So I picked up this running & driving '36 Chevy Sedan about a month ago. Has a '57 235cid motor in it. Was redone several years ago. Other than the running boards the body is/was rust & rot free. Only problem is that a large tree branch damaged the roof (which is how I was able to afford the car). At least it is in a nice high crown area. I'm not a stranger to body and metal work, but was looking for some opinons on the best way to approach this repair. Side note: I do have access to an extremely talented metal working guy who happens to have a Pullmax - so making a repair panel is not out of the question. I guess my fear is making it worse. I don't want to mud the entire roof
Actually to me, it looks like a fairly easy repair. If the headliner and back glass were removed, for access, the damaged area could be bumped out and then metalfinished. You won't have to make a patch panel or mud the whole roof. I suppose there might be a couple of spots that are stretched, but they could be shrunk. The repair could be done with little or no filler and then painted. BTW, you could make it worse, if you do it wrong.
Buy a book called "key to metal bumping" has some pretty good drawings and explanations of how to deal with the metal. I cant say I could offer more advise than that. I'm still learning. I would not cut it out though.
Not a hard fix. Buy the book, bump it out! Work from the outside in. Bump up the sunken areas next to the high points around the perimeter. While tapping the high ridges with a spoon or hammer. Go slow and easy. It's a much gentler process than most people think. If your having to beat it into submission, you haven't unlocked it.
Hey, There's no need for any cutting or replacement sheetmetal in that repair! When you see guys cutting out bent metal in a repair area that isn't rotten, only bent, it's usually a clue they've little idea what they're doing Study the dent as if it were the face of a clock, bump up the low area at the ridge at 6 O Clock, do the asme at 9 O clock, then 12 & finely 3. As you bump the metal, try and lower the high areas down( those areas that look and feel above the normal contour of the panel) whyle raising the low areas. Continue this method of repair until you've reached the center of the dent, and there are no more low and high areas of damage. What you DON'T wanna do, is just start beating the dent out with a BFH from the deepest area of the damage. That would result in causing many more hours of needless work, and probably alot of stretched metal Once you've bumped all the lows up and highs down you could metalfinish the panel, but that would require many more hours of pick and file work ( harder work than most guys are willing to master or do today) but a slime coat of plastic filler over a freshly ground 36 grit finish would be a sacrilege That's one clean thirty-six! " A government by the people, for the people " my ass !
Metalworking has two effects on people. It can be hell, with lots of fighting it and swearing and throwing things, or it can be a very relaxing proposition. The trick is to take your time and go slow, I suggest a book on the topic, or maybe an instructional dvd. While it may seem like attacking the damaged area with a hammer and dolly is pretty self explanitory, the process has many different facets, and you can make matters worse in a hurry.
shoot thats not bad, how about a bunch of spots caused by kids...this took me a week, the key is patience and not just takeing a hammer and banging away!!
As said Remove headliner and any sound deadening Remove rear windo for better access work last in first out Once the worst of it is out then you can metal finish the rest. Use a dolly as close to the crown as you can find (little higher crown on the dolly is ok) Use a smooth slapper to planish the rest of the dent (dolly under spoon on top) Go slow and you should be ok. Probably will not have to shrink that area but if you have to a slapper made from a corse file should take care of it or a couple heat shrinks. The idea is not to pound the crap out of the metal rather to coax it back into shape. If you hear that dolly to slapper sound move on so you do not strech the metal.
Good advice here, you have to work the damage out in reverse order to how it was put in. In other words, start from the outside, from the last area damaged. It helps to act like you have all the time in the world even if you don't. Take your time, stop and study the dent if it is not coming out the way you want it to. Figure out how it wants to come out. You will find, even though you seem to be taking a lot of time, you can have it 90% fixed in a few hours. Go at it like a cave man on speed and it will just end up in a bigger mess, and harder to fix. So take it easy and let the metal signal what it wants.
Thanks for all the great replies guys. I actually have the book that several of you have advised me to get. I did read it when I first got the book a few years ago. I will be reading it again before attempting this repair. pimpin paint - are you specifically refering to my dent when you explain the "order" ie. start @ 6 - 9 - 12 - 3 or is that just a referance? I undersand the concept, but figuring out where to start is where I'm getting hung up - trying to find where the damage started and ended. To me it almost looks like the damage happened right in the middle and everything else was just the reaction.
Hey, Whyle it's true that the original point of impact, the area of the panel that first made contact with the damaging force i.e. tree, rock, building, other vehicle, was dented first, I wouldn't start there! A closer study of the damage shows that area to be pushed inward, but not buckled. If you look at the areas @ 9 o clock & 3 o clock you'll see rolled buckles. It's those rolled buckles that are largely responsible for holding the middle of that dent under tension and pressure. Once those buckles are bumped down, a good portion of the low area in the middle of the dent will return to normal contour. I'd first bump up the area at 6 o clock, spring hammer the areas at 9 & 3 with a finishing spoon followed by bumping up the low areas @ those buckles. By this time you should see a good portion of the damaged area start to move upward, back to normal contour. Work the area at 12 o clock at this time, and raise any of the lows with a medium crowned dolly and dinging hammer. I'd try and avoid as many on dolly hits as possible as anytime you're hitting on dolly, you're stretching metal, and that's not what's needed here. From here on keep raising the lows with the dolly whyle driving down the high areas. Your skill level will deside whether you'll grind and mud this repair or bump, pick, file & buff this repair to perfection. Rotsa ruck " Spending a nation into generational debt is not an act of compassion "
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