Someone hit my car

[Starter986]

Originally Posted by husker boxster

Those kits are fine for novices when you have a small dent. But this would require some knowledge where to pull first and how hard. You don't want a field of lumps with a bunch of stretched metal. By nature, metal wants to go back to its original shape. But if you start in the center and pull hard (a novice's 1st inclenation), you'll get a big dome and low spots around it. You've lost the ability to get it to bounce back to its natural shape after that and are left with more work with all the high and low areas you've created than if you'd left it totally alone. A knowledgable person would know to start on an edge and do a small pull, then jump to the other side for another small pull, etc until the the dent wants to pop back into its original shape.

If this was a small dent, I'd say knock yourself out trying it yourself. But no need to make more work for the body shop when you make a mess out of this one.

The metal is hard, and the way it crushed under created a great resistance to pulling it out (by hand). I'll leave it to the pros. I wouldn't want to **************** it up so badly that it would require a donor panel, welding, etc.

[blue62]

Husker is spot on.
This is not a panel you want to experiment with, try to learn body work on, or go as cheap as possible on.
A novice would make a mess of the repair, do real damage to the metal and end up with something that looked far worse then it is now.
Pulling is not as simple as it sounds. You have to have knowledge and experience. Done correctly it looks very simple, done wrong and you will make a real mess of things.
If you want it done right take it to a Qualified professional that knows his trade.

[blue62]

double post, dang it.

[Rob175]

Regarding the OP having a $1,000 deductible:

FYI....a few years ago, after being "chastised" by a buddy for carrying a $250 deductible on all of my vehicles (he said I was spending too much for the low deductible) I contact my insurance company to price out higher deductibles.

I was surprised to learn that the premium difference between a $250 , $500 and a $1,000 deductible was so small (and very affordable) that it wasn't worth the savings to raise my deductible.

Others may find different results, but I suggest some research could be interesting.

[blue62]

Originally Posted by ike84

Fwiw, you can buy those kits on Amazon for under $50. You may wanna order one and try it out. Send it back if it doesn't, but it may save you quite a bit of $ if it does.

I've used them before and while not perfect, theyre the best $50 spent on body work imaginable. I'm getting ready to do it on my truck's c pillar. I can post pics if you want.

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Ike
post some pictures of the trucks dent damage.

[ike84]

Originally Posted by blue62

Ike

post some pictures of the trucks dent damage.

Pics

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[ike84]

Oh come on guys, how do you get good at something if you never try!?!? Plus, husker just gave such a good example of what an idiot would do that we can all skip that step and move on to doing it like the pros!

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[78F350]

Originally Posted by ike84

Oh come on guys, how do you get good at something if you never try!?!? Plus, husker just gave such a good example of what an idiot would do that we can all skip that step and move on to doing it like the pros!

[ike84]

Originally Posted by 78F350

Oh yeah! That'll buff out

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[blue62]

Ike
That is a little nasty.
Is there paint cracking at the lower right portion of the dent? on a ridge?
If you pull that dent pull just a little then tap your crowns (pressure ridges) down.
Sometimes they don't move by tapping. but tap them anyway.
Then pull a little more and tap the crowns down over and over.
The idea is to release pressure in the area of the damage.
All the pressure is in the crowns(ridges).
You want to watch the crowns (ridges) the most.
You want them to soften and start to flow toward the low area of the dent.
If you pull up to much low metal to fast it will put more pressure on the crowns (ridges).
Then things will get worse.
Softening the crowns and getting them to start flowing towards the center of the lowest area is the
most important concept to understand.
You want to pull in a way that it helps to open up the crowns release the pressure and allow the crowns to drop and flow towards the lows.
Plan every pull to help do that.
Then help the crowns along by tapping.

Warm the area up with a heat gun it will soften the paint and help keep it from cracking.
It will also make the metal move easier. Keep the metal warm while working on it.

[ike84]

Originally Posted by blue62

Ike
That is a little nasty.
Is there paint cracking at the lower right portion of the dent? on a ridge?
If you pull that dent pull just a little then tap your crowns (pressure ridges) down.
Sometimes they don't move by tapping. but tap them anyway.
Then pull a little more and tap the crowns down over and over.
The idea is to release pressure in the area of the damage.
All the pressure is in the crowns(ridges).
You want to watch the crowns (ridges) the most.
You want them to soften and start to flow toward the low area of the dent.
If you pull up to much low metal to fast it will put more pressure on the crowns (ridges).
Then things will get worse.
Softening the crowns and getting them to start flowing towards the center of the lowest area is the
most important concept to understand.
You want to pull in a way that it helps to open up the crowns release the pressure and allow the crowns to drop and flow towards the lows.
Plan every pull to help do that.
Then help the crowns along by tapping.

Warm the area up with a heat gun it will soften the paint and help keep it from cracking.
It will also make the metal move easier. Keep the metal warm while working on it.

Thanks for the advice blue. That was my plan - work my way from the outside in along a circular path, with a masons hammer near by for some gentle persuasion. The part along the window will be the most difficult I think, hopefully I don't break it. It's ok if I do, that gives me a reason to get a new window with the doggy door in it like I've always wanted lol. I'm not going for perfect, just enough to be able to Bondo and then she needs a new paint job.

Ironically enough, the cedar 8x8s that held up the barn which crushed the truck are being repurposed - they will make fine cross members for a flat bed! That way, not only did she survive the beating, but she got something out of it lol.

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[blue62]

Originally Posted by ike84

Thanks for the advice blue. That was my plan - work my way from the outside in along a circular path, with a masons hammer near by for some gentle persuasion. The part along the window will be the most difficult I think, hopefully I don't break it. It's ok if I do, that gives me a reason to get a new window with the doggy door in it like I've always wanted lol. I'm not going for perfect, just enough to be able to Bondo and then she needs a new paint job.

Ironically enough, the cedar 8x8s that held up the barn which crushed the truck are being repurposed - they will make fine cross members for a flat bed! That way, not only did she survive the beating, but she got something out of it lol.

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Start at that sharpe "V" closest to the door. then work slowly to the right. That will lift and roll metal towards the door which will unlock that mess in the lower right and move some metal away from the rear window.
Think of how the pleats in an accordion open and close. As the edges of the pleat move out and up the center ridge opens and drops.
With a "V" as sharpe as the one pointing at the door you want to start as close to the "V" as possible with your pull tab and still move metal.
The sharper the "V" or ridge the more tension or pressure locked up in that area.

Your only going to be able to rough it out because you can't get to the back side with anything.
But you may be able to move enough metal to improve the gap at the window and the door if the door gap was affected.
Then you can level it with Bondo as you said.
So it is more important to get the highs down (gently) then it is to get the lows up.

[ike84]

Originally Posted by blue62

Start at that sharpe "V" closest to the door. then work slowly to the right. That will lift and roll metal towards the door which will unlock that mess in the lower right and move some metal away from the rear window.
Think of how the pleats in an accordion open and close. As the edges of the pleat move out and up the center ridge opens and drops.
With a "V" as sharpe as the one pointing at the door you want to start as close to the "V" as possible with your pull tab and still move metal.
The sharper the "V" or ridge the more tension or pressure locked up in that area.

Your only going to be able to rough it out because you can't get to the back side with anything.
But you may be able to move enough metal to improve the gap at the window and the door if the door gap was affected.
Then you can level it with Bondo as you said.
So it is more important to get the highs down (gently) then it is to get the lows up.

Thanks again blue. I got sidetracked by the ignition issue and haven't started it yet but I will post pics on progress when able to do so..

Btw, starter, sorry for hijacking your thread

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[Starter986]

Originally Posted by ike84

Thanks again blue. I got sidetracked by the ignition issue and haven't started it yet but I will post pics on progress when able to do so..

Btw, starter, sorry for hijacking your thread

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All good. And... I hear ya about getting sidetracked, lol. Be sure to post some pictures of your dent repair. I wouldn't touch that with a 10-foot pole. You've balls of steel.

[Smallblock454]

Congrats on that.

But let us also see the results. I'm very interested in how the repair will be done and how the result will look like.

[Goldenzrule]

If you do end up needing a new taillight, I have a great condition pair off my 2000 986S. I no longer have the car. I had swapped them for clear tails, the ones I have are factory with the amber. Happy to sell them to you at a good price if you end up in need of new ones. Sorry to hear about the hit and run but glad you are getting it sorted

[Rob175]

Can't wait to see pictures of the final job....and to learn what method they eventually used (pulling or welding).

[blue62]

Originally Posted by Rob175

Can't wait to see pictures of the final job....and to learn what method they eventually used (pulling or welding).

The method used is going to be very dependent on the type of repair shop he takes it to.
Also on how much money he is willing to spend.

[Starter986]

Appraiser comes out tomorrow to give the car an inspection and quote, then I'll run over to the body shop and schedule the work.

The body shop guy said if it can't be pulled/pushed/whatever then it may require a replacement panel. They're also going to shoot the corner of the bumper cover, blend, and shoot a coat of clear on the entire bumper.

I, too, am looking forward to seeing how it comes out. As I am color blind I'll bring my wife or someone else so they can assess if the blending is kosher, if you know what I mean.

Cheers!

[Stl-986]

I would go back to the shop and tell them to fix it