Help fix my flimsy metal!

-

jonnyboy1617

Active Member
Joined
May 3, 2009
Messages
29
Reaction score
0
Location
Bixby, OK
There is a damaged area right below the gas cap of my 73 Duster, where the metal has been beaten too much (my best guess). I had the area near perfect, until i came back to bondo it, and it was bulging out! So I tried to hit it back it from the outside of the car, it would just rebound and go back to where it was. So I used a dolly to Support the metal surrounding the bulge from the inside, and hit the bulge back into place from the outside. I then did a quick test, and with a light hit with a hammer from the inside, it popped out again. #-o

What can I do to fix this? I was thinking maybe i could try to shrink it, but I have no experience with that yet. Plus, I'm not sure how to epoxy primer will react to the heat.
 
What you need is a shrinking hammer johnnyboy, the face of it is cut with a spirial design. What it does is actually twist the metal if that makes sence. Use it with the dolly and work from the outer edge in to the center. Hope this helps.
 
You may have to turn to heat techniques to shrink the metal back. If it's oil-canning, it's pretty stretched.
 
What you need is a shrinking hammer johnnyboy, the face of it is cut with a spirial design. What it does is actually twist the metal if that makes sence. Use it with the dolly and work from the outer edge in to the center. Hope this helps.
ya what he said and dont be afraid to hit it.(be sure to hit the dolly):cheers:
 
I have a fuel cell in mine, so I just eliminated my gas cap!

comp2.JPG
 
Heat up a spot in the middle if the oil can area until it's red and quench it with water, it will shrink the metal, you may have to do it in 2-3 other areas but smaller to get all of it out.

A shrinking hammer works but you also run the risk of making it worse if you don't know what you are doing, they also make shrinking discs for grinders but it make the metal thinner.
 
-
Back
Top