Straight Bodywork

Well I'm taking Campin'fool's advice and asking questions on bodywork.

My project is a straight line from the front of the driver's door to the tailights which is about 10'.

I've been longboarding it with a 30" board and 40# to get it flat and straight but I think my arms will fall off before the sides are straight.

Are thee any tricks to getting it right and/or making it a bit easier?

Also my roof has ribs in it and they are pretty wavy. Same thing there what's the best way to get them straight and even?

A air-board would save a bit of elbow grease, but if your doing this by hand the only difference is time.
That said, once you get your filler in place, take a spray can of a dark color and fog some of that over your filler, this is known as a guide coat, it's purpose is to help you "read" the lines and the highs and lows. Where the paint stays its low. Where you hit metal your high. (well not you but the body work). If you do hit metal stop and tap that down, so you don't wear it thin, and continue down the panel. when you have your highs and lows figured out, sand your lows and re-fill, re-guide coat. Repeat this amazeingly entertaining prosess until as close to perfect as you want.
When you are ready for primer the process is basicly the same. Hope this helps. Good luck. Joel

P.S. when you get it where you are happy with it with the 180grt you will have some options depending on how nice you want it to be. Post pictures of what you have going if you can.

I have a few spots where metal is showing but you can't feel it.

I was planning on the shadow coat and seeing how flat it really is.

Here a couple of shots as it is now.





As you can see it's a long way down the side when it's supposedto be ded straight.

[Want to feel if a panel is straight?? Take a clean shop rag-lay flat=dont fold it- put your hand flat on it & slowly move it around on the panel. The rag will exaggerate ant low / high spots on the panel =you cant see!! try it= works!!

It's a lot of work. What color are you going with, or have you thought that fare ahead? You should be able to get it straight enough for any color you want.
In the first picture, that high spot in and above the body line is going to show up, and it looks (to me anyway) that the lower body line has an upward bow to it. What you may want to try on that bow, if that is the case, is spray a guide coat and sand on the top of the line to bring the center of the bow down, and below the line to the left and right of the bow to manipulate the line straight.
Sometime you can lay down a piece of tape to use as a guide, I've even gone so far as to snap chalk lines.

Twinpilot001 wrote:[Want to feel if a panel is straight?? Take a clean shop rag-lay flat=dont fold it- put your hand flat on it & slowly move it around on the panel. The rag will exaggerate ant low / high spots on the panel =you cant see!! try it= works!!

Thats true, good point Twin. Remember too, that there is no un-important step, the paint job is only as good as whats under it. You don't want a shiny bag of walnuts.

The sanding scratches show that you are sanding along the panel in a horizontal direction.
Try sanding in an X pattern, avoiding the corners and edges. Top left to bottom right, then top right to bottom left. This will help develop a flat panel.
Here's a video showing what I mean. There are a ton of others out there to learn from too!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_9MhXvC-rE8

Thnaks for the help, most appreciated.

I've been working the diagonals but went along the panel to get a couple of high spots.

The body creases are the real tough bit.

I'll be moving to 120# paper next week and will start on the guide coat then as well.