I would like to acknowledge in my first post that the reason this is my first post is because of all the great knowledge that is already on this website. I have gotten through stud welding and pulling small dents, hammer and dollying, trouble shooting my primer application problems, gun set up, choosing primer types and correct sand paper selection and usage all the way to block sanding without having to ask any questions due to all of the amazing wealth of knowledge already at my finger tips via the search button.
But now I'm stumped. I'm working on a 1966 Lincoln and the front driver fender has a slight bow in it. It is over approximately a 2 1/2 foot length and bows in about 1/8 inch at the lowest point. It is one nice, gentle bow. No jagged, creased spots.
I created this contraption to apply slow steady pressure to the spot. There is a 2 X 2 block behind the fender that the C-clamps are on and a ratchet strap going to the wall I am using to pull the dent outwards with.




The straight edge picture is kind of useless but I'm trying to show that it is indeed flat when I apply a pulling pressure, just doesn't look like it in the picture because I can't hold the ruler in the correct spot and take the picture at the same time.

Of course as soon as I take the pressure off it just goes right back into the bow shape. I can't figure out how I am supposed to get it to stay. It's not like a dent/crease where I can pull the low spot out and push the high spot created by the dent /crease back down.
I can't figure this one out and any help/concerns over how I'm doing this/constructive criticism is appreciated.

Couple of random shots just to show ya'll what I'm up to.



Thanks,
Darryl

Welcome, and glad to hear the site was useful for you.

On that panel, what has happened is that the metal has stretched, or it has pulled in slightly from the edge parallel to the door frame. Check your gap at that door very carefully to see if that is the case.

Chances are you will need to shrink the metal to get it to flatten out, and even with that expect a thin coat of filler and some time sanding with a long block.

Search on shrinking disk or just the words metal and shrink; there have been discussions on this as well.

I like your pulling apparatus, very creative. But before you start reshaping the metal, I would closely check the top area of the wheel opening to see if the lip is exactly correct, if it is slightly out of shape it can cause your problem.

Thank you for the help so far guys.
Got home from work and examined the door gap, it actually is quite good. Taking the ratchet strap off and relieving the pulling action did not change the door gap either.

Looking down from the top and also looking down the panel it does look like the wheel well is indeed misshapen. I also forgot somehow to mention that this fender did have a slight crease going diagonally down the body line and had pushed out the fender lip a hair. I pulled out the crease and hammer/dollied the wheel wheel back into as good of shape as I could with my limited skill.

I can see where it is still a bit off so I'm hoping if I pull the fender straight and then push in the high spot it will be what needs to happen to pop it out. just not really sure how to make it happen on such a complex shape as the wheel well but I'll keep trying till I get it done. I know they say an 1/8 inch of filler is acceptable but I'd really like to get it better than it is. I'll keep ya'll updated.

Try over pulling it a bit. Then see if you can hammer on the lip some to hold it. Prolly gonna have to shrink it though.