Project '68 Sportvan Custom

[RAY68108]

Bought and picked up Feb '18 from Colorado Springs, Co

[BILLS66]

Wow looks nice ! Have much rust ? Bill

[RAY68108]

legit 90 percent rust free, small spot in front of right rear tire but, dings and dents that didn't show up well in the previous owners sales pics. The price was reasonable and I drove all the way out there, so I wasn't coming back empty handed. Im trying my hand at body work.

[RAY68108]

dings and dents

start with this one?

[Russell]

The steel on these old Vans is a lot thicker than newer cars, it doesn't pull out very easy and most of the places that need to work you can't get behind. Gotta start somewhere. It's all better when you get it covered up.

[RAY68108]

nose dent

before and progress

[RAY68108]

right rear corner

before and progress

[108VanGuy]

Wow

Not being a body guy, I was wondering. Do you apply any heat when pulling that out?
108VanGuy...

[van-itti]

Good question Mark,
I have a door that "oil cans" if I push it out it will stay until I push it in...BOING!!

Would heat help or just fill it?

[RAY68108]

Im not a body guy either, diving into this level for the first time...yes, I am using heat, a handheld propane torch. And yes that nose dent wants to pop back. Im thinking I have to increase the perimeter to get it to stay out. An interesting side note, I have a cargo door with a lower dent, covered with bondo. As I heated the bondo to make it easier to remove, the dent popped out and stayed out. I let it cool down, then scraped the bondo off. Ray

[RAY68108]

Im not heating it much, not red or glowing, but, too hot to touch bare handed.

[Chevboner]

Color

Looks as if you have the same factory color as my van's

[RAY68108]

Had a stripping party this morning

hours o fun

[RAY68108]

stud welder

I bought the Harbor Freight stud welder. Its an OK tool, Its worked fine, done what its supposed to do, no problem. The slide hammer that comes with it... not so much. It now resides in my 3rd string tool box. I bought the Eastwood slide hammer, quality replacement piece. While I was there I bought a box of the larger welding studs, turns out, they are much easier to use than the HF studs. not much grinding required to remove the studs. I am fortunate that there is an Eastwood store about 8 miles from my home, so, needless to say, Im in there often. Eastwood does have a stud welder kit, The welder, slidehammer, and studs. More expensive than the HF kit but it comes with the better hammer. JMTC, Ray

[SAVAGE]

Th small puller(look's like a pop revert) does a good job om small area's
You use stripping pad's ,or wire wheel to strip.