Re: Body Damage

[mark stegmann <truckdriver_1977@xxxxxxxxx>]

> > I am worried that I will have to replace the
> entire "otherwise perfect"
> > tailgate, and am not looking forward to color
> matching 7 coats of Corvette
> > yellow... Besides slide hammer... What method/s do
> you think would work
> > best?
> >
> > You can see pictures of the damage on my web page:
> > http://www-scf.usc.edu/~lfreeman
> >
> > Thanks!
> > Laura Freeman
> > '73 Scout II
> > Sonora Desert Scouts
> >
> 
> How about that suction cup method they advertise on
> tv all the time?  The
> one that uses three suction cups?   For bigger
> smooth dents you can use a
> large suction cup, I used one before, worked well as
> long as I could find an
> area in the dent smooth enough and flat enough to
> mount the suction cup....
> the large cups are ones that are meant to move glass
> IIRC... otherwise ou
> might need to grind out the welds on that section of
> the tailgate and get it
> from the inside... don't see another way to do it
> without cutting some
> holes.
> 
> -Ryan

Ryan, I know what you are talking about, but that
won't work here as the dent is too long. 

Laura, since the tailgate is sealed, you can try a
slide hammer. But as it's so close to a corner, it may
not work so well. You can try it, and the use filler
to smooth it out, but the thicker the filler, the more
likely to crack it is. 
You could also open the tailgate, hammer out the dent,
and then straighten the side pannel(which I'm sure is
bent a little too)and then weld the tailgate shut &
smooth it out. If you use a slide hammer, you'll wind
up having a ton of holes to to fill, and the screws do
tend to pull through.

Another option that is really good, is a stud puller.
go to http://www.eastwoodcompany.com/ & look up "stud
puller"  It basically welds a small diameter stud to
the pannel, and you use a special puller on that. Some
of the body shops I deal with(I work for an auto parts
store) use them. Once you get the pannel pulled out,
just cut the studs off, & grind down whats left. A
little filler to smooth it out, and it's ready for
paint.

As far as the paint goes, a good quality shop should
be able to match it. Especially if you have the brand
of paint used, and the paint code. 

Mark

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