... A: First of all, my advice is to see exactly how this vehicle is " Flagged "...Meaning, if the vehicle, ... | |
| Dents in Hood | 8/21/2011 |
| Q: I have 3 small dents in the hood of my Nissan Frontier from falling fruits from a tree near my ... A: Yes, dents of this size can be pulled out and repaired..( You will still have to do some bodywork as ... | |
| Re Painting a car | 8/15/2011 |
| Q: I have an 85 1/2 Porsche 944 and I want to do the body work my self ( I did body work back in high ... A: Depending on the condition of the top surface, ( Substrate ), unless it is showing rust, you do not ... | |
| Storage mechanism for Two Wheelers - Tyre/s - Bikes | 8/10/2011 |
| Q: Storage mechanism for Two Wheelers - Tyre/s - Bikes ... A: ....Most motorcycle manufacturers will include a basic tool kit with their bikes...It is usually ... | |
| Storage mechanism for Two Wheelers - Tyre/s - Bikes | 8/9/2011 |
| Q: Storage mechanism for Two Wheelers - Tyre/s - Bikes ... A: ....Thank you for your question...Unfortunaletly, I don't know how much help I can give ... | |
| Aerodynamic Improvments | 8/3/2011 |
| Q: Dave, I have an 03 VW Gti (MKIV) and wanted to improve the aerodynamics of the vehicle. I see a lot ... A: Not really my area of expertise, but this is what I can offer. Most of which you probably already ... | |
| Rebuilt 2008 Honda Civic | 7/26/2011 |
| Q: I am considering buying a rebuilt 2008 Honda Civic with 48,000km's (has factory warranty until ... A: With out actually seeing the car, this is what I can offer.....What I would do, is to see if you can ... | |
| Quarter Panel dent repair | 7/23/2011 |
| Q: Wife backed Yukon into cement pillar smashing in rear bumper and denting/buckling rear quarter ... A: Unfortunatly without actually seeing the total damage, I can't give you a 100% accurate assessment. ... | |
| what type of plastic of in a rear honda bumper | 7/18/2011 |
| Q: I'm going to plastic weld this or braze it, but not sure on what type of plastic , in a Honda 2005 ... A: There are 2 types of plastic used on pretty much every manufacturer's bumper covers today, and for ... | |
| Antenna removal | 7/16/2011 |
| Q: I know this may seem like a really stupid, foolish question, but I honestly don't know the answer. ... A: ! Please do not worry about asking more questions. As I said, do not hesitate to ask......As for the ... | |
| Antenna removal | 7/16/2011 |
| Q: I know this may seem like a really stupid, foolish question, but I honestly don't know the answer. ... A: If the antenna mast is tight, and not loosening very easily, you can apply a penetrating oil. You ... | |
Auto body repair & detailing
Answers by Expert:
Dave Norgardt
Top Expert on this page
Expertise
Absolutely anything autobody related... Frame repair, suspension, alignment, panel replacement, panel repair, fiberglass, plastic repair, paint, air bags, etc.....
Experience
Over 30 years in related areas. 25 years in HEAVY frame repair, suspension, and alignment procedures. As well as panel replacement and repairs, etc.....
Education/Credentials
Journeyman Autobody Technician with Red Seal certification from N.A.I.T. in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. Top Achiever award second year, also from N.A.I.T. Also have Gold status from I-Car Canada...Also have Journey Partsman Certificate, Lethbridge, Alberta...
Awards and Honors
Second Year Top Achiever from N.A.I.T.Edmonton
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