What cars have aluminum bodies?

[Shaun @ Tru6]

I need to know of a few makes that use aluminum bodies so I can find certified body technicians who know how to repair damaged aluminum.

[Eric 951]

Ford Super Duty

[944 S2]

1st gen NSX, 1st gen Honda insight.

[Ayles]

Quite a few Audis.

[Zeke]

I'll bet today's AL alloys are not yesterday's alloys that Pininfarina used. R and R has to be the preferred method of body repair. Anyone familiar with Tin Man Tech (https://www.tinmantech.com/) knows actual repair. Here is their link page: https://www.tinmantech.com/about/sources.php

[Shaun @ Tru6]

Thanks, I think Audi is my best bet. I have some '63 and '67 American car moldings, grilles, nacelles, etc. that have some dents that need to come out in the restoration and anodizing process. They are small but more than a little shaping and sanding will take care of.

Milt, thanks for the link, I'll see what have for tutorials.

[matthewb0051]

Older Land Rovers

[wilnj]

As a start, I would stop by your local airfield on a busy day.

[sc_rufctr]

This is probably not helpful but the current Rolls-Royce cars have aluminum bodies.

[TimT]

Some Porsches, my Cayman (2007) has an aluminum hood, I'm sure new models across the range use more aluminum.

[wilnj]

Refers to aluminum repair on site.

https://www.allstoncollisioncenter.com/service/aluminum-auto-body-repair/

Lists many of the manufacturers that use aluminum in their skins as well a certification in composite repair which would lead me to believe they're focused on evolving technologies.

https://asicollision.com/luxury-auto-collision-repair/

[Tobra]

Miata has an aluminum hood since they came out. GM trucks have Al beds on them, I think

[monoflo]

Wrangler JL --hoods and doors

[jcwade]

All modern Jaguars have aluminium bodies.

[nzporsche944s2]

Audi A8, Audi R8

[Zeke]

The moldings you have will be a thicker gauge malleable AL alloy. Modern AL bodied cars or exterior components are thin and AL has no memory like steel. Using a hammer and dolly on AL is not recommended unless it is of sufficient gauge and can be heated to anneal it while working it.

Actually the smaller more shaped pieces can be more easily repaired than a large door or hood skin. The way you've straightened out the air cooled deck lid grilles tells me you can do this. There is a lot of YT info on annealing with a carburizing flame using your air/fuel torch.

You can do a lot with wallpaper and window screen rollers. Wood blocks, etc. A metal shop just about needs a wood shop to make bucks, forms and the like.

[Shaun @ Tru6]

Originally Posted by Zeke

The moldings you have will be a thicker gauge malleable AL alloy. Modern AL bodied cars or exterior components are thin and AL has no memory like steel. Using a hammer and dolly on AL is not recommended unless it is of sufficient gauge and can be heated to anneal it while working it.

Actually the smaller more shaped pieces can be more easily repaired than a large door or hood skin. The way you've straightened out the air cooled deck lid grilles tells me you can do this. There is a lot of YT info on annealing with a carburizing flame using your air/fuel torch.

You can do a lot with wallpaper and window screen rollers. Wood blocks, etc. A metal shop just about needs a wood shop to make bucks, forms and the like.

Thanks Milt. The 68.5-73 decklid grille ribs are surprisingly easy to reform because:
1. You have an extremely controlled environment in the tooling
2. You can use a shocking amount of force

The combination of the two allows for perfect reforming. But carrying into SWB grilles up to early 68, that recipe can't be applied for a variety of reasons, namely they are solid and don't have continuous curve throughout the widths. So you have to create a modular jig to capture the ends and different lenghts of the inside, then most like heat and apply force, evenly, which is a major issue.

But for a 1964 F series grille, if any portion of the grille has been pressed in or twisted or hit lightly or gashed, because it's a truck, correcting those flaws is a serious job with an open environment. Same with the new stuff that has just come in. I would love to just give an aluminum body guy a dented piece and have it come back straight. I don't have the time nor the bandwidth to do it myself.

The gauge is very thin btw, same as early 911 quarter window deco strips.

[berettafan]

You may run in to more than a few shops that say you repair AL body damage by throwing out the old and installing new.

[Deschodt]

Alpine (def not helping)

[Gus Berges]

Have you considered looking at boat/yacht suppliers? Lots of aluminum used on tops/ladders/railing/etc....