Summary: Anyone know how to heat shrink metal when the metal has been stretched so the panel can be straightened so the metal does not bulge out which prevents it from being filled with putty? Or know where to find a link on how to do this from a reliable knowledgable source? (Check out picts at bottom of post)
Two key reasons my Sunbird was so cheap and for sale was because the owner had lost the keys and could not move the car AND because of the HUGE dent in the drivers side quarter panel. The key issue was easy to resolve. My little brother just pulled the steering wheel and replaced the lock cylinder so we could unlock the column and turn the wheels to load the car onto his trailer.
The BIG dent has not been so quick and easy to resolve. At first I thought I was going to have to cut out the dent and was going to make my patch panel from the front half of a door skin. For kicks just to see what would happen, Dad and I took a diggin' iron and used the inner convertible body brace as a fulcrum to try and move the metal out and near its original place. Much to our surprise, we were able to move the metal out a bit and make a difference. So after about 2 hours of working together, were able to rough out the BIG dent to something manageable which could be straightened with a bunch of thick putty.
Not being satisfied with "good" being "good enough" keeping in mind that this project is my "skill builder," I decided to also put my $100 Harbor Freight Stud Gun to the test and learn how to use it. I was blown away at easy it was to use and how satisfying my first time results were. I also bought a Stud Lever to help control the pulling action, rather than rely on a slide hammer to carefully move the metal out where I wanted it. Those two items and pick body hammer are the 3 essential elements of the dramatic change I have made in the BIG dent so far.
My current dilemma is that the metal is stretched where the bottom of the dent was and now that the surrounding metal has been pushed and pulled out near its original position, the deepest metal which was the bottom of the creases are stretched and bulging out with nowhere for the metal to go but out. I need to learn how to heat and shrink the stretched metal so the panel can be better straightened or shrunk in a bit so that stranded body putty can be used to fill and strengthen the dent, followed by regular body putty to final fill and straighten the panel. Another bit I keep in mind, is that this dent is on the drivers side so I will be looking at that panel every time I get in the car. Also the car will be metallic silver which can make wavy panels more noticeable to the trained eye. Knowing how hard I am on myself and hard to please, I know the significance of getting this dent as near straight and not noticeable as possible.
Anyone know how to heat and shrink metal or know where to find a link with a good reliable tutorial on how to do this?
The BIG dent BEFORE:
The NOT-SO big dent CURRENTLY:
Panel Profile:
I think I remember counting something like 65-75 studs on the panel to get it to this state after the big move made with the diggin' iron
I have zero in the body work experience.My guess is try looking on youtube because I would bet some bodyshops or guys who did this by trade have popped up videos for fixing body panels.While they may not enlighten on the heat and shrink thing it may give a better idea on how to get it dialed in.At least your progress to whip it back in place has worked so far! That looks wayyyy better even with the pins sticking out.The other option might have been getting a skin and cut the old out and weld in probably more time to do that as you know already.
My experiences has taught me to go as far as I can and stop before I screw something up trying to get it "too right". You have really made a vast improvement on that horrible dent you had. I'd recommend you mud it up as best you can and get on with your painting before you go over the edge or run outta time to get the paint on.
You can always give it another go next year if you find some more information or a new trick you'd like to try out on it.
Some folks like to call those imperfections the "Patina" the older cars get.
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