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Tue Jul 01, 2008 4:38 pm

What is the most evvective way to remove dents from the roof of a beetle. Being a large round surface, any slight dings or waves will show. Whats the best way to get a good finish.
Thanks!
Mike

Wed Jul 02, 2008 3:25 am

Gosh, why not begin body work with a difficult surface!?!

Time, Practice, Skill, and a heaping dose of patience.

That is the ONLY way to get it looking good.

Work it too much and you'll stretch the metal, do a search for shrinking techniques if you do, both here and google.

You might consider getting an old door or other body panel from a junk to work and practice on before you attack your roof. It really does take skill and a feel for how metal reacts to being forced back into shape. No way to learn that except by doing it.

You can take it to a pro and pay $$$ if you have any doubts. It may be the better way to go on this surface, it is just too visible and any flaw will look like crap after your paint is finished.

Also when you get it looking good, prime it well with a DARK primer and wet sand it. Shoot a quick layer of gloss on it and see what it looks like before you paint. The shiny dark color will make any flaw pop out. You could just use a rattle can gloss black and sand it off afterwards.

Dave

Thu Jul 03, 2008 2:00 pm

That is a good answer. If you try it yourself, this is how I approached it:
First I pushed out the dents/buckles with my hands as best I can.
With my fingers/palm supporting the metal from the underside, I tap tap tap VERY lightly on the dent ridges on the top of the roof with the bodymans hammer. You will hear and feel when the metal is approaching its original shape. Move around alot on the dented/edges, and you will be surprised how well you can get the roof back to almost perfect shape.
When your done and the taps with the hammer is ringing the same - all around your dent area - you might have to paint on some high-build primer and do alot of wetsanding with a flexible sandingboard to get your final result