I have a 1948 ford f1.I'm working on the doors and both have a stress dent in the outter door skins.How do I go about taking them out?I can push it out with my hand but when you move the door they pop right back.
Thanks
ART

 

If the steel isn't streached anywhere , When the dent is "in", if you look closely ,you will see a ridge around the outside edge of the dent ..if you carefully tap that ridge in,,then push out the dent ,,it should stay out ...

 

From the sound of it you've got an "oil can" dent, or the metal is stretched....The only way to keep it from popping back out when you move the door is to shrink the metal. Depending on the size and how severe the dent is you can use anything from a shrinking hammer and dolly to a stud welder to shrink it back to shape......hope this helps!

 

I agree with hacking, the metal is stretched. You need to shrink it. Another way to shrink it (and I learned this from an old skool guy) is to heat an area about the size of a half dollar in the middle of the "dent" (I forgot to mention its easier with 2 ppl) with a torch. The while hot yet, take a hammer and dolly and hit the hot spot, but while hitting it, slide the head of the hammer towards the center of the heated spot. The after doing this a few times, take a cold wet rag and place it over the heated area. This will cause the metal to shrink and tighten up and if done right you will lose that "dent".

 

Thanks for the info.I'll try to fix them this weekend.
ART

 

That type of repair is much more complicated ,than can be explained that easily ...& its is hard to stretch the stell on a 48 ....

To the OP look closely at the dent as I said before ..if it need's shrinking ,,you should have some one do it ,that has actually done it before ,,,You can make it much worse than it is ,if you don't know exactly what you are doing...

If you are intent on trying ,,a heat gun & an air nozzle may be enough.

But you still need to know what you are doing ....

Try posting a pic of the dent ,,,BTW is it a crease ?....

 

Not true .. there are many things to be sure of first ....

 

Yeah, it's hard to explain things like this without actually being able to look at the damage, or in my case, feel it.....I've screwed up my fair share of stuff before someone showed me the correct way of doing things!

 

Yes this type of repair is hard to do, especially by yourself. But a heat gun will not heat the metal enough to shrink it. I have done this type of repair on stuff from a 38 Ford to a 2004 BMW. The old metal (basically pre 70's) is thicker and needs more heat to do this. You could get away with a heat gun on the newer stuff, but I still prefer the torch.

 

Yeah those guys are right best way is the torch, not the easiest though but then again god hates a coward, just take it slow, get the spot red hot, just barely then go at it no more than that or the metal gets to soft and it will make it worse. Do the spots around the outside edge, that gets rid of any creases to, good luck let us know how it goes!!

 

After the panels are ruined ,,you guys going to fix them for him ?..

Without seeing the dents ,,how can you turn him loose on a large panel like a door ,,with a torch , without trying something safe ,(first )

As was said ,Its not the heat that shrinks the metal , its the cooling ..Do you think the first time trying this ,the OP will know when its too hot ,before its too late ?

As I said "a heat gun may be enough" also ,may not

 

I'm with Action on the torch, it'd be real easy to screw up and screw up fast, especially if you've never done it before......Considering the price of a door or at least a patch panel, I'd fine someone that could do it,or at least help you out with it.

 

I'll try to get a good photo of the damage on the doors and post them.I've never done this kind of repair and hate to mess up to bad.Thanks for the heads up.
ART

 

hey marsm1, are you really that stupid or are you just posting for your numbers to go up

 

Hey its worked for me, got no problems with it, rude dude.