MTFCA Forum

Hi, so my front fenders have wrinkles in the bill pictured. There is more wrinkles than meet the eye in the picture. I have a hammer and dolly and more or less know how to use it but I am wondering if there is a better way to return it to smooth? My previous experience on other cars with hammer and dolly resulted in improvement but still needing body filler at least to skim it. So I thought I would ask before I go down the usual road with a less than good result.

Different strokes for different folks but what you did previously is what I did on my fenders that had the dimples and wrinkles that weren’t real bad but needed attention. I used very little filler but they did turn out pretty good. To each their own on how to do it without a lot of hammer and dolly work.
Some people think it’s a mortal sin if you use body filler. That’s a whole other subject but it works well and it did for me. It usually depends on who’s doing it.

That is the worst spot to get to also. The under side of the front lip needs to be supported as well as the underside of the bead. Then you can push the hump down. Easier said than done. I have made curved bars to form fenders before.
The wrinkle behind the bead could be straightened with two plates and a big C-clamp.
Best of luck.
Rich

You need a well-fitting dolly and will probably have to make one. Use with a slapping file or slapping spoon and you will be shocked at the improvement.

Search YouTube for videos on using a slapping file or slapping spoon and you'll see what you need to do. They will not stretch the metal like a hammer will and you will not get into serious trouble with stretched metal in this area like a hammer will do.

There are several YouTube videos suggesting different methods. You need to shrink the metal bumps
This video shows a really bad area with many issues and how it was approached https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rt07pLebQwQ

This is just an step by step explanation (no video) https://www.classiczcars.com/forums/top ... t-bumping/

Ignacio

the old book, The Key to Metal Bumping, is an industrial arts degree in a book (which can be read in an evening). You will be amazed at what can be done (and what often isn't done right at a body shop) with very simple hand tools after analyzing the job. Not all bumps are stretched metal. Make haste slowly!

https://www.ebay.com/itm/363319342328?c ... 1&mkcid=28

When I was preparing to install my new interior I hired one of those "Paintless dent removal" guys. He took out a bunch of dings and removed a crease in my hood. I can't tell they were ever there.