Peuty

i parked in coles today to get some food. came back and some d*ckhead had decided to run into the back of my car! Luckily the ding is only a relativley small one ie. the diameter of an orange, and it looks like i should be able to ding it back out. How would i go about this? What tools etc would i need? Would I be better off getting it fixed by a pro?

Cheers
Daniel

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Klawsterfobik

It depends on how deep it is, and how good of a finish you want. Accessability is another concern, as you would have to get to it from the revese side of the panel.

If you haven't had any experience, (which it sounds to be the case) give AusDent a call, from what i hear they're good, and you dont even have to re-paint the panel! Dunno what kind of price though *shrugs*

If you wanted to give it a shot yourself, you'll have to find a set of Dolly's (metal that are all different shapes), and some panel hammers, which are different from normal "bashing nails into stuff" hammers :) If you do go this route, your going to stretch the metal no matter what you do, and will have to get it shrunk again, which you would probably need a pro to do.

If you do decide to do it yourself, reply and ill go into more detail for you.

Hope this helps.
Dale

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- Dale

Peuty

Yeah i might just give it a go just so i know how hard it could be

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Klawsterfobik

Sorry about the late-ish reply, was having a few probs with my account.

If the ding is small enough, you may be able to "rub" it out, using an appropriate dolly. Select your dolly according to the shape of the panel that your working on. Obviously if its a flat panel you wouldn't use a dolly thats too curvatious.

From re-reading your post this would probably be the best option for you IMO. Try and be as gentle as you can be, and try and work it over a broard-ish area, but not too far, or you will end up with a big "high spot". Although i would consider this to be better than a great big ding in your tailgate or whatever.

So go and get yourself a Dolly or two, i think you can pick them up from Repco, or alike. Granted they're not awesome, top of the range dolly's, but they'll definatly do, its what i use.

I learnt all this doing a short TAFE course, in Geelong. It was only 3months, and like $600 ish. But definately worth it, hey i dont have to pay a panel beater to beat out what other people beat in

Dale

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- Dale

Peuty

cheers mate, the help is definatley appreciated

Daniel

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brmiau

hey, i parked my car to enter a party and came out to it a little while later to find someone had also smashed into my car, although it would appear to be worse than yours...

its the drivers side rear door that has been damaged, its a decent size dent taking up the lower half of the door. i just wonder what would be better? a new door or get the thing fixed at a panel beater?

cheers