Automotive Body and Related Repairers

Repair and refinish automotive vehicle bodies and straighten vehicle frames.

Job Task

• Apply heat to plastic panels, using hot-air welding guns or immersion in hot water, and press the softened panels back into shape by hand.
• Review damage reports, prepare or review repair cost estimates, and plan work to be performed.
• Sand body areas to be painted and cover bumpers, windows, and trim with masking tape or paper to protect them from the paint.
• Adjust or align headlights, wheels, and brake systems.
• Clean work areas, using air hoses, in order to remove damaged material and discarded fiberglass strips used in repair procedures.
• Cut and tape plastic separating film to outside repair areas in order to avoid damaging surrounding surfaces during repair procedure, and remove tape and wash surfaces after repairs are complete.
• Cut openings in vehicle bodies for the installation of customized windows, using templates and power shears or chisels.
• Follow supervisors' instructions as to which parts to restore or replace and how much time the job should take.
• Measure and mark vinyl material and cut material to size for roof installation, using rules, straightedges, and hand shears.
• Mix polyester resins and hardeners to be used in restoring damaged areas.
• Prime and paint repaired surfaces, using paint sprayguns and motorized sanders.
• Replace damaged glass on vehicles.
• Chain or clamp frames and sections to alignment machines that use hydraulic pressure to align damaged components.
• File, grind, sand and smooth filled or repaired surfaces, using power tools and hand tools.
• Fit and secure windows, vinyl roofs, and metal trim to vehicle bodies, using caulking guns, adhesive brushes, and mallets.
• Fit and weld replacement parts into place, using wrenches and welding equipment, and grind down welds to smooth them, using power grinders and other tools.
• Inspect repaired vehicles for dimensional accuracy and test drive them to ensure proper alignment and handling.
• Position dolly blocks against surfaces of dented areas and beat opposite surfaces to remove dents, using hammers.
• Read specifications or confer with customers in order to determine the desired custom modifications for altering the appearance of vehicles.
• Remove damaged panels, and identify the family and properties of the plastic used on a vehicle.
• Remove damaged sections of vehicles using metal-cutting guns, air grinders and wrenches, and install replacement parts using wrenches or welding equipment.
• Remove small pits and dimples in body metal using pick hammers and punches.
• Remove upholstery, accessories, electrical window-and-seat-operating equipment, and trim in order to gain access to vehicle bodies and fenders.
• Fill small dents that cannot be worked out with plastic or solder.
• Soak fiberglass matting in resin mixtures, and apply layers of matting over repair areas to specified thicknesses.

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