MarcDeSoto Posted January 18, 2015 Report Posted January 18, 2015 (edited) Many decades ago, before I bought my 48 DeSoto in 1980, someone let the front driver door go flying away. Somehow this force broke the door stay, unless it was already broken, and the back of the front fender put a crease in the door. I got behind the dent with a body hammer, but could not make the dent get any better. I also tried a body dolly with the same results. I know that that dent is pretty set in its ways now. I might be able to make the metal move by using the cherry silver dollar method with my Oxy/Acetylene outfit. You know the routine. You heat up an area on the crease the size of a silver dollar until it's cherry red, then you hammer the crease out from inside the door. Then you keep making red hot cherries down the crease until it's gone. Although the crease is very noticeable on the door, it only has a depth of about 1/8th of an inch. Question: is this minor enough just to smooth over with some bondo? Edited January 18, 2015 by MarcDeSoto Quote
Andydodge Posted January 18, 2015 Report Posted January 18, 2015 Marc........how long is the crease?............you have an oxy set so do you know how to shrink metal? and use a hammer & dolly?..........if yes to these 2 questions then why not repair it properly, however if no then how long is the crease?.........have you ever used body filler or "bog" as its called downunder........nothing wrong with bog if its used correctly, 1/8th depth is fine, main thing is are you o/k with the general body repair skills then?............if so go at it............bog will last as long as the car.......I widened the rear fenders of my 1940 Dodge 40yrs ago, by 2", welded and hammer finished each fender front to back, then gave them a very thin wipe of bog.......its still in there......main thing is to do it well.......andyd. Quote
MarcDeSoto Posted January 18, 2015 Author Report Posted January 18, 2015 I would say the crease is about two feet long. I took some body classes way back in the 80s, but haven't used those skills much since. Also, if I decide to use heat, do you think the gas in my tanks is still good after 30 years? Quote
Dave72dt Posted January 18, 2015 Report Posted January 18, 2015 If you can get a picture of the afflicted area, you may get a more informed response. I suspect some damage on the side of the inner door panel also so you may be trying to move the metal of two panels at once. The crease isn't going to move unless it has somewhere to go so I suspect the side of the inner door panel needs to go out before the crease can be moved. Quote
Andydodge Posted January 18, 2015 Report Posted January 18, 2015 Easy way to find out about the gas is to light 'em up.......lol.......2feet is a long crease but if you have access to it, oxy set, panel beating tools and a positive attitude then give it a whirl......but try to know when you are outa your depth and stop.......as mentioned, a pic or two would help to give a more informed answer........regards, andyd Quote
Andydodge Posted January 18, 2015 Report Posted January 18, 2015 But if you feel more comfortable using the filler, again, why not...........positive attitude and done well bog is fine.......andyd Quote
Don Coatney Posted January 18, 2015 Report Posted January 18, 2015 MarcDeSoto, on 18 Jan 2015 - 07:15 AM, said: do you think the gas in my tanks is still good after 30 years? What kind of gas? What kind of tank? Acetylene? Gasoline?, Mapp? Flatulence? 1 Quote
austinsailor Posted January 18, 2015 Report Posted January 18, 2015 Use the hammer on the outside, put the dolly on the inside. Tapping on the area next to the dent will drive the dented area into the dolly, moving it out. Doesn't do it fast, but go slowly as you move down the crease working it out a little each pass. If you try to bring one spot all the way out before moving down it'll stretch the metal. Doesn't seem intuitive, but I was surprised how well it worked when a body man showed me. I removed all the hail dents, door dings and creased in roof on my 47 road tractor the way. It works until you run into metal that has been stretched, then the torches and all can come into play. I never mastered that part. Quote
DJ194950 Posted January 18, 2015 Report Posted January 18, 2015 Marc have you ever used a shrinking disc? In the reference section on the top header of this forum check on the references then downloads and then the tools section. There is a video of removing a large dent with dollies, hammers, shrinking disc. It can be a little slower than using a torch but also less likely to overdo the shrinking. The down side? The disc cost $30-$40 but last a long time. The one used in the video has a video avail to detail more use but the tutorial on this forum really helped me with the first time I ever used one. Probably still need some "mud" to fill the small spots but when properly done as Andy said last very well! Best, DJ Quote
1952B3b23 Posted January 21, 2015 Report Posted January 21, 2015 If you could post up some pics of the crease it will be much easier to advise you how to remove it. Good luck. -Chris Quote
MarcDeSoto Posted January 22, 2015 Author Report Posted January 22, 2015 (edited) I finally got around to taking a picture of the door crease on my 48 DeSoto. I said before that it was about 2 feet long. That was a gross exaggeration! The crease is only about 8 inches. I should repeat that I have tried to hammer it out with a dinging hammer and dolly and this metal won't move a peg! Other than the crease, the door is not deformed that I can see, so maybe some filler would be the best thing here. Edited January 22, 2015 by MarcDeSoto Quote
Merle Coggins Posted January 22, 2015 Report Posted January 22, 2015 I had a similar crease in one of my truck's doors. I took it to a guy I know (former co-worker) who had a Rod and Custom shop. He welded studs into the crease and used a slide hammer to pull it up. He then used a shrinking disc to remove some of the oil can effect that the door had, from the stretched metal. I then used body filler to smooth it out. Merle Quote
Dave72dt Posted January 22, 2015 Report Posted January 22, 2015 The problem with working a dent like that out is being able to reach the dent, apply pressure and use the hammer at the same time. Door access is limited, moreso when it's on the car. Unless you have orangutan arms and a couple extra joints in your arms, I don't know how you've been able to do proper hammer , dolly work.. On the car, that's a two man job. If you don't have a stud gun or access to one, you can tack weld strips of metal into the crease and while applying some pulling pressure with a vise grip, use a hammer to coax the crease out. Quote
DJ194950 Posted January 22, 2015 Report Posted January 22, 2015 I have not been able to spent $250-$300 for a stud gun, so I found a nut that fit the threads of my slide hammer and welded a strip of left over sheet metal about 1 by 3 Inches to the nut on the slide hammer. Tack weld the metal strip to low spots ( 1-4 spots, less is preferable, as needed) and gently use the slide to hammer the low spots up. Cut the spots welds off when done with one small spot and repeat as needed. Slower but cheaper! DJ Quote
Plymouthy Adams Posted January 22, 2015 Report Posted January 22, 2015 DJ194950, on 21 Jan 2015 - 10:17 PM, said: I have not been able to spent $250-$300 for a stud gun, so I found a nut that fit the threads of my slide hammer and welded a strip of left over sheet metal about 1 by 3 Inches to the nut on the slide hammer. Tack weld the metal strip to low spots ( 1-4 spots, less is preferable, as needed) and gently use the slide to hammer the low spots up. Cut the spots welds off when done with one small spot and repeat as needed. Slower but cheaper! DJ Works great Doug......I have been using a similar technique for years..my difference is I cut and weld multiple strips of metal but drill a hole in the end and use the HOOK accessory that came with the slide hammer..that way you can move around the damage area for better control working the damage... Quote
_shel_ny Posted January 22, 2015 Report Posted January 22, 2015 (edited) That does not look like a real serious crease. Of course, "up close, and personal" could look a lot different than a photo on the screen. Hard to see now that the pictures have been moved, or deleted in op's photobucket, but if it were me, and I had not touched a torch in 30 years (have not touched one in about 46 years) I would go ahead and go the bondo route, and see if I was pleased with the result. You can't hurt it too badly with some sand paper, bondo, and some primer. Then the hammer, dolly, torch route is still available. Edited January 22, 2015 by shel_ny Quote
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