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Sun Mar 24, 2019 2:04 pm

So I’m starting to consider how to fix what needs to be fixed on my convert. Here is the only issue with the body. It looks like there was minor fender bender in the past. The body is slightly dented but it’s in an area I can’t get to from behind . Any suggestions ?

Sun Mar 24, 2019 3:52 pm

Take the beetle to a frame shop and have them pull that fender area back out.

Sun Mar 24, 2019 4:04 pm

Been there. Done that. Easy Peasy. My two cents -

Get a stud welder from Harbor Freight for a hundred bucks.
https://www.harborfreight.com/stud-welder-dent-repair-kit-61433.html

Or... Have it shipped to your door by Amazon for a hundred twenty five https://www.amazon.com/Stud-Welder-Dent-Repair-Kit...7833386529

It comes with the studs. Plug it in, melt some studs onto the metal with a brief pull of the trigger.

Clamp a vice-grips pliers on to the stud and pull with a steady easy pressure.

Tap around on the high-spots with a body hammer that you pulled out of the set you got from Harbor Freight for thirty-five bucks. https://www.harborfreight.com/body-and-fender-set-7-pc-63259.html

Watch the dent rise back into shape.

Clamp the vice-grips to the base of the stud where it meets the body metal and twist it right off.

Finish with your preferred body filler.

Enjoy.

Sun Mar 24, 2019 6:45 pm

It looks as if it’s pushed the fender mounting flange almost vertical/perpendicular to the ground. That’s a fairly major fender bender, not minor. You’ll have to do some serious whacking with a slide hammer, and a stud puller if you choose that route. If you’ve never done bodywork, I’d take Eric&Barb’s advice. What may take you days to get close, may take an experienced frame machine operator hours to get perfect.

Sun Mar 24, 2019 7:41 pm

If a slide hammer is going to be used don't go popping holes in the panel and screwing the hammer in there. The stud welder kit comes with a slide hammer that grabs onto the studs it melts on there. Also, you could bolt an attachment onto the body with the fender bolts, like a linked chain. Like safety chains for a trailer let's say. The slide hammer blows could be spread across two or more fender bolts that way and pull the area as a unit.

Here is a slide hammer set with lots of fun attachments shipped to your door for 75 bucks. I bolted a chain to a brake drum of a quad runner with the wheel studs and then used the slide hammer to bang out two opposite studs to pull the drum off evenly. https://www.amazon.com/Hiltex-Hilltex-Repair-Slide...&psc=1

Maybe something like that could spread the blows across the mounting points of the fender.

Most importantly..... Have Fun!!!

Sun Mar 24, 2019 8:09 pm

Thanks for the advise and ideas. Seems like I’m headed to HF.