Divide the auto body repair program into three semesters. The first should concentrate on basic auto body repair, the second on basic automotive refinishing and the third on collision repair. In some community colleges and technical schools, the fourth semester is devoted to general education requirements.
Tell students you expect them to follow standard safety procedures while they practice auto body repairs in the lab. This includes wearing safety goggles.
Start the first semester with auto body repair technology fundamentals. Discuss the different metals vehicles are made out of. Teach students how to handle manually operated auto body tools. Then move on to a demonstration of how to safely operate power and hydraulic tools.
Continue the first semester by having students work on sheet metal. They should know how to weld and braze it and how to shape ruined body panels and then apply metal finish. Explain how to use fillers---body solder and plastic body. Show students how to take out and install all body parts. Complete the semester by demonstrating how to mix and apply AVC primers.
Begin the second semester by explaining the basics of auto body refinishing. Start with a lesson on working safely in the paint shop. Continue by demonstrating minor repairs to dents and how to operate spray guns. Spend time teaching students how to choose the proper solvents and auto body undercoats. Then show them how to apply paints to a vehicle's body panels.
Introduce the third semester by explaining the fundamentals of auto collision repair. Discuss how automotive sheet metals are welded. Then focus on repair procedures. Explain the difference between active restraint systems and passive ones.
Complete the third semester with a basic introduction to fixing damage when a vehicle has been involved in a major collision. Demonstrate how to repair a car's frame. Finish by showing students how to replace the trim, glass and moldings on any vehicle.