How do you remove a dent without starting over

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Jul 28, 2011 | 08:26 PM

56panelford

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From: northwestern Ontario

How do you remove a dent without starting over

I've got everything finally in high build primer but noticed a boo boo. Don't know how I missed it but on the forward crown of the hood on either side of the ridge and above where the emblem was, there is a small crease that is noticable now that there is paint. My question; is there a way to manipulate this out without chipping my primer back to bare metal. I realize that I will have to apply a small amount of filler to level things off, I just don't want to get to the point off starting over from the epoxy coat.

Jul 28, 2011 | 10:20 PM

4tl8ford

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From: Erie, pa

Heat it with a heat gun, direct sun light or a heat lamp - when its hot enough thput a blister on yor hand lay some pieces of dry ice on it - it should pop the dents/creases right out. - May take several tries - used alot in the mid-west for hail damage.

Jul 28, 2011 | 10:50 PM

tinman52

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From: northwest MT

Hard to say without seeing how deep it is or where it's at....got a pic?

I use many odd things to remove slight dents. Those "paintless" dent tools work pretty good, maybe you could borrow one?...I've smacked down highs with a hammer and paint stick....or bondo spreader....or a piece of rubber. Anything to spread out the hammer blow.

Can you get to it from the back side at all?

Jul 29, 2011 | 10:48 AM

hxgaser

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From: SF Bay Area, CA

Don't laugh...

Go steal a wooden spatula/spoon from your wife or mother or daughter or whoever's kitchen. Slowly rub on the back side of the dent with firm pressure over and over. You will eventually get it out.

Jul 29, 2011 | 12:02 PM

fatfenders56

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From: Tucson AZ

Dick, that's about as creative as I have heard, I will for sure write that one down, thanks

Jul 29, 2011 | 01:49 PM

4tl8ford

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From: Erie, pa

I learned that from a girlfriend that lived in OK tornado alley area - Her car insurance company sent all their customers to a shop that would line up the cars with hail damage and go down the row like an assembly line and take out the dents.
I've also used a heating disk or a tourch and a cold wet rag to draw out dents.

Jul 29, 2011 | 03:14 PM

CharlieLed

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From: Brentwood, TN

Paintless Dent Repair or PDR as it has come to be known was developed to remove dents in steel that was produced for cars in the years after the early 70's. This steel has more "memory" and is much easier to massage back to it's orginal form/shape. hxgaser has the right idea with the spoon, many techniques with PDR employ a smooth rounded tool that is used to gently ease the dent out of the panel. Unfortunately in 1956 this steel was not used in cars/trucks and therefore the technique is for the most part not applicable.

From what I can surmise from your description, the creases could be filled very easily with a product like Evercoat 416 Metal Glaze. This filler is good for repairs up to about 1/8 inch in depth, it flows on like toothpaste, hardens rapidly, is extremely durable, and sands easily. Many times when sanding a flat area that is bordered by a curved area, like the area of the hood that you have described, it is easy to sand in line with the curve and not notice that you are cutting a groove at the start of the curve. When I sand such areas I am very careful to sand INTO the curve (at alternating 45 degree angles) and not along it. Hope this helps...