Fwd: <VV> Body advice

[HallGrenn at aol.com]

In a message dated 6/19/05 7:27:28 PM Eastern Daylight Time, 
vairologist at juno.com writes:

> The process can shrink a hailstone type dent,
> and on a larger scale can shrink a big "belly" in a panel that has been
> stretched by working it to remove minor dents and wrinkles.  I have no
> pictures but it goes like this.

"Earnie" (that's how he spelled it) did this sort of work on several of my 
Corvairs and two that I referred to him.  He would demonstrate how he dealt with 
the upset metal and how he could work it back into shape.  He used lead on 
most of my repairs to show me how it was done.  He was respectful of the effort 
I put into keeping my daily drivers mechanically sound and I was respectful of 
his craft.  He allowed me to park my cars (one at a time) in a corner of the 
shop.  I would strip them out so he could work unimpeded, then he would do the 
body work, allow me to scrape, wire brush and treat the rust--then put on the 
coats of Rustoleum, and then he would take over for the final bare metal up 
paint job.  I could never afford the many thousands for a show job, but the 
paint jobs always looked much better than when GM built them.  I never paid more 
than $2,500 for a job,including body and rust repairs, pulling the front and 
back glass and repairing the frames).  Earnie also used Bondo, but very 
sparingly, and mostly for his insurance and regular jobs.

He died three years ago and I haven't found anyone else as good or cost 
effective since.

Bob Hall
Group Corvair