Hi all, I just spent about an hour or so today working on my roof panel. I had a few of those common crescent shaped dents (that I gather come from something heavy being put on there). I worked them out by lightly tapping on the ridge, while pushing up from underneath on the low spot. Really came out great. But I noticed that there are also two other larger circumference dents. Whatever caused them didn't leave creases like the others. Kind of looks like you could almost push them up from underneath (pop them back out). I couldn't do that though, at least with what I have. Seems like its going to take more than just pushing on them. And I don't want to do more damage by hammering before checking to see with you all if there is a correct way to do this. I definitely don't want to screw up my roof, or have to use any more filler than is necessary.
Thanks
Mike

Taking out dents...
The 1st thing one has to understand is what has happened to the steel...
The surface distance accross a dent is greater than no dent, therefore the metal has stretched.
One can hammer/dolly back up, but this will cause the surrounding area to raise up also....
There are 3 ways to do this
1/hammer/dolly and file...this resaults in thinner metal
2/ A spot in the center of the dent is heated, then the metal surronding is shrunk back into the more malable heated ares, and the dent slowly raises out.
3/Using a battery and junper leads...earth (ground) the body and drag the +ve across the center of the dent, slowly making larger strokes. U will see the stell slowly shrink and the dent raise up...do it right with abit of exceriance and even large dents will dispear needing no final hammer/dolly finishing.

Simply pushing or pulling a dent up, as it comes up and the distance across the dent is greater than the orginal distance, can cause distrotion to surrounding areas, creating even greater problems.

Thanks Steptoe, I have read postings about heating and shrinking which seemed perhaps best left to someone with more experience than me. The battery approach sound interesting. Does it work with heat also?
Mike

These might help.
Pretty easy process and no harm done to the metal. You can shrink and stretch metal many many times with the proper tools and some knowledge.
No filing is done to thin the metal, as you are doing is rearranging metal molecules.

http://www.imagestation.com/album/pictures.html?id=2093955818
http://www.imagestation.com/album/pictures.html?id=2103083895
http://www.imagestation.com/album/pictures.html?id=2099542273

The battery approach sound interesting. Does it work with heat also?
Never done it with heat...shrinking the center with the torch is best to use 2 ppl if possible..it is a bit of an art/feel/experiance thing.
The battery....check out the local wrecking yard, head down with a battery, leads and disk grinder.
Find an old panel with a dent, clean the paint off, and have a play to get the feel....I will never forget the 1st time I saw it done by an old school guy about 30 yrs ago...on an Aussie ford falcon trunk lid that looked like someone had sat in the middle of it....I coulnt believe my eyes.

sevt_chevelle, Steptoe, thanks for the replies. Steptoe, I guess what I was wondering is how the battery method works. Does it heat up the panel?
Mike

Know idea m8...draging the positive over the surface like that doest seem to get that much heat into it...thu it maybe something like extrmemly localised heat, and as it heat cools very fast, it just shrinks the panel ...but thats just a gess, suposition....
or the electo activity stimulates mind over matter and your will power pulls it out ....Well thats what the 'Old School guy' said lol

In theory it doesnt do the battery much good, but I have never seen or killed a battery doing it.

Thanks Steptoe. You know, I think I am going to give it a shot. Whats the worse that could happen! I will let you know how I make out. Any 'other than standard' safety precautions to take when doing this?
So I ground to the body and make successively larger, linear passes through the center of the dent?
Mike

So I ground to the body and make successively larger, linear passes through the center of the dent?

Ground on the same panel...
Yeah start with a 'generous' stroke across the center, lowest point, dont drag to slow or to fast...it starts to slowly move about the 3rd stroke, watch how it moves, think it thru as to where to stroke next.

I was chatting to a good friend yesterday, a young panel beater, mid 30s, but did his appreniceship with and old school guy.
He does a lot of nice restos/paint..and a little insurance work inbetween, diff to most small shops....he works by himself, his own business he 'inhertited' from the boss a few yrs back.
He uses the arch welder.

Mike, most of your answers were right in the Member contributions... Here is the "Basics of Basics" of Flat panel repairs.. http://www.camaros.net/forums/showthread.php?t=12229

Brian

Thanks guys, I did read the flat panel repair description before I started and that is how I got out most of the dents from the roof panel, and really cleaned it up a lot. I am just being cautious about tackling some of the bigger spots that didn't seem to respond to the same approach. Thought I would get some feedback before I caused more damage!
Thanks again!
Mike