Date: Sun, 30 Jan 2011 11:36:21 -0800
Reply-To: Scott Daniel - Turbovans <scottdaniel@TURBOVANS.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Scott Daniel - Turbovans <scottdaniel@TURBOVANS.COM>
Subject: Re: Body work question
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Hi Rob,
I was almost going to mention heating the metal with a torch to soften it to
get it back into shape..
but you're right I think..
not a good idea and to be avoided if possible.
it's just metal ...
you know how they originally made fenders..
and still do by hand for custom aluminum bodies in Italy ..
the old fashioned original way was to make a 'wooden buck' ..the shape you
wanted, like a fender,
lay the flat metal on it and just work it gently with a hammer , endlessly
..
until the compound curve shape was there..
malleability ..
nice cartelistic to have a material .
it's just metal ...endlessly formable. With patience and skill.
----- Original Message -----
From: "Rob" <becida@comcast.net>
To: "Scott Daniel - Turbovans" <scottdaniel@TURBOVANS.COM>;
<vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Sent: Sunday, January 30, 2011 10:52 AM
Subject: Re: Body work question
> Use a jack on that corner... That's a good idea, thanks! It's been
> mentioned that heat would be a bad idea on the metal and I do have a stud
> dent puller.
>
> Rob
>
>
> At 1/30/2011 10:25 AM, Scott Daniel - Turbovans wrote:
>>well it is 'just metal' and it depends on how good you want it.
>>
>>I have one bigger than that , just like that one ..
>>I might spend many hours on it but I think I can get it quite a bit back
>>to
>>where it was ...
>>to where it just needs the finish body work and painting.
>>
>>where it's pushed under the rear hatch door ..
>>I even forgot I did this on one van ..I jacked carefully across the rear
>>hatch opening ..it a lot of 4 X 4's to support and guide the jacking
>>forces
>>..but I was able to 'sneak' that area back about 1/8th to 1/4 inch to get
>>things lined up with the rear hatch door again.
>>
>>'it's just metal' ..
>>and it depends on your skill, your patience, your creativity etc.
>>My father is a perfectionist nut about things like this. I have seen him
>>remove a dent above a VW Bug headlight with carefully shaped pieces of
>>wood
>>..so the pushing part matches the curve of what you're trying to
>>straighten
>>....and it get it perfect without even harming the paint ...just amazing.
>>
>>on this one I'd start with jacking that edge to the left to get the hatch
>>door 'cut line' back where it belongs..
>>you can't hammer outward right in the corner ..there's a frame member
>>sorta
>>of ..
>>but you can pull those dents out.
>>I got a big stud welder at HF for $ 100 ..it welds on a stud ..
>>then there's a special tool to pull on the stud..
>>gradually you get it back where it was.
>>Eventually you finish off with as little bondo as possible. or however you
>>do it.
>>
>>it's mainly a matter or how good you want it.
>>welding in a whole piece is one option of course.
>>body work is a whole thing unto itself of course..
>>I've gotten quotes of well over $ 500 on things like that ..
>>and even then ...lol.....I have seen so much bad body and paint work it's
>>sickening ..
>>I don't care what you pay ..
>>they tend to make it 'look' right where it's shinny , but otherwise do
>>just
>>awful work very often ..
>>unpainted on the back side, mis-wired tail lights ..whatever.
>>
>>hey ..come to my shop and practice on the same but larger dent in my 87
>>Wolfsburg !
>>scott
>>www.turbovans.com
>>
>>I know very little about bodywork but I'm going to learn.
>>I just put a question and photo on TheSamba about a dent in my left
>>rear corner, feel free to take look.
>>http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?p=5100715#5100715
>>
>>
>>
>>Rob
>>
>>becida@comcast.net
>>Western Washington State, USA
>>
>> ____
>
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