I'm wanting to get started on the body of my car once I get the engine and tranny repairs done (which are almost done) and there are some places that need some fixing. First there's the driver's quarter. I got hit in a parking lot and now there's some damage around the leading edge of the wheel well where the side molding is. I've managed to straighten most of it where the lip on the wheel arch was distorted and most of the dent around the molding is out, but around the wheel arch it's too stiff to hammer out from behind (that sounds perverted) and I was told I need a slide hammer to finish pulling the dent before I skim coat with bondo. I have no idea how to do it and I'm wondering how hard it is to do. I also have damage to the rocker panel, the previous owner straddled a curb or something and there's a dent that has started to rust. The damage in that area looks easy enough to fix, but I'd like some opinions on this. Is this something I could do if I take my time, or should I leave this to the pros? I plan to install a drift kit in the near future, so I need to do this right.

if you dont know how to do body work, i dont suggest doing it

Perfect answear. If you don't know what you are doing, don't do anything. You are just gonna waste time and money on supplys to try to do it. Better to have the pros fix it when you get the kit painted. Not trying to discurage you but if I sat here and tried to explain what you have to do it would be a long post and you would be coming back with more questions most likely.

Very possibly, but if it helps, I've done some body work before, just not in this area of a car. I can get most of the dents out, I know how, but getting the wheel well to be perfectly rounded again and not have to cut up this car or another one, that's the hard part. And the rocker I'm not sure of. I already fixed the door wher it got hit, that part was easy. This quarter panel, though, isn't. If I can get the dents pulled the rest of the way, skim coating is easy for me, I've done that a million times on bikes and stuff.

Rockers are a real pita. Unless you have a grinder, stud welder, and stud-grabbing slide hammer with large heavy duty studs, I'd just have a shop do it. Getting wheel wells perfectly in shape is a pita too.

Not knockin' ya, but I'd just have a shop do it.

i also agree, the outer wheel house is a very strong part of the car not the easiest to fix
the rocker panel is also very strong
let a shop do it for ya


can i haz bondo