Craftsman Motor Vehicles Body Repair study plan
Craftsman Motor Vehicles Body Repair · Give each week a clear focus.
8 weeks · About 7 hours per week
Panel Removal, Replacement, and Alignment & Safety, Tools, and Shop Practice
Map every panel on a practice vehicle (or diagram set) and label attachment method, fastener type, and adjustment point for each.
Demonstrate and document a safe vehicle support sequence: lift points, jack stands, wheel chocks, and battery/airbag disconnect before panel work.
Practice removing and reinstalling one bolted front fender and one door, then record gap and flush measurements before and after.
Build a personal PPE and ventilation checklist covering isocyanate paints, welding fume, and dust-generating sanding, and post it at the work area.
Explain out loud the sequence for a bolt-on panel replacement from estimate review to final gap check, noting where a second person or lift is required.
Your checkpoint
A labeled panel-map sheet plus a before/after gap-and-flush measurement log for the fender and door you removed and reinstalled.
Panel Removal, Replacement, and Alignment & Metal Straightening, Shrinking, and Stretching
Diagnose panel misalignment causes (hinge wear, bent mounting point, frame shift) and write the decision rule you would use for each.
Practice door and hood adjustment on a salvage panel, hitting a target gap within 1 mm on at least three sides.
Straighten a dented steel panel using hammer-and-dolly technique, then judge when the metal is work-hardened and needs shrinking.
Demonstrate heat shrinking with a torch or stud gun on a stretched area and verify the panel returns to contour with a straightedge.
Compare a stud welder pull, a glue pull, and a conventional pull on a practice panel and record which damage type suits each.
Your checkpoint
A one-page alignment and metal-finishing decision chart you wrote yourself, backed by photos of three practice repairs with measured gap results.
Frame, Unibody, and Structural Straightening & Vehicle Construction, Materials, and Collision Damage Analysis
Identify the structural components of a unibody and a body-on-frame vehicle on a diagram and state the load path each carries in a front and a rear impact.
Classify collision damage as direct, induced, or inertia-related using a written damage report or a practice vehicle, listing at least five observations per category.
Locate and interpret the OEM collision repair information, sectioning locations, and weld/Adhesive bonding specs for one vehicle model.
Explain measuring-system types (universal, dedicated, laser, computerized 3D) and state when each is appropriate.
Describe the sequence for a structural pull: anchoring, measuring, pulling, stress-relieving, and re-measuring, and identify the safety limits on pull force.
Your checkpoint
A written damage analysis of one vehicle (real or case study) that names structural parts, classifies damage, and cites the OEM sectioning and measuring requirements.
Frame, Unibody, and Structural Straightening & Welding, Cutting, and Panel Bonding
Set up a squeeze-type resistance spot welder on scrap steel and produce a test coupon that passes a destructive peel test.
Produce MIG/MAG plug and stitch welds on 0.8 mm and 1.2 mm steel and record settings that give full penetration without burn-through.
Compare panel bonding adhesive, rivet bonding, and spot welding for a specified joint and justify a choice using OEM guidance.
Demonstrate safe cutting with a plasma cutter or cut-off wheel, including fume control, fire watch, and hot-work permit practice.
Explain how to preserve corrosion protection at a welded or bonded joint (weld-through primer, seam sealer, cavity wax) and where each product goes.
Your checkpoint
A weld-and-bond test coupon board with at least four labeled samples (spot, plug, stitch, bonded/riveted) and a settings log for each.
Body Filler, Plastic, and Composite Repair & Surface Preparation, Priming, and Refinishing
Prepare a bare-steel panel through the correct grit sequence and apply body filler within the recommended window, then shape and finish it without sanding through.
Repair a plastic bumper cover using the correct identification method, plastic welding or adhesive, and reinforcement backing.
Repair a composite panel (SMC or fiberglass) using the appropriate resin and explain why the wrong resin fails.
Identify the substrate on three unknown panels using visual, magnet, and sanding tests, and select the correct primer and topcoat system for each.
Apply primer, block-sand, and seal a panel, then document film build and any defects you corrected.
Your checkpoint
A finished practice panel (filler, primer, sealed) with a substrate-identification record and a defect log showing what you fixed.
Metal Straightening, Shrinking, and Stretching & Surface Preparation, Priming, and Refinishing
Execute a full refinish on a practice panel: clean, sand, prime, seal, base coat, clear coat, and polish, meeting the product data sheet times.
Diagnose and correct at least three finish defects (orange peel, runs, solvent pop, fish eyes) and explain the cause of each.
Blend a base coat into an adjacent panel and color-match using a spray-out card.
Apply heat shrinking and stretching knowledge to correct a stretched panel before refinishing, and verify with a straightedge.
Set up and maintain a clean spray environment, including gun cleaning, filter checks, and booth or temporary-booth airflow.
Your checkpoint
A completed refinish panel with a color spray-out card and a written defect-cause-and-correction log for every defect you encountered.
Estimating, Work Orders, and Customer Communication & Glass, Trim, Hardware, and Interior Components
Write a complete repair estimate for one vehicle using a damage analysis, including parts, labor, refinish, and a supplement scenario.
Draft a customer-facing explanation of a structural repair limitation and a documented conversation about a hidden-damage supplement.
Remove and reinstall a windshield or bonded glass using the correct urethane and safe-drive-away time, or document the procedure in detail.
Remove and reinstall interior trim and hardware without breaking clips, and record the order and clip types used.
Explain the legal and ethical limits on what you may tell a customer about safety systems and structural integrity.
Your checkpoint
A sample estimate plus a one-page customer communication script covering a hidden-damage supplement and a safety-system limitation.
Safety, Tools, and Shop Practice & Vehicle Construction, Materials, and Collision Damage Analysis & Estimating, Work Orders, and Customer Communication & Panel Removal, Replacement, and Alignment & Metal Straightening, Shrinking, and Stretching & Body Filler, Plastic, and Composite Repair & Welding, Cutting, and Panel Bonding & Frame, Unibody, and Structural Straightening & Surface Preparation, Priming, and Refinishing & Glass, Trim, Hardware, and Interior Components
Complete a timed full-length practice exam and score every domain separately.
Re-study your two lowest-scoring domains and write a one-page summary of each from memory.
Review all safety rules (hot work, ventilation, PPE, vehicle support, high-voltage and airbag precautions) and correct any gaps in your checklist.
Rehearse the repair-order sequence for a full collision repair, from teardown to delivery, and identify where each domain enters.
Build a final one-page quick-reference sheet of formulas, settings, and sequences you will review the day before the exam.
Your checkpoint
A scored practice exam with a per-domain breakdown and a final one-page quick-reference sheet covering all ten domains.
Milestones
Week 2: You can remove, reinstall, and align a bolted panel to within 1 mm and can explain when a dented panel needs shrinking rather than more hammering.
Week 4: You have a labeled coupon board with passing spot, plug, stitch, and bonded samples, and you can describe the structural pull sequence and measuring options from memory.
Week 6: You have completed a refinished practice panel with a color spray-out card and have corrected at least three finish defects with documented causes.
Week 8: You have a scored full-length practice exam with per-domain results, and every domain below your target has a written one-page review summary.