Need an opinion - Leave alone or straighten fender

[Jim_Gruber]

Need an opinion. Been sanding Bugsy's BE Bonnet and discovered a dent right at the inside of the fender curve on the LF. Trying to decise whether this is easy to fix or leave well enough alone and most people will not notice. This has been pounded out already and on the inside bottom the the curve you can feel a split/ cut on the fold of the fender. I worry that messing with this may make matters worse than better. A couple of shots to follow on my progress.

From this angle you can see a little bit of bend on hte top of the fender curve.

 

[Jim_Gruber]

Here is the angle from the top

 

[Jim_Gruber]

Overall bonnet is in pretty good shape after being tweaked, pounded out, sandblasted, and primered to sit outside under a carport for 15+ years. It's coming together. Trevor what do you think after you saw this in Dayton this summer? I think I can make it work, just need to decide on the fender dent. Like I said, I'm afraid if I start pounding on this curve, plus the right angle from the fender bead I might make things worse.

 

[SilentUnicorn]

it is a Battle Scar.

leave it.


m

 

[Trevor Jessie]

If it were me, i'd get it worked out a lot closer before adding filler (but I've a fair amount of experience doing such things). Where it is located, it would live with a good quality filler for many years to come.

 

[JPSmit]

I'd fix it - carefully (or hire a body guy for 1/2 an hour to make a house car.) If it was painted, I'd say leave it but at this stage, it's going to bug you forever if you don't

 

[tony barnhill]

I'd fix it because after the new paint went on, I'd always know it was there and would cring whenever anyone else walked around the car at a show.

& I'd hate it even more if somebody pointed it out to me after the paint was on!

 

[bugimike]

Definitely fix it! I've seen worse!!

 

[scoutll]

I'm in the fix it club. Better to do now, then wish you had after it's pretty and painted.

 

[scoutll]

I'm in the fix it club. Better to do now, then wish you had after it's pretty and painted. You'll always know it's there, and with a dark color, it'll jump out at you all the time.

 

[Trevor Jessie]

The issue here is compounded by the stretch that the rest of the metal has taken. It will not be a simple matter of pounding it out. A quick and dirty fix would be to pie cut it and weld it back. Maybe use Frankss trick of 1/4" round bar reinforcing the fender lip.

 

[bthompson]

I vote to leave the battle scar. You just <span style="font-style: italic">know </span>that bonnet is gonna get dinged again someday, either in a parking lot or just taking it off and on and moving it around. By having the First Ding in place already, it won't be so traumatic when you get your second. If the body was <span style="font-style: italic">perfect</span>, you would live in mortal fear of the first scratch, and when it eventually happened you'd be sick for days.

<span style="font-style: italic">Believe </span>me. Live with the imperfection.

 

[jlaird]

Fix it, you know you will always wish you had if you don't and now is the time.

 

[Midget78]

Fix It! Your always going to know its there even if others dont. Next thing you know you will be ripping it back up if it eats at you enough. Nows the time to make it right. Looks like your doing a good job up to this point. Your doing things the right way so keep that in mind and keep it up.

 

[Jim_Gruber]

OK. the vote is in and I'll see if I can fix it. Since the ding is right down close to the fender wheel well lip, I thought about placing a piece of wood 2 x 2 across the fender opening and with a number of C-Clamps spead out, tighten and pull the curve back into place. If I do it slowly and with precision I think I can pull it straight or at least get it straighter than it is right now. And then I could weld in a piece of R-Bar behind it, Frank's trick, if needed to make sure the curve stays straight. Thanks all for the votes.

Gotta get it done, want to get Bugsy in paint in the next two weeks or sooner. Warmth is coming, saw daffodils peeking their heads out last night.

 

[Gray_Cat]

Jim:
Just tossing in my 1/2 cent worth supporting your decision to repair the dent. I believe your approach will produce good results and if you don't deal with it now, it will probably drive you nuts later!
Roy

 

[Bayless]

Good decision, for all the reasons expressed above.

 

[JPSmit]

do it once - do it right - do as I say, not as I do

 

[Trevor Jessie]

Jim, do you have an acetylene torch?

 

[Jim_Gruber]

Trevor, not acetylene but MAPP Torch. Are you thinking heat and bang away or what?