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Calling all bodymen or women :)

R

Rob Z

Member
Well my 69 Coupe was minding its own business the other night. Quietly sleeping in the driveway when a big bad hail storm appeared out of nowhere. Yes NO-where. It had been 70 all day and no clouds. It is amazing what can hide just over the hill. Well now there are several hundred tiny hail dents on the rear deck, fender tops, roof and hood. The only way to see them is getting down and catching the light just right, but they are there. In addition to the hail there are some some rust spots beginning to appear (at dings and chips). There is also some damage to the front fender and door which needs work.

The car - Belongs to our oldest. 69 Coupe Restomod, Daily driver, not original paint (white with a tint of blue). Not going to be a show car but he wants it to look good.

The kid - Just back from his second trip to Iraq. This time he is in the hospital and will be out of the Army on medical about mid-Summer.

Me - So far have done all the repair and upgrades on the car. Soon dropping a new engine in the 69. As a mechanic I hold my own, but have done so little body work it is better to say none. With the right/good information believe I can accomplish most anything. I'm stoping all work on my 70 Coupe to get his car done ASAP.

The goal - To save as much money on repairing and repainting his car as possible but give him a car he can continue to enjoy.

I realize this is a wide open question, but I'm looking for the way to proceed. The big damage I will hammer as close as possible then use filler to finish. The rust I can sand then either remove and seal or convert and seal. My thought for the little hail dings is scuff the paint (which is well bonded) then use a product like Slick Sand http://www.eastwood.com/slick-sand-gallon.html to fill the dings. I'm not sure about painting the car as my space is VERY limited, but is one option. The other option is paying someone else, but here in Carlsbad,NM I'm looking at a pertty penny.

So what are your thoughts? And plan on many questions as I get into this :)

Thanks
Rob Z.
 
I got caught in a hail storm in Sturgis with my truck. When I got home the body shop took all the tiny dents out with dry ice I did not see the process but it was really cheap and it looked great
 
"TREE" said:
I got caught in a hail storm in Sturgis with my truck. When I got home the body shop took all the tiny dents out with dry ice I did not see the process but it was really cheap and it looked great
Click to expand...

+1. A really good paint-free ding removal person can do wonders with hail damage. I'm sure, though, that the best are now tied up at the local stealerships. It might be worthwhile asking at your favorite stealership.
 
"TREE" said:
I got caught in a hail storm in Sturgis with my truck. When I got home the body shop took all the tiny dents out with dry ice I did not see the process but it was really cheap and it looked great
Click to expand...

I've heard of this but have not seen it done.

If you decide to use a paintless dent removal person, be careful. It takes a lot of experience to do a good job.
 
"Midlife" said:
+1. A really good paint-free ding removal person can do wonders with hail damage. I'm sure, though, that the best are now tied up at the local stealerships. It might be worthwhile asking at your favorite stealership.
Click to expand...

There are some fly by night outfits that work out of dealerships too. Get references and if possible, actually watch them do someone else's car. Look for pick marks where they removed the dent. Be advised that if they don't have access to the back side of a panel, they will gain access by drilling 3/8ths to 1/2 inch holes and putting nice generic looking plastic plugs in the holes.
 
Study up on the dry ice procedure. My father in law did it many years ago on a '87 Silverado. Never saw a dent when he was done and no repainting. I was not there but saw the before and after. He hated spending money, even on the dry ice so I know a body shop was not involved.
 
"Rob Z" said:
Well my 69 Coupe was minding its own business the other night. Quietly sleeping in the driveway when a big bad hail storm appeared out of nowhere. Yes NO-where. It had been 70 all day and no clouds. It is amazing what can hide just over the hill. Well now there are several hundred tiny hail dents on the rear deck, fender tops, roof and hood. The only way to see them is getting down and catching the light just right, but they are there. In addition to the hail there are some some rust spots beginning to appear (at dings and chips). There is also some damage to the front fender and door which needs work.

The car - Belongs to our oldest. 69 Coupe Restomod, Daily driver, not original paint (white with a tint of blue). Not going to be a show car but he wants it to look good.

The kid - Just back from his second trip to Iraq. This time he is in the hospital and will be out of the Army on medical about mid-Summer.

Me - So far have done all the repair and upgrades on the car. Soon dropping a new engine in the 69. As a mechanic I hold my own, but have done so little body work it is better to say none. With the right/good information believe I can accomplish most anything. I'm stoping all work on my 70 Coupe to get his car done ASAP.

The goal - To save as much money on repairing and repainting his car as possible but give him a car he can continue to enjoy.

I realize this is a wide open question, but I'm looking for the way to proceed. The big damage I will hammer as close as possible then use filler to finish. The rust I can sand then either remove and seal or convert and seal. My thought for the little hail dings is scuff the paint (which is well bonded) then use a product like Slick Sand http://www.eastwood.com/slick-sand-gallon.html to fill the dings. I'm not sure about painting the car as my space is VERY limited, but is one option. The other option is paying someone else, but here in Carlsbad,NM I'm looking at a pertty penny.

So what are your thoughts? And plan on many questions as I get into this :)

Thanks
Rob Z.
Click to expand...


This may be a silly question, but shouldn't his insurance policy be covering the hail damage?
 
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