Hey guys I just bought a 93 xj and there's a few simple things needed to be done, like rust removal and all but there's one thing Im not sure on. I've never really done body work and was wondering how I can clean up the previous owners bondo fail and make the body clean again. Here's some pics of the disaster

 

WOW!
That is a bad bondo job. The best and easiest way to get rid of it is just get a sanding wheel and sand it all down.

 

+1 or a dremel(sp?)

 

a wire wheel might make quick work of that...

 

oh my word! that's awful. you can take down some of the thick points with 80 grit
then finish it of with a DA sander in the accesible spots
the rest will have to be done by hand slowly knocking it down with finer and finer grit

wow that first pic is just gnarly. did he even remove the rust before trying to cover it?
options for rust: remove it down to the bare metal, bondo, prime, then prep and repaint the entire panel that was affected
2 would be clean it with wax and grease remover and cover it in por15

 

If the body repair looks that bad, one has to wonder about the vehicle as a whole.

 

Get or borrow a 4 1/2" grinder and use a 36 grit sanding disc on it. You want to get all that crap out down to bare metal and past the rust. Cheap bondo filler has talc, it sucks up moisture and traps it against the bare metal. The 36 grit will give the metal some tooth for the new filler to hold onto. 80 grit is for leveling and smoothing the new filler, until you finish it with a finer grit using a fast build primer as guide coats and filling in scratch marks. Mixing bondo using the right palette to avoid absorbing the hardner, the right mixing technique to avoid air bubbles, the right ratio of hardner to avoid setting up too fast or taking days to cure takes practice to do the job right. You will need to put on a seal coat over the bondo/primer to prevent the paint soaking into the bondo and looking dull. Red is also one of the hardest paints to color match cause it fades pretty quick. Find a freind with body experience or talk to the guys at an autobody supply shop, not A/Z, etc.

 

haha yeah! OP, post some pics of the whole thing!

 

If your planning on painting the entire vehicle, i'd try this.





Used this on a 66 stang we were restoring. Took off 3-4 coats of paint easily and reallly softened the bondo to a 'pick it off with your fingernail' level. Works great to bring it down to bare metal, but will not remove the bondo like it will the paint (paint falls off like goop) You will still have to sand it off. I do not recommend this if you dont plan on repainting the entire vehicle.

 

Since a few people asked for pics








The jeep is actually in good shape other then the bondo, and the rusted floors.
I tried the wire wheel and the stuff is literally as hard as concrete. I'm thinking of just using a grinding blade on it since its that tough. Anyone else try that?
I'm going to paint the entire jeep right after

 

that looks pretty good man. what are your plans after the paint?

 

I don't really know yet. Already have a built up WJ and cj right now so I guess this is a restore project for a daily driver. Ill prob get bored of the others and add a lift to this. And then everything will get added after that hah

 

its a disease. you can't fight it forever!

 

I know it is! I love the get up and go that the awd WJ has and the cj..with a 360
But I wanna build the Cherokee like a real trail rig but with comfort on the road. So maybe a 4 inch lift and 31-32s tops. I do have to get rid of the idiot lights gauges, headliner and get a full center console but that's it

 

Double post* before and after coming