Dent fixing

[Andy4639]

Anybody out there have any good tips on fixing a dent in a front fender? Not looking for new but just would like some idea's on get the dent out of this fender. The one above the marker. I'm not looking for a perfect fix just to get that ding out.

[dmjlambert]

I would just take that reflector off, then reach in there from the engine compartment and push it out with your hand and see how that goes. On a modern car I had some of those types of dents and they were not reachable from the inside to push them out. So I cut some 3 inch long pieces off a broom handle and drilled and pushed 3.5 inch nails through them to make handles that I can grip. Then I hot glued the flat end of the wood pieces to several places in the middle of the dent. After the glue cooled, I pulled on the handle steadily and kept pulling until the dent popped out and the wood popped off. Then scrape the hot glue off with a plastic putty knife or credit card or other plastic scraper. There are commercially available kits that accomplish the same thing.

[66clow]

Get one of the paintless dent repair kits. Harbor freight has them for like$10. Also should have access from the inside to push it out.

https://www.harborfreight.com/crossb...kit-66957.html

[Andy4639]

Originally Posted by 66clow

Get one of the paintless dent repair kits. Harbor freight has them for like$10. Also should have access from the inside to push it out.

https://www.harborfreight.com/crossb...kit-66957.html

Thanks, I may have to get one tomorrow. I like this.

[Jonny Hotnuts]

1. Dent looks shallow, you could scuff and use some filler (easiest).
2. Use a stud gun and pull the dent with a slide hammer (if you have the stuff).
3. Use hammer and dolly to work the dent out. You can have dolly access through the turn signal.
4. Remove the fender and press pop it with a rubber mallet a couple times. (not the most precision method but that dent looks like it would pop back pretty easy).


GOod luck,

~JH

[randy500]

Paintless will not work on that, its creased at the top and the metal is much thicker than the newer cars for which paintless was designed.

[Andy4639]

Originally Posted by randy500

Paintless will not work on that, its creased at the top and the metal is much thicker than the newer cars for which paintless was designed.

Randy I was thinking this also but have never done any real body work so I was not sure.
I may try and hammer it out at some point.

I'm not trying to make into a show truck but would like the dent out if possible without paying a to have it done. I'm thinking a 2x4 and a big hammer! Smacking it a couple of times from under the hood!

[Barnfind46]

Although the metal is thicker it is also softer. Apply pressure gently at first. Don't want to stretch the metal! The newer metals are high strength steel. The older cars and trucks are a softer steel. Shouldn't take a lot.

[notsolo]

Hey Andy, couple more ideas.....alt tinkering...Artic blue wagon....post 65..homemade tool for working out dents......also a cool build...I have used wooden blocks shaped to contour ...clamps and or hammer or pry them if you can reach it.

[66clow]

Originally Posted by notsolo

Hey Andy, couple more ideas.....alt tinkering...Artic blue wagon....post 65..homemade tool for working out dents......also a cool build...I have used wooden blocks shaped to contour ...clamps and or hammer or pry them if you can reach it.

Good idea a block of wood on the outside of the fenders and a clamp going thru that signal lamp may work nicely.

[franken]

As mentioned above, the metal is stretched (at the folded spot) above the rear of the marker light, and in front and a bit above the light by the grille (another folded spot), (and maybe another spot by the wheel opening). The rest is just being held in place by those stretched areas.
You need to shrink the stretched areas and the shallow dent should fix itself. A shrinking disk or a bit of heat should do the trick, but will mess up the paint at those spots.
Some research on how metal behaves when dented and how to work out dents is my advice. The original book is "The Key to Metal Bumping," which you can buy for a few bucks, or download a crappy PDF for nothing.
Just bashing on the dent is the worst thing to do.

https://www.google.com/search?q=%22T...=firefox-b-1-e
https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B7wf...pPRWloc28/edit

[randy500]

Hold a flat or slightly curved dolly in the middle of the dent with a lot of outward pressure, with a flat body hammer lightly hit top crease, increase how hard you hammer as needed, dent will come right out, then work the hammer and dolly around, hammering on the dolly, even if you have never done it before you should have good success on that dent.

[randy500]

I now see the dent is all around the marker lamp, pull on the opening with your hand too.
You may need to pry the front area, take out the inner fender, fashion a pry bar from wood, pry while hammering off the pry area which moves the metal from the pry area towards where your hammering.

[Andy4639]

Thanks guy's.