So how do I go about fixing this?

[Houndogforever]

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This is the nose of a 67 skylark. It is creased pretty deeply right on the nose. Is hooking it from behind to pull out ok, or what is my best starting strategy on this fender.

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it is torn and distorted rather severyly in that leading edge and I'm looking to get some suggestions on how to work that out, or if I should just cut it and weld in a new section.

There was anywhere from 1/8 to3/8" of bondo hiding all this stuff and I'm pretty sure my other fender is similar.

Thanks for all suggestions and ideas.
Jon

[Bob K]

I can't speak for others but I have had luck taking a die grinder with a 3" by 1/32" cut off wheel and just cutting down the middle of the crease full length of the crease. With that done the metal is unbelievably easy to shape. Weld up the cut line as you would if you made a patch after you get the shape you want. The crease acts as a stiffener and makes it very difficult the change the shape of the dent. I do this quite a bit instead of fighting the metal.

Bob K

[Len]

There are a couple ways of approaching that repair....

If you can't expose the back of the damage and hammer it out then one of these may work for you.

1. The old way would be to punch holes in it and use a screw-in slide hammer to pull out the metal. The problem with this old method is that it creates metal damage as well as pulling it out.

2. Cleaning the metal then using a stud welder may work but the damage is pretty deep and the studs could pull holes in the metal.

LINK

3. I would probably opt for brazing pulling plates to the damage and pulling it out with a slide hammer or come-along.

[Houndogforever]

Thanks guys, I do have a stud welder and slide hammer so I'm sure at some point I will be employing that.
That first slide hammer with the J-hooks was something I was wondering would work. I need to find my slide hammer and confirm it's mounting method and see if I can get a couple of those J hooks to use with mine.

I was also thinking about slitting the center of the crease to let me move things around easier. Just wasn't sure if that was a good, bad or indifferent idea.

The more I look at this damage, and the huge amount of filler on the leading edge, I think this fender is rolled in from the outside towards the grille. The sharp line that should be there was made of 1/4" bondo. I reckon hooking onto the front and either slide hammer or even a come along to pull that nose forward and out again. Otherwise I will be fighting those stresses constantly to get it straight.

[Phil V]

The three small creases at the top of the fender should pull out with the stud welder. You might have to add a little heat from an oxy/acteylene torch (small torch tip).

The damage on the verticle section of the fender front is going to be quite a bit more challenging. I personally would
slit that metal at the peak from top to bottom and remove that damage metal then weld in a new section of hand formed metal. It's a lot easier than you might think to do it that way. Wow ! Some bondo jockey mudded the hell out of the front of that fender.

[MARTINSR]

There are a couple of ways to look at repairing that. First off thought is to simply push it forward by putting the fender leaning up against the wall with that nose on a piece of wood (or having someone hold it of course) while you strike that down using a large wide "chisel." I have a chisel for such things made from a solid rod of metal with an 1/8" by 1" piece of angle iron at the end with a nice square end but with the edges rounded off.

So you could simply do that, OR the other thought would be only after I tried a the chisel, if I couldn't get in there for instance, couldn't get a nice straight hit, that sort of thing. That's when I would drill out the spot welds of the inner brace and remove it. Now you would have all the room in the world to work on that outer metal, then once it's repaired plug weld the brace back in.

I don't think much of any stud welder and that stuff is going to work, that metal is too strong there with those deep folds, you would just rip the metal trying to get them out.

I am thinking, you may give it a try but I am thinking it wouldn't work.

Brian

[Houndogforever]

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It's coming along. I'm currently working on it mounted on the car firmly and with the lower arm brace, however no inner fender.

Will the inner fender move the outer fender around or tend to tuck it? I really don't want to fool with that as a unit because it eliminates so much of the back side access.

[MARTINSR]

That right there is looking damn good!

Brian

[Phil V]

That right there is looking damn good!

Brian

Brian, tell him he's hired and ask him what time he wants to start. LOL

Seriously, that looks as good or better than a lot of professional bodymen I worked with over the years.

[Houndogforever]

Wow, thanks guys. For not knowing what the hell I"m doing, it is very reassuring when somebody tells me I did good.

I did end up taking that inner support and cutting all the spot welds and taking that out, then used an air chisel with a rounded bit and pushed the creases up and out. Pushed a little too much so the area was high, but I slapped the crap outta her and I'm pretty happy on the top and side.

Now to tack a cross support in the back, unbolt the inner support and work on the crack and lowest area. Anything below the step on the side is covered by the ginormous bumper so that helps.

Then I will bolt the inner support back in, remount and make sure everything is square and fits right, then unbolt and weld each hole to permanently reattach the inner support to the outer fender.

Oh, I reckon blasting and painting back in there prior to welding in the support is probably a good idea too.

Thanks again for your helpful suggestions all.
Jon