1950 Chevy Truck (Ep 37) Metal Reinforced Body Filler How To

Today we will be filling some heavily pitted areas of the cab with Metal Reinforced Body Filler. The pits have been sand blasted and are ready for filling but instead of using light weight body filler we will be using Metal Reinforced filler. If you have never used it before I will show you some tips and tricks to make it much easier and let you know what to expect.

[@gimmefuel7268]

Excellent video Mark!! 😁👍🏻👍🏻

[@FoothillPaintandFabrication]

Thank you, I really appreciate that.

[@lazyhoundracing9621]

Thanks for the product information and application and thank you for your time.

[@chandiaz7694]

Great! We have the same mirror mounting area problem, but our would be to deep to repair with that product. The problem is all of the 48-54 trucks have the same issue because there’s a big gap between the outer skin and the internal support. So I’ve gone ahead and cut the depressed area out and are installing a filler skin between the support and the outer skin. Outer skin welded. Wish our damage was like you experienced.

[@FoothillPaintandFabrication]

That poor mirror is a handy grab handle and gets abused a lot. Yes the inner brace is way to far from the skin but luckily I was able to pull them both up together. Sometimes you have to get in deeper like you did. This truck was well cared for all its life. Keep up the good work! Mark

[@keithsclassicgarage1133]

I have been using Duraglass for the same type of rust holes.

[@FoothillPaintandFabrication]

Used a lot on Corvette repairs but never on steel body cars. I like the way the metal reinforced filler spreads down into all the pits really well.

[@danmccauley9615]

I haven't removed the glass in my 54 yet but I'm sure it's far worse than this. She's so bad that she'll have to be part rat. I'll probably use the Metal Reinforced Body Filler just to seal the pitting to help prevent leaking. Keep the vids coming. Tanx!

[@FoothillPaintandFabrication]

This truck was garaged most of its life and it still has rust so I can imagine 70+ year old trucks that have lived outside all their lives can be a huge challenge. Just keep at it one bite at a time and you will see progress.

[@hotratz69]

I have used a product called Belzona that is not really a body filler but a metal repair product. It also is very hard when it sets up and very hard to sand. It can actually be machined and I've repaired sealing surfaces on shafts with it. The problem is , it is pretty damn expensive stuff. I'll look into this stuff, I can see lots of uses for it if it's not to expensive.

[@FoothillPaintandFabrication]

It is pretty reasonable in price. It doesn't become brittle so slight expansion and contracting of the steel will not cause a failure. Mark

[@johnnymack8442]

I tried this type of filler once to repair some door bottoms.it worked great. But it sanded like cement.

[@FoothillPaintandFabrication]

Yes it does! I like to rough it down and then use lightweight body filler over it to fine tune it. If there is no flex in the panel this stuff is pretty rigid and tough.

[@fjbowen3155]

Thanks for making all these videos! What's your opinion on using fiberglass (in a can similar to your metal 2 metal) for doing this same repair, especially if that's what you have on hand.

[@FoothillPaintandFabrication]

If you are referring to polyester resin that is used to lay up fiberglass cloth I would advise against it. The resin by itself is very weak and brittle but when used as a binder with other materials it forms strong bonds. Getting it to stay in the pits would be difficult as well since it is pretty runny. There are additives you can mix in though like milled glass fibers or kevlar pulp. In a pinch you could take some fiberglass cloth and a pair of scissors and cut up a bunch of tiny bits and add that to the resin, mix it in well to thicken and then catalyze it and apply.

[@fjbowen3155]

No, not poly resin, but stranded fiberglass in can, you mix up like bondo, but thinking about it, it would probably be to thick for the rust pits. Thanks for replying to my question, and thanks for your videos.

[@FoothillPaintandFabrication]

@@fjbowen3155 I have used what you are talking about on a Corvette repair. The strands in the can did seem a little long. I think you are right it might be tough to get them down into the bottom of the pits. You could try and really push the material down and then when it hardens run a sander over the top and see if there are any voids.

[@LynchAutoHouse]

Short strand glass fillers are superior to metal reinforced fillers. Evercoats Evenglass and Glass-Lite for both great choices. FiberTech is even better. We’ve performed ASTM destructive test methods to get accurate results. Follow my account, I have a video on this coming soon.

[@fjbowen3155]

Thanks for info and for replying.

[@scarescars6889]

Please can you include in the description a store we can purchase the materials and hand tool, I like that your hand machine is very handy

[@FoothillPaintandFabrication]

The Evercoat Metal to Metal can be purchased at your local automotive paint store and if not Amazon carries it. The air angle grinder is from Harbor Freight. I get my sanding discs and holders from Amazon as well, just search for Roloc and tons will come up.

[@mikep1123]

Do you need to seal the back side with epoxy primer?

[@FoothillPaintandFabrication]

If you can get to it yes by all means sealing the back side would be a great idea. I would use a rust converter unless the vehicle has been dipped and you know it is rust free on the back side of if you can remove all the rust before sealing. Mark

[@UrodThaMixinMeskin]

Does it have to be applied over bare metal or could I wipe over scuffed epoxy?

[@FoothillPaintandFabrication]

I am not positive but I would think it would be okay. The base resins are the same as lightweight body filler as far as I know and it is okay to use over epoxy primer. Pretty sure the fillers are the difference with powdered aluminum in it giving it more strength. I would use a pretty good grit to scuff though.

[@adimart2214]

would you recommend this stuff and wire for some quarter sized holes in my rusted classic car floor pan? im on a budget and cant replace and weld the damaged sheet metal in the floor pan.

[@FoothillPaintandFabrication]

Are you thinking wire mesh to bridge the hole and this product to glue it down and cover the hole? If so it would work but fiberglass resin and fiberglass cloth might be better. If you try the fiberglass resin and cloth use wax paper on a small piece of wood so the resin doesn't stick, prop it up under the car and work from the top. Either way clean the area with a wire brush and sand so it will stick. Mark

[@adimart2214]

@@FoothillPaintandFabrication yeah I was thinking wire mesh and either this stuff or the all metal filler from USC, I was seeing someone in the Amazon review for the USC all-metal filler made it work instead of needing to dish out 1500 dollars to weld a new floor pan in the rotted area and it looks nice, considering as well that the hole or holes on his looked like they were alot bigger than mine and it somehow worked. I appreciate the idea on the fiberglass I will look into trying that, do you think it's better because fiberglass resin is easier to sand and work with? or is there a structural advantage to it?

[@FoothillPaintandFabrication]

Fiberglass cloth is pretty easy to work with and you can layer it up to about 3 layers for more strength. The resin is thinner and is easy to brush on just keep the resin sparse, just enough to wet the cloth. Most fillers even metal reinforced fillers are not structurally strong and can crack and break with enough pressure. Here is a kit on Amazon a.co/d/4lLdZx9 for 20 bucks. @@adimart2214

[@adimart2214]

@@FoothillPaintandFabrication I appreciate your tips very much, you've given me a whole new level of confidence and inspiration with my 55 Chevy belair project car. And if you believe the fiberglass would work better then I will use that! Thanks!

[@FoothillPaintandFabrication]

You are very welcome and let me know if you have any other questions. Ideally welding in a patch is best but for 20 bucks fiberglass will work just fine. @@adimart2214

[@57kJoeDGaming]

How long did you use the heat gun for? And how long until you began to sand?

[@FoothillPaintandFabrication]

Hey Joe. I use the heat gun until I build a fair amount of heat into the panel. You want it warm but not hot. Since the material is exothermic the heat speeds up the set up time. You can start sanding as soon as you can run your finger nail over it and not leave a mark. It isn't required to heat unless it is cold outside, in time it will go off and set but heat ensures it sets up well. Mark

[@hobbyautobodyfun9315]

😎☝️ got it

[@Gesu_925]

What grit sanding disk are you using

[@FoothillPaintandFabrication]

I used 80 grit to remove the paint and rough down the metal reinforced filler. Mark

[@Gesu_925]

@@FoothillPaintandFabrication right on thanks. I'm thinking of using this on my window like you did on my 68 caprice. Id like to cut it out and replace the metal at some point but that's more into the future I think this will be fine for a few years.

[@FoothillPaintandFabrication]

@@Gesu_925 If you can sand blast the area to get all the pits cleaned out it should last a long time. Once you are done filling if you can access the underside apply some rust converter to stop any rust underneath as well. Send me some pics of your project and I will showcase them at the end of a video. [e-mail]

[@Gesu_925]

@@FoothillPaintandFabrication right on will do.!

[@Gesu_925]

​@@FoothillPaintandFabrication finally getting to this. The car was sitting for 14 years so there's been plenty of other thins I've had to do that were more pressing. I came here to refresh my self on using this and I seen I already asked you for some information 😂 I'll keep you posted!

[@JohnDoe-ud2cc]

There is no real benefits to metal to metal, but I have “heard” that it can be powder coated over though.

[@FoothillPaintandFabrication]

I have been using it for years and it is superior to lightweight body filler when reconstructing missing metal as it more closely matches the hardness and expansion/contraction of the base metal. It is a polyester base resin so depending on what type of powder you are using and what temps it needs to flow out it might work to fill before powder coating. I have never tried it though.

[@drblast]

why did you not cut that rotted area, and why not media blast the entire vehicle before making these types of repairs? without blasting, you are not exposing all the damaged areas.

[@FoothillPaintandFabrication]

Because someone has to pay for all that work. Media blasting adds 3X to the cost and time and that wasn't this job. With unlimited funds and time yes it is the best way to go but for this owner it wasn't.

[@drblast]

@@FoothillPaintandFabrication that owner will regret it later and then blame you for cutting corners and all that work you’re doing will be undone when any decent media blaster is hired to do that truck.

[@FoothillPaintandFabrication]

@@drblast The owner was well aware and understood what could be done on his budget and approved of everything. It is a 72 year old truck with very little rust so I only had to do 4 patch panels and the back of the bed had to be replaced. It has been very well cared for all its life so neither of us is worried one little bit but thank you for your concern. Mark

[@drblast]

@@FoothillPaintandFabrication only interested in educating the general public re my lane as it overlaps what you do, and sadly many shops cut doing the blasting, or, hire the wrong one for the right price.

[@johnknowing-zr8de]

NEVER use sand for sandblasting Silica issue, cancer. We use BLACK BEAUTY Abrasive Blast Media Fine Abrasive 20/40 Mesh Size for use in Sandblast Cabinet or gun. Its slag, totally inert we use thousands of pounds on construction jobsite its easy to find not reel expensive. We used this product on our old dump' trucks Works for years!!!

[@FoothillPaintandFabrication]

Thanks, I will remember that.

[@hobbyautobodyfun9315]

🤔

[@FoothillPaintandFabrication]

Let me know if you have any questions, I will help all I can. Mark