I know once in a great while we each have a chance to do something we feel we could have avoided. This was Wednesday afternoon of this week. I was backing through a chaine link fence gate opening and just turn in the gate too soon. Thunder paid the price! My 13 year old paint job will require some body's and paint work. I am fortunate that the paint used years ago by my body shop friend will match up ok. He painted the truck in pieces and I assembled it painted. Because he was concerned about matching the paint if anything ever like my goof this week, he refused to add any metal to the paint. My question to the forum, would you pull the fender off to repair and paint it, or repair and match the paint in place? The photo is for Zig. I plan to have the repairs done before I drive my 54 much more. Jim
Ouch! I suppose someone who was bendable and wasn't in need of bifocals could get under there and pound out the dent. Sorry, Jim!
Flames Hot Rod Flames, what a great idea! I have been accused in the past by restoration purist of having a street Rod because I am running Pertronix ignition. Not bone stock, but close. 235, and Patrick's 355:1 ring and pinion. Jim
Love your truck Jim... ghost flames would be cool... the kind that only are visible in bright sunlight.
Here's how we do one like this; you can use some of it, none of it, or part of it--your choice. Repair is your choice, on or off. Paint should be done on the vehicle unless you saved some of the original paint. To make an invisible blend the paint is allowed to drift over onto the adjoining panels (door, hood, cowl) with paper "back taped" in place. This prevents a sharp or "halo" line. After paint the entire surrounding panels are clear coated. If you paint the fender off the truck then when it is bolted up against the other panels often even Ray Charles or Stevie Wonder could see the difference.
Oh yes, it is fixable. AD Suburban rear fenders are just like pickup fenders except they wrap around under the rear tail pan so this makes them rare and pricey. Before and after pics are of a 52 Suburban with a dinged right rear fender. Finished fender has no more than 1/16" of Bondo. Just be patient and massage out the metal with hammer and dolly and probably a shrinking hammer and shrinking dolly also. No banging or beating.
