Best Method For Repairing Door Shell.

Is that a new reproduction door? Looks like it is in EDP.
If so, I would try hard to send it back. Say damage wasn't visible until packaging was opened.
Worth a shot before trying to repair, IMO.
 
Dean Jenkins said:
Is that a new reproduction door? Looks like it is in EDP.
If so, I would try hard to send it back. Say damage wasn't visible until packaging was opened.
Worth a shot before trying to repair, IMO.
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If that were so easy. This is the second door that was sent. The first one was worse.
In all reality i think my wife moved it. I inspected the door upon delivery and do not believe it was there. No sence in making her feel bad so i will try to fix it.
 
dhutton01 said:
Instead of a slide hammer I like this tool for gentle pulls on studs. You can use some hammer action on adjacent metal as you pull.

www.autobodytoolmart.com

Steck Stud Lever - 20014

Steck Manufacturing Company has released another winning tool: The Stud Lever (P/N 20014) will allow a technician to quickly grip studs (pull pins) and controlling the dent pulling process as well as accuracy of the pull. A strong reinforced Nylon lever with pivoting base and self-locking...
www.autobodytoolmart.com

Don
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That's a slick little tool. Thanks for sharing.
 
Looking at your fresh pics, the damage doesn't look as bad as in your first pic posted. Still hard to see exactly what's going on (for me at least), as your new pics look different that the first pics you posted. It's hard for me to see what's going on other than the door edge being damaged. It appears as if the dent was from the edge compressing towards the center of the panel. Makes sense if this happened in shipping. Also would explain the excessive amount of dsiplaced metal. If that is the case you need to pull the edge out. As you do so the highs will lessen and it will start to return to it's original shape. I can't see exactly what's going on so it's hard for me to give you a step by step.
Study the dent before you do anything. Try to visualize what happened and how the damage went in, then try to work in reverse to remove the damage. L.I.F.O. (last in , first out) Sorry for not being able to give you hard specifics on what to do, I just can't see enough in those pictures.
 
I don't know if this will help much...I'm working on a 72 and took some measurements. About 7" down from the body line on the door is it's longest point, 51 15/16". That's on a stock door. This could give you a distance to shoot for when pulling it out.
If you have a die set you could get some 3/8" CR round stock or allthread, cut 3 pieces about 12-14" long, flatten 1" of each on the ends, put threads on the other if round stock, weld the flats about 1" apart on the inside of the door lip for slide hammers and slowly pull it out.
Like Chris mentioned heat will be needed. Its going to be a tuff one to straighten.
Just my .02 worth

John
 
I think you're going to have a tough go at pulling the entire thing while still intact/spot welded. My thoughts are to separate the inner door and the folded flange in the affected area to be able to metal bump the severe damage using a slapper or leaf spring type tool slipped under the skin. I have a pair of vise grips I've modified for helping to "unfold" the flanges on door skins, which may help if you go that route...


Here's the door skin "un-flangers"...

Probably one of the biggest challenges in taking things apart for repairs is doing so without inflicting more damage. I had seen a recent post where Marty showed some pliers used to remove door skins, and thought they would come in handy here on the bottom of the tailgate.

This is why you never throw away Vice grips that have the rounded off teeth that have just lost their bite. Modify them to make another tool! The lower jaw is ground with a 3" cutoff wheel to receive the edge of the door skin without slipping...

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Then a suitable "blade" is found....

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Some welding and grinding, and we have a new body tool.....

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Starting at the corner, a diagonal slice is made in the inner panel so it will remove easier...

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....and the tool is used to gently pry up on the flange of the tailgate skin.....

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Spot welds were removed with a burr grinder, in an attempt to keep the damage (and hole diameter) to the skin flange at a minimum. Continuing:

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Some welding and grinding, and we have a new body tool.....

Curious MP&C...did you have to use missile rod on that or just mig weld it. It does look like it would work really well for that!!
 
Just regular old MIG weld and ground it until it was presentable. :p

The best part about vise grip modified tools is they always close to the same spot for consistency in how far you’re pulling up the flange. Then adjust tighter and make another complete pass.
 
MP&C said:
My thoughts are to separate the inner door and the folded flange in the affected area to be able to metal bump the severe damage using a slapper or leaf spring type tool slipped under the skin. I have a pair of vise grips I've modified for helping to "unfold" the flanges on door skins, which may help if you go that route...
Click to expand...
If you are going down the path of pulling back the door skin, I'd just pull the whole skin by grinding the edge and replace it.
Problem solved, dent gone, takes a few hours.
Here is a video of me doing it a few months ago:

 
If the original skin is salvageable, it's much better to save it than to put on an offshore knockoff. When I was a kid you could still buy factory skins for musclecars, if I had a crystal ball I would have bought a ton of them. Those days are long gone.
 
crashtech said:
If the original skin is salvageable, it's much better to save it than to put on an offshore knockoff. When I was a kid you could still buy factory skins for musclecars, if I had a crystal ball I would have bought a ton of them. Those days are long gone.
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The whole door is "an offshore knockoff." It is not OEM door.
So, putting another pristine "offshore knockoff" skin on the shell vs. spending hours trying to work a difficult dent out of an "offshore knockoff" skin is a no brainer for me.
 
Kawickrice said:
With that being said I am stuck with this one. I need the $400 plus for other parts.
I will have to tackle this one myself unfortunately.
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My suggestion was to accommodate the OP wishes of fixing what’s there. Sure, ten different was of doing this. Fixing the existing narrows it down.
 
I feel fortunate that there's a yard within 120 miles for parts. I'm not a big fan of after market so when he's got what I need in good condition that's where I go. But sometimes you don't have a choice...

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