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Master’s in Classic Coachwork and Panel Beating

Online master's programme of 1,900 hours in classic coachwork and panel beating. 12 modules covering hammer and dolly work, the English wheel, metal shaping, bucks and templates, thin-sheet welding, distortion-free repair and complete body fabrication, with an assigned technical tutor.

Duration12–14 months
ModeOnline
LanguageEnglish
Start datesSet by the faculty
AwardSEIUM Institute diploma
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Learning outcomes

What you will be able to do

01

Understand the history of coachbuilding.

02

Select and treat metals for coachwork.

03

Master manual metal-shaping tools and techniques.

04

Produce templates and reference bucks.

05

Weld thin steel and aluminium sheet without distortion.

06

Repair and fabricate complete bodies.

07

Integrate current technologies while respecting authenticity.

Profile

Who it's for

  • Classic car panel beaters.
  • Craft coachbuilders.
  • Body restorers.
  • Thin-sheet welders.
  • Replacement panel manufacturers.
  • Panel-beating workshop managers.
  • Engineering or science graduates seeking a career in classic vehicle restoration.
Standards & tools

What you'll work with

  • EN 485-2 (aluminium sheet, strip and plate: mechanical properties)
  • EN ISO 9606-1 (qualification testing of welders, steels)
  • EN ISO 9606-2 (qualification testing of welders, aluminium)
  • ISO 8501-1 (surface preparation and rust grades of steel)
  • FIVA Technical Code (historic vehicle classification and authenticity)
  • Autodesk Fusion
  • Rhinoceros
  • Geomagic Design X
Syllabus

12 modules

  1. 1.1Classic European coachbuilders
  2. 1.2Body-on-frame construction
  3. 1.3Aluminium bodies
  4. 1.4Superleggera and tubular structures
  5. 1.5Early monocoques
  6. 1.6Traditional panel-beating shops
  7. 1.7Historical tools
  8. 1.8Body documentation
  9. 1.9The value of original coachwork
  10. 1.10Case study: study of a coachbuilt body
  1. 2.1Deep-drawing steels
  2. 2.2Aluminium alloys
  3. 2.3Galvanised sheet
  4. 2.4Gauges and tempers
  5. 2.5Work hardening
  6. 2.6Annealing
  7. 2.7Corrosion
  8. 2.8Compatibility between metals
  9. 2.9Material selection
  10. 2.10Laboratory: annealing and shaping aluminium
  1. 3.1Hammers and dollies
  2. 3.2Sandbags
  3. 3.3English wheel
  4. 3.4Power hammers
  5. 3.5Shrinkers and stretchers
  6. 3.6Folders and shears
  7. 3.7Beading rollers
  8. 3.8Tool maintenance
  9. 3.9Safety and noise
  10. 3.10Practical: using the English wheel
  1. 4.1Stretching
  2. 4.2Shrinking
  3. 4.3Hand raising
  4. 4.4Wiring and flanging
  5. 4.5Planishing
  6. 4.6Compound curves
  7. 4.7Reading the panel
  8. 4.8Stress correction
  9. 4.9Surface finishing
  10. 4.10Workshop: shaping a wing
  1. 5.1Taking templates
  2. 5.2Wire templates
  3. 5.3Wooden bucks
  4. 5.4Body scanning
  5. 5.5Printed templates
  6. 5.6Shape checking
  7. 5.7Symmetry
  8. 5.8Fitting to the structure
  9. 5.9Template archive
  10. 5.10Practical: wooden buck for a panel
  1. 6.1Oxy-acetylene welding
  2. 6.2TIG welding of steel
  3. 6.3TIG welding of aluminium
  4. 6.4Spot welding
  5. 6.5Butt welding of thin sheet
  6. 6.6Distortion control
  7. 6.7Hammer-welding
  8. 6.8Welder qualification
  9. 6.9Welding safety
  10. 6.10Laboratory: butt welding aluminium sheet
  1. 7.1Damage diagnosis
  2. 7.2Corrosion removal
  3. 7.3Patch panels
  4. 7.4Dent repair
  5. 7.5Edge repair
  6. 7.6Replacement panels
  7. 7.7Panel gap alignment
  8. 7.8Cavity protection
  9. 7.9Repair documentation
  10. 7.10Case study: repairing a corroded sill
  1. 8.1Base structure
  2. 8.2Fabrication sequence
  3. 8.3Main panels
  4. 8.4Joints and overlaps
  5. 8.5Doors and bonnets
  6. 8.6Gap adjustment
  7. 8.7Mounting to the chassis
  8. 8.8Reinforcements
  9. 8.9Final inspection
  10. 8.10Workshop: fabricating a body section
  1. 9.1Final planishing
  2. 9.2Reading surfaces
  3. 9.3Fillers and their limited use
  4. 9.4Primers
  5. 9.5Corrosion protection
  6. 9.6Coating thickness control
  7. 9.7Preparation for chrome
  8. 9.8Fitting trim mouldings
  9. 9.9Coordination with the painter
  10. 9.10Practical: preparing a panel for paint
  1. 10.13D scanning of bodies
  2. 10.2Surface design
  3. 10.3Machining bucks
  4. 10.4Incremental forming
  5. 10.5Laser and waterjet cutting
  6. 10.6Printing jigs and fixtures
  7. 10.7Shape measurement
  8. 10.8Combining tradition and technology
  9. 10.9Limitations
  10. 10.10Laboratory: comparing a part with its scan
  1. 11.1Originality versus reproduction
  2. 11.2Documenting interventions
  3. 11.3Replicas and their declaration
  4. 11.4Concours and judges
  5. 11.5Quotations and labour times
  6. 11.6Workshop management
  7. 11.7Training apprentices
  8. 11.8The sector market
  9. 11.9Occupational risk prevention
  10. 11.10Case study: business plan for a panel-beating workshop
  1. 12.1Body selection
  2. 12.2Historical research
  3. 12.3Diagnosis
  4. 12.4Templates and bucks
  5. 12.5Shaping
  6. 12.6Welding and assembly
  7. 12.7Finishing
  8. 12.8Process dossier
  9. 12.9Master's Thesis report
  10. 12.10Master's Thesis: defence before a panel
Methodology, software & labs

How you'll learn

Training is 100% online on the SEIUM campus, with downloadable material, recorded classes and an assigned technical tutor. There are no fixed timetables: you progress at your own pace within each intake, so you can combine the programme with your job.

Each module combines theory, guided reading of the original standard and applied exercises. The working software is Autodesk Fusion, Rhinoceros and Geomagic Design X, in free, academic or evaluation versions. Tests are studied on real procedures for shaping panels on the English wheel, butt welding aluminium sheet and dimensional comparison against a 3D scan. Assessment is continuous by module, plus the final Master's Thesis.

Standards covered: EN 485-2, EN ISO 9606-1, EN ISO 9606-2, ISO 8501-1, FIVA Technical Code.

Assigned technical tutor:every module ends with a deliverable that your tutor marks individually.
Standards-based learning:guided reading of EN 485-2, EN ISO 9606-1 and EN ISO 9606-2 applied to real cases, not as a theoretical annex.
Industry software:Autodesk Fusion, Rhinoceros and Geomagic Design X, in free, academic or evaluation versions.
Master's Thesis with defence:Hand-made restoration or fabrication of a classic body or body section with its full process dossier, defended before a panel.
Flexible format:100% online, no fixed timetables, compatible with full-time work.
Capstone project

Build it end to end

Your final project follows the real engineering workflow, step by step, reviewed by your tutor.

Body research
Research and diagnose the original coachwork of the chosen vehicle.
Templates and bucks
Take templates and build a wooden buck as the shape reference.
Panel shaping
Shape the panels with hammer, dolly and English wheel.
Welding and assembly
Weld and assemble the panels without distortion and adjust the gaps.
Master's Thesis
Finished body or body section with its process dossier, defended before a panel.
Career opportunities

Where this takes you

Classic car panel beaterCraft coachbuilderBody restorerThin-sheet welderReplacement panel manufacturerPanel-beating workshop manager
Admissions & scholarships

Requirements

  • University degree in engineering, science or architecture, or equivalent demonstrable professional experience.
  • Internet connection and a computer capable of running the programme software.
  • English sufficient to read technical standards.

Ready to start?

Send your application today. Our admissions team replies within 72 hours with your study plan and funding options.

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FAQ

Frequently asked questions

The programme totals 1,900 hours over 12–14 months. You set your own pace within each intake, and your tutor helps you plan the workload around your job.

You work with Autodesk Fusion, Rhinoceros and Geomagic Design X, using free, academic or evaluation versions. Your tutor indicates the free alternative wherever one exists.

A SEIUM Institute diploma, awarded on passing the continuous assessment and the Master's Thesis. It is SEIUM's own qualification, not an official state degree; its recognition depends on the programme completed and the regulations of each country.

Yes. Modules passed in a course or postgraduate diploma in the same area are recognised in the higher programme. Ask about the recognition policy when you enrol.

A university degree in engineering, science or architecture, or equivalent professional experience, plus English sufficient to read technical standards.

Start dates are set by SEIUM's faculty for each intake. Our admissions team will confirm the next available date when you apply.

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