Anyone ever (successfully) filled dents on car bodywork?

[swee'pea99]

Managed to get a second dent/scrape on the front wing. Has anyone ever used that filler paste stuff? Does it work? Is it hard? I have a feeling it's too shallow for filler to get a grip - it's basically a narrow trench, a mm or two deep, surrounded by a very shallow 'valley', perhaps 4" long, two across. Doable? Or will it end up looking like crap?

 

[Night Train]

[quote name='swee'pea99' timestamp='1284070413' post='1392190']
Managed to get a second dent/scrape on the front wing. Has anyone ever used that filler paste stuff? Does it work? Is it hard? I have a feeling it's too shallow for filler to get a grip - it's basically a narrow trench, a mm or two deep, surrounded by a very shallow 'valley', perhaps 4" long, two across. Doable? Or will it end up looking like crap?
[/quote]

It is possible and not difficult. However, getting it to look good takes effort and a fair bit of skill.
The general process is like this:

First you need to throughly wash the area around the scrape.
Sand in and around the scrape back to bare metal.
Then mix and apply the filler to just proud of the surface then leave to cure.
When cured wet sand flat with increasingly fine grades of wet and dry paper down to the metal so that the scrape is smooth.

Then it gets difficult and some people give up at this point and leave it to go rusty.

Throughly clean the wing with soapy water to ensure there are no oils, dirt or other contamination.
Spray with a good primer, preferably an etch primer, leave to cure.
Lightly wet sand back using a block to pick up any high or low points.
Dry and prime again.
When the surface is smooth spray with an under coat suitable for the finish colour.
Lightly wet sand as before and spray again, etc.
Then spray a top coat of colour, maybe two coats.
Then spray with clear coat, 4 or 5 times, leave to cure.
Cut back the surface and polish the whole wing.

Of course you will need to mask off other areas before spraying and if it is a metalic paint the the whole wing will need to be sprayed.

I have a friend in Chorley who can do all that and I have been suggesting to him that it may be worth while doing this sort of repair as a mobile body repair service.

You can probably YouTube a step by step process.




TBH I don't even bother with them on my car other then to stop rust. I figure that, with my track record, if I leave it long enough someone will crash into the damaged panel and their insurer will cover the cost in their overal repair. I got most of them done that way.

 

[asterix]

I wouldn't bother. It's only a car. OTOH when I dented my tourer I took it to a top frame builder for a new tube to be fitted. Lovely job he made of it.

 

[XmisterIS]

My dad had an old mini clubman when I was a kid - he used to fill dents and rusted-through areas of the bodywork with polyfiller - it worked quite well!

 

[Over The Hill]

You often get a line at the point where the filler fades out at the edge of the dent. More of an issue is the paint job after the dent. DIY is usually crap.

If the car is only going for scrap after you have had it then bodge it. If it is any good then the it is devalued by a bodge.

Most front wings on cars are just held on with about eight bolts, if it is a popular model you may be able to get a replacement wing from a scrappie for less than the cost of all the filler.

 

[tyred]

Night Train has written an excellent guide but unless the car is of reasonable value or is in otherwise immaculate condition, I wouldn't bother, especially if it is metallic paint as it can be diffiuclt to get it to match and blend in.

Some "professionals" shouldn't be allowed anywhere near a car and most are very expensive. If you are going to pay someone, use somebody recomended by a trusted friend/relative.

 

[Leah]

Paintless dent removal?

 

[threebikesmcginty]

Careful you don't use the Father Ted method of dent removal

 

[NormanD]

A tin of Humbrol enamel white paint a very fine paint brush and paint the word "Ouch!" next to it 

 

[User482]

Get one of the dent removal people out. DIY is a PITA.

 

[Archie_tect]

We've used "Chips Away" for dent, crease removal and spray repairs a few times- they are very reasonable. May be a local franchise near you. it's very satisfying seeing them manipulate the panel to remove the dent damage.

 

[swee'pea99]

We've used "Chips Away" for dent, crease removal and spray repairs a few times- they are very reasonable. May be a local franchise near you. it's very satisfying seeing them manipulate the panel to remove the dent damage.

Hmmmm...from the other comments, it looks like this may be my best option. How much did they charge? The car's not worth much and I don't want to go throwing good money after bad, but 'er indores would prefer it fixed, I know.

 

[vernon]

Then get 'her indoors' to pay the bill......

 

[Smokin Joe]

and I don't want to go throwing good money after bad, but 'er indores would prefer it fixed, I know.

Leave the dent then.

Adds a bit of character and other drivers keep away from you.

 

[Archie_tect]

Depends on the dent SP. If they can lift it out maybe half an hour's work, if they need to spray it maybe an afternoon. Look up Chips Away in your Phone Book or on google. The last repair we had was to take out a dent in a pushed in door panel which had a crease in the top edge. No paint required and it cost about £60. A creased dent in a wing + a split in a plastic bumper repair and spray in metallic silver cost £180 but it was instead of replacing the wing which would have cost over £500.

http://www.chipsaway...k/free-estimate