Anyway to fix very slight dent in body without painting ?

[bighealeysource]

Hey all,
Had a small metal object fall on the shroud of my Austin Healey up close to windshield and despite the best efforts of a great paintless fix a dent guy, still have a 'crease' about 3/4 inch long by 3/32 wide and no deeper than a 1/16 deep. The aluminum front shroud actually was harder to completely get rid of the original dent versus a typical steel body panel. I have been thinking of maybe filling in the crease with multiple layers of touch up paint and then trying to sand it level with 1000 grit paper, then buff out. Any other ideas as otherwise my only option is to repaint the entire front shroud with all the work to remove all trim plus obvious expense ?
Thanks,
Mike

 

[Gliderman8]

Don't know if this actually works, but this is what I've heard and it might be worth a try since there is nothing to lose...
Take some dry ice and put it in some something like a ziplock plastic bag, then place it on the dent. It just may "pop" out due to the metal shrinking from the cold.
Oh yeah, if you try this make sure to wear some gloves so you don't burn you hands handling the dry ice.
As I said, I've only heard about it and never tried it.

edit: if you are going to try this, the sooner the better before the metal takes on the "memory" of the dent.

 

[JPSmit]

Might be worth either using a body hammer yourself (tape the paint) or take to a body shop. At this point you are planning to paint anyway.

 

[LarryK]

I have used the paint touch-up filler method on waterbase paint with success. I have used it on old lacquer painted cars too.

 

[bighealeysource]

Thanks for the recommendations guys ! Reason I still have the crease, and that is probably the wrong thing to call it, is the spot on the aluminum shroud where the metal box hit actually compressed the thickness of the alloy and is left after the dent was removed by the paintless dent removal system. Guess all I can do is try filling it in with touch up paint and see if I can wet sand it level and then buff out.
Even if I have it painted that is what a body shop will do, put a skim coat on the spot and then paint over it.
Regards,
Mike

 

[Bayless]

Wouldn't it be better and just about a easy to use proper filler then paint over that?

 

[bighealeysource]

Hey Bayless,
You are absolutely correct that it would be very simple to apply either body filler or spot putty to fill it in. Problem was or is getting an accurate color match to the existing Reno red. I have had two different paint supply shops try to match and their attempts have produced a red that is almost correct but not quite a perfect match so where this is would stick out like a sore thumb. Thank goodness I still have some touch up paint from the restoration done some years back. Guarding that stuff like gold ! Anyway, I did try the several layers of touch up paint into the crease and it worked. Used some 600 grit to level off, then 2000 to remove majority of the scratches and will hit with a buffer this weekend. Looks almost perfect but think no one but me will know where it was !
Thanks,
Mike

 

[Bayless]

Hey glad to hear you got it done.