Body work/metal work magician needed

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2shelbys

2shelbys

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OK guys, I am still mulling over what to do with my car. As most of you know, my original paint 383 S was hit by a moron in Carlisle last summer. Before I commit to stripping off the original paint and getting the whole car done I am going to spend some time looking for a magician who can straighten out a slammed fender while saving the original paint. It was hit pretty good:

car1.jpg


I know that if it could be done it would take a ton of hours and it would cost cubic dollars but I am looking at $10k - $12K to do the whole car anyway. The lower part where the worst damage is could be replaced with one of the patch panels that is available but the upper part with the stripe would need to be saved. I know it probably can not be done but I figured I will exhaust all avenues before I go full resto or full resto with a glass hood, fenders, and nose.
 
I have done paintless dent repair professionally for the last 15 years and it is my honest opinion that that fender and door can not be repaired using this method. The metal used in our cars is way too thick to complete a repair as severe as that.

I pushed out some dents on top of my buddies roadrunner's fender where someone had sat their elbows, but that metal was like a battle ship compared to today's cars.

Don't take my word for it. Look in the phone book and have some local guys look at it, won't cost you anything. I just wouldn't get my hopes up.
 
Thats sad. I hope the moron is paying for the repairs.
If you can find a good replacement fender it could be painted to match.
I wouldn't want that fender repaired. The metal is probably stretched.
The movie Christine comes to mind. LOL
Good luck
 
I thought you found a fender for your car in mint condition... didn't you?

Magician would have a lot on his hands with that fender.
 
mullinax95 said:
I thought you found a fender for your car in mint condition... didn't you?

Magician would have a lot on his hands with that fender.
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Yes, I found a pair of NOS fenders. I am also considering glass. I just want to make sure there is no one out there that can save it before I strip off original paint that is in such great shape.
 
The fender is toast.. I don't understand why you want to get the whole car redone???? The only issue I see is the stripe. A good quality body/resto shop should be able to replace and repaint your NOS fender and blend the paint keeping your car 75-80% oem paint. The only problem I see is matching the color of the 40 yr old stripe...taking in weathering,UV damage etc...
 
No way to save the paint on that fender in order to fix it.
 
BobsDart said:
The fender is toast.. I don't understand why you want to get the whole car redone???? The only issue I see is the stripe. A good quality body/resto shop should be able to replace and repaint your NOS fender and blend the paint keeping your car 75-80% oem paint. The only problem I see is matching the color of the 40 yr old stripe...taking in weathering,UV damage etc...
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There is no way to get the stripe to match and the paint will not really match either even if the color is perfect. There is no way to make new paint look 40 years old. The new fender will definitely look newer. I have looked into trying to get all the stripes off but saving the paint, doing just the fender, and every possible other course of action. I would rather not get the whole car done because as far as anyone I have talked to over the last 27 years has been able to determine it is the only one of the 53 '69 383 S 4-speed notchbacks made that is left with it's original paint but so far there is no one who thinks it can be made to look right without doing the whole car. That is part of the reason I have not done anything yet. I want to be DAMN SURE there is no way of saving it.
 
I remember seeing your car @ Carlisle last year...ouch... I've been in the auto paint industry for long time, both sides of the spray gun. This is no disrespect for your car........but the factory paint jobs of the past were not that good.. Your car has held up very well for its age. Ma Mopar used acrylic enamel on their cars, I still feel if you would use PPG Delstar Acrylic enamel #DAR 9000 black, I work for a PPG distributer, or Dupont Centari 99A will give you the "older look".. Maybe even try Lacquer???? You might have to lightly run a buffer over the entire car or lightly wet sand and buff the fender to get that look. Maybe you can get the shop that will be doing the whole job to do a spray out on an old panel first...
Looking at the fender there are too many creases where the paint will crack once it is straighten, needing to be repainted anyway..
I will talk with one of my shops next week and get their thoughts...

Bob
 
That's really too bad...but IMO that fender is WAY beyond that type of repair.
the top of the fender crease is pushed and even with tools it'll need a bit of plastic to resemble it's former self...
 
The fender is definitely salvageable, but the paint is not. The paintless type of dent repair won't work on stuff where the metal has been stretched. Some skilled metal working is needed on that one, in order to get it straight again you'll need someone that knows how to stretch and shrink metal. It can definitely be done with excellent results, but they're won't be any paint on it when its done.
 
All of it is repairable!! I have repaired worse than that with less than 1/32" of poly glaze. Of course there is NO way without refinishing it! I don't know about you guys but down here in the South the paint stores have means to match the color perfectly. PPG paint stores have a device (i think it is called the "Profit"). It is set on the finish and scans the finish for a few seconds and they plug it into the computer and pooooof, your color is matched deadon!! I know, i just had them use it on the underside of my decklid to match the true QQ1 blue! I tried having them use the code and the color they produced was way lighter. almost B5 just a few shades darker! QQ1 almost resembles Bahama blue the chevy used in the early 90s..
 
One of the guys on the Maryland Mopars forum is trying to track down a number for a vinyl graphics place that can do color-matched custom stripes. Does anyone here know of someone who does this? If I can get a stripe that matches the originals then I can just paint and stripe the NOS fender I have access to, fix the damage to the lower door, and LEAVE EVERYTHING ELSE ALONE. This would be ideal. And WAY cheaper. I was going to let the car sit instead of dropping $10K - $12K on it since Obama is busy trying destroy the economy but I may be able to free up a couple grand and still have sufficient reserves to ride out any disaster.
 
Great news! One of my old friends from my Shelby Dodge days is pretty sure he can make me a custom color sport stripe that will match the originals on the car. Looks like the majority of the original paint may get to stay right where it is. So much for a glass front end. NOS fender here I come.
 
2shelbys said:
Great news! One of my old friends from my Shelby Dodge days is pretty sure he can make me a custom color sport stripe that will match the originals on the car. Looks like the majority of the original paint may get to stay right where it is. So much for a glass front end. NOS fender here I come.
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That sounds like the best solution. I've done bodywork professionally since 1973 and that's what I would do if it was my personal car.
Dallas
 
2shelbys said:
Great news! One of my old friends from my Shelby Dodge days is pretty sure he can make me a custom color sport stripe that will match the originals on the car. Looks like the majority of the original paint may get to stay right where it is. So much for a glass front end. NOS fender here I come.
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youget the stripe and R>F body works in fredrick can fix door and match the paint thay know were to get the older paint thats what thay do is old mopars..
 
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