Below the rear doors on my panel truck Is rather badly damaged and crumpled . Now I’m just learning to do body work and will be starting to learn to mig weld in the next few weeks so any advice would be greatly appreciated. How would be best for me to start to repair please , or would it be best for me to have the crumpled section cut out , straighten the ends and have a new middle section made and welded in place ? thanks
I would pull it first and get it back to shape and alignment at that point i would make the decision to repair or replace. When you pull it it gets all the other panels in proper alignment, if you cut it out first you have to fight everything back in alignment. Being that its open from the back side I would chose to repair it. You might get a skilled body man with the right clamps to rough it out for you. If you have any questions you can PM me. Frank
How rusty is it. The bottom edge looks like it is already cracking in a bunch of places due to being rusted thin. If the metal is badly rusted and super thin trying to do anything with it will be a waste of time. You need to determine what condition the existing metal is in before proceeding too far.
You need to pull that out as best you can initially and then work it with hammer & dolly. I wouldn't cut it out at all. Once pulled out and worked with hammer & dolly then you can decide if you need to cut it out but that after all the surrounding areas are back in line or at least close to it. I would pull it while attached tot he car then remove it for hammer and dolly work.
maybe start pushing it out with a porta power, and a large slide hammer to get it to move downward lots of hammer and dolly work gonna do a good bit of shrinking
thanks for this approach frank , this will be the route I will going with . I have a mate who restores classic vw’s so will see if he can give me a hand . The majority I want to learn and do my self . Thanks also to everyone who replied
This advice is coming from a source that uses Body Man in a Can for finish results. Personally I Never advise to use a slide hammer anywhere. If you want good results and some kind of Quality Metal Finish never poke it full of more holes then stretch it back sorta in place. That's an easy fix panel for any real Body Man. Also never use a Torch to remove anything you plan to re install. Learn how to use Spot Weld drills to take things apart as they were built and work a total panel, not just a section. One more thing, Don't BEAT with your body hammers. Using them is like a Dance not Stomping Grapes. Slow and easy, last wrinkle in is first one out. In other words read the damage and remove it in reverse order. Sheet metal has memory and likes to go back to where it was.
Good advise Pist-n-Broke . Down here we call it Cave & Pave. Take another piece of damaged metal and practice on it first and be patiently while you learn
It looks to me that that panel has been replaced once before. Just by the looks of the welds in the door jamb bottoms. I would probably cut off the bottom part of that panel. The part you see when the doors are closed. It is bent hard and rusted across the edge where it should mate to an inner panel. Then I would straighten the door jamb bottom. Check that it was installed correctly. Then I would build the bottom part. Also make and replace the inner bottom panel.
no, its coming from some one who does this daily. if you dont like a slide hammer, dont use it, no one suggested drilling holes I would be willing to believe the OP has a better chance to have access to a porta power than a frame bench a porta power can be used to start pushing out the damage, a slide hammer with an angled or curved attachment can be use to move the panel downward. A porta power also has an attachment than may be able to spread the lower part of the panel open. No where did I suggest drilling holes and yanking out a dent. These tools can be used to align the damaged panel to the doors, then hammer and dolly work along with shrinking can be use to shape the cosmetic damage back to its original shape. I would suggest you know if someone is a "body man in a can” before you “assume” it
I use a slide hammer all the time. I never drill holes. I weld studs. I also use the studs to clamp a puller other than a slide hammer so I can pull and hammer at the same time.
first thing I'd do is remove the bottom part from the rest of the truck. looks pretty boogered up, I'd probably just make a new one. can't really tell whats going on just looking at photos.
the bottom section of the panel is rather rusted and very thin , the top section where the doors come together and about 2” below feels very solid and their isn’t any rust there.
Try looking for a section of a rocker panel. The late model cars come with replacement 1/4 panels are whole side of car door opening and rocker panel, the body man usually cuts the rocker and door opening off when he replaces the 1/4 panel, these xtra pieces may be a close fit without having to fabricate a new one. Hope this tip helps. Frank
Id also do like Frank said in post #2, get it into the rough shape first before cutting anything out. Use a stud gun that welds the copper studs to the panel with slide hammer, not the kind of slide hammer that you have to drill holes into the panel.
If you have the means, a regular slide hammer can be used in conjunction with welded on tabs for heavier pulls. I weld scrap metal tabs with holes in the tabs for the hammer to hook into. Weld with mig or sometimes braze with gas, just depends on the situation. Also works with a pullback ram or comealong. of course a stud gun is perfect for smaller pulling pressure.
https://www.sealey.co.uk/product/5637194922/hydraulic-body-repair-kit-10tonne-snap-type this first one has a video link in the ad here is a couple examples of using a porta power, this one is foreign language, sorry one could be used to open up the crushed area and aligning the jamb area with the doors. the rocker repair portion of this video is similar to what folks here are saying when using a weld on pull plate or studs to pull the damage. I have frame equipment at home and work, most folks do not so if you go this route you will need to get creative. A significant amount of "roughing out" will be needed on this piece Its gonna stretch, this is where the shrinking comes in. You also have a sharp crease, work hardened, this area may tear. Warming it can help prevent tearing. At my shop, I would repair the jamb area, it has the least amount of damage, then fab a new lower piece. That portion could be made fairly easy, and faster than repairing it.
For that repair...... Consult a pro! Pay a craftsman that does this type of work, not the whole truck, just that repair. Let him get it to where you can take over. There’s a lot going on with that damage. What appears undamaged there likely is. Being a panel truck replacement panels may not be available which requires good originals or fabrication. Being in England means original panels may not be a available. If it has to be fabricated a pro that does this work is the best bet in my opinion. England is small compared to the US and is full of auto enthusiasts so you should be able to find a craftsman.
ENGLAND!!! you guys eat metal shavings and poop parts would be cool if ya could talk your local fab guy into letting ya help with the repair. The good part about doing it yourself is you learn skills that can help you with the rest of it
Their has been a lot of helpful info on here for me to take in and I think after this I will be asking a local restoration guy for assistance with the most part and then watch and hopefully be able to finish my self .
The Jalopy Journal
