Body Panels

What are the sheet metal parts and where are they located? 

Most of your car’s body is made of sheet metal.  Stamped sheet metal is sturdy, but still pliable enough for engineers to work with.  The sheet metal body works to give your car its structural integrity and its unique, eye-fetching looks.  Sheet metal does have one major weakness, though: it’s susceptible to rust.  Many of your sheet metal parts can be replaced with new pieces, whether they’re fender panels, trunk floor panels, battery trays, or even metal trim pieces. 

How do I know if my ­­­­ sheet metal parts need to be replaced?    

As mentioned above, your car’s sheet metal body can be eaten away by rust.  This weakens the panels and turns your once-beautiful car into an eyesore.  Rusted trunk panels can eventually rot out and make your trunk much less effective at holding your stuff.  If you are tired of looking at rust, or it’s starting to cause you serious problems, you might be able to replace your old rusted body panels with all new ones.  These are made of stamped steel, just like the ones made available to body shops. 

Can I replace the sheet metal parts myself?  

The difficulty of replacing a sheet metal part depends on what part it is and what vehicle it’s for.  In some cases, like with body trim pieces, you might be able to install the new part with rivets or adhesive.  Most of the time, though, you will have to weld on the new part.  If you are an experienced welder, then this won’t be a problem.  Otherwise, you should probably leave body repair to the professionals. If you do decide to weld on a new sheet metal panel yourself, you’ll have to cut out the old part with an angle grinder and clean the area of any remaining rust before you begin.