Fixing a car door

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PostPosted: Fri Aug 17, 2018 6:11 pm
Hi all,
I have this issue with a door on my Prius (please look at the photo). It's around 6 inches in length.
I am not very sure of how to tackle this problem. I am thinking to use vise to straighten the metal and then putting bondo on it, sanding it and painting.
I am no expert in body work and I am concerned about using vise to for straightening. Is there any other way besides going to a body shop?

Thank you!

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PostPosted: Sun Aug 19, 2018 6:52 am
It's down low, on a white car. I'd just get a cheap sheet metal seamer (hand tool), and try to straighten it, sand off the rust and touch it up with primer and paint. The plastic rocker cover, buff out and touch up.

You get into putting filler on it and feathering out the repair, etc and you will be painting the entire lower half of the door at least. That's the right way to do it but I'm not sure you want to take that on (?)



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PostPosted: Wed Aug 22, 2018 7:47 pm
I use a hammer for straightening door edges, its three panels thick.

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PostPosted: Fri Aug 24, 2018 11:34 pm
If I was doing this for a customer, this is how I'd do it:

Use a small block of wood, 75x50x150 is about right, then hammer from inside. If you put a piece of tape along the inside of the seam you'll likely save the paint there.

Using the pointy end of a body hammer, tap down the high crease on the outside until just below the surrounding panel level. Fill and sand, keeping damage to a minimum and certainly as far away from that body line in the lower part of the door as possible.

Prime the repaired area.

Now, at this point there are two options.

Cheaper, easier one would be to fly mask along the body line, base coat the repair and blend out and up, but not all the way to the line. Then clear from the line to the bottom of the door. Do the sill as well, if you want to.

Alternative would be to clear the whole door. If you do this then there's a bit more room to blend the base, up to the body line, which will mask any colour difference because of the different angle.

Base and clear is better because you probably don't have the skills to blend 2K and if you 2K'd the whole door then it's unlikely that you'd get a perfect colour match to adjoining panels.
Chris

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PostPosted: Mon Sep 03, 2018 2:12 pm
Best bet is to probably try to find someone local. They will be much cheaper than you buying tools/supplies for a 1-time job. Maybe look around Facebook or ask around. Those are the kind of small jobs guys like me do at home.

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