I'm working on a 1952 ford f1 for my wife. The dent is pretty good sized and it has two braces keeping me from accessing it from the inside. What would be the best way to repair the dent? Cut the braces out and hammer and dolley? Cut the dented section out and try to build a patch? Weld studs/pins and slide hammer the dent out the best I can and finish it off with lead body solder? I'm open to other ideas thats in advance zach
looks like there is room behind the brackets on the inside where you could get something behind and pop most of it back to shape. as for what looks like a deeper smaller dent, you don't have to hit that out from behind with your hammer, you could put the dolly behind and hit it from the front. the metal does not know which is the hammer and which side is the dolly.
on a dent like that we used a long curved pick to try to pop it out then try heat shrinking the metal down have to take care of the stretched metal , once you get it to a certain point you could stud and slide it then shrink it some more . ain't goona be perfect you will have to use some filler , but try to use the least possible
Look for a Body S**** like the ones sold by Dagger Tools. If you can get the s**** between the panel and the brace you can move the metal panel outward. A friend of mine repaired the roof on his 57 Ranchero using my body s**** for leverage to repair the roof dent which was caused by a falling tree limb. Try this before you cut anything.............. Good Luck, Jeff http://www.daggertools.com/m5/S592--medium-crown-inside-body-s****.html
zach318, Forgot to say, Use the face of the s**** to push the panel out and your brace as a pivot point. With pressure applied to the s**** handle, tap the perimeter of the dent lightly from the outside. Continue to work the shallow portions of the dent first and take your time. You should be able to move the metal. Patience will bring you to the point at which you will be able to apply your body lead.................... Jeff
i wonder if putting a deflated basketball or football in there and pumping it up would work? just a thought.
That'd make a drive down the court, or down field pretty damn exciting! Posted using the Full Custom H.A.M.B. App!
Looks like your door stop is gone and the door hinge/mirror slammed the pillar. I had the same thing happen to me, not quite as bad. I looked for the high spot on the outside where the metal was pushed up. I hit it with the body hammer enough to release the dent a little, then went inside with a larger flathead screwdriver and kinda rolled it against the bracing and was able to get it pretty close. As others have said, you might have stretched the metal a little Posted using the Full Custom H.A.M.B. App!
Can you post a photo from further away? I'm trying to visualise just where it is on the cab. How far from P.D.X. in washington are you? The Wizzard
On my buddies F100 there was a similar dent. I was able to get through the door hinge hole. I used a slim wood hammer handle. I also used my leaf spring *******. I slid the ******* in the then hit the ******* with a hammer. It just takes a while.
Wow thanks for all the replies. greenmonster48 you have it exactly correct on the dent cause and location. Pist-n-broke I'm an hour away from Portland. X3 on loving oldschoolrodz avatar I will try the s**** on the inside against the brace and if that does not work I will try the deflated ball. I have a stud gun and slide hammer so I can try that also. I haven't worked on the truck in a few days I have been hanging out with my family. Thanks again everyone I'm going to see my new nephew today and hopefully work on it Monday.
I went out and made a curved s**** tool today. I was able to get between the braces and panel and get most of the dent out.
Luckily I don't have to claim the shame of that dent. I purchaced it that way with a few other dents and dings but thats what made the price of the truck cheap.
Mine was all my fault. Wind took my door. I was like NOOOOOOOOOO! Posted using the Full Custom H.A.M.B. App!
That repair looks better than what you'd get in most body shops. Can't be the first time you've used a body hammer. The Wizzard
Pist-n-broke thanks for the complement. I have used a body hammer from time to time. I never had a dent with the brace in the way like this time. I figured I would post it up and see what others would do in my situation. I'm glad I did because I honestly forgot about the longer curved s**** to use as suggested.
The Jalopy Journal
