Repairing damage on a '58 Volvo PV444 door

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PostPosted: Sat Oct 20, 2018 10:54 pm
Hi,
I am currently restoring an old Volvo and while stripping it to bare metal came across a door that had significant amounts of bondo. While chipping and use a bernzomatic torch I finally got it cleaned. There are deep scratches in the metal looks to be grinder marks or something to maybe help hold the bondo? I am trying to learn to repair the door but have run into some areas I haven't been able to figure out. It wasn't a dent that could just be pushed out from the backside but I was able to work it out a bit. I still don't know how the door ended up in the condition it was as there was no significant impact visible. Made a video to help see it rather than write too much I have put the video link below. I appreciate advise on going forward. I will also have a video of the quarter panel repair needed as well but for now just the door.Thank you https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IQes9UQUwyI
previous cars-'61 Daimler SP250, '77 Avanti II, '77 Mercedes 280E, still have my '67 Chevy C10 long-bed.



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PostPosted: Sun Oct 21, 2018 9:40 am
Yes, the front part of the door is difficult to get a dolly behind. You will probably have to use a stud gun with S or wiggle wire and a claw to pull it out. I remember a video that would be useful here, I'll try to find that later today or tomorrow.

I wouldn't try to deal with the oil cans now, when you get the metal back in shape, the oil cans may go away.

This is what I'm talking about
https://automotivetools.com/products/59 ... iggle-wire

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PostPosted: Sun Oct 21, 2018 7:39 pm
Thank you for that idea about the wiggle wire and claw, can see how that would be really helpful. I have never used that equip. before and done very little body work. I'm an engine builder and machinist by trade will have to see about picking up something like that though. By the looks of what it does I would need something like that for the quarter panel as well. I'll get a video of that as well and see what y'all think about it. Any helpful links would be much appreciated, I have been digging around a lot here, great place to learn.
Thanks :)
previous cars-'61 Daimler SP250, '77 Avanti II, '77 Mercedes 280E, still have my '67 Chevy C10 long-bed.



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PostPosted: Mon Oct 22, 2018 6:31 am
I couldn't find the video I wanted, but this one will give the idea. He uses very expensive equipment, you just have to use the principal with make do tools. Expensive tools usually make things go easier and quicker, but the original ideas were perfected with more simple tools. Don't forget to tap the surrounding high areas with a hammer as you pull the low areas.

A couple things to keep in mind is that he is working on a newer car with 24 gage steel, and in the 50s they used 20 ga steel which is much thicker so its harder to work. One good thing is the door you are working on doesn't have much crown to it, so that will make it easier.

Also, take note at one point in the video after a lot of the dent has been worked out and its not so obvious anymore, he uses some aluminum flat stock about 2 1/2"-3" x 1/8" thick to check for high and low areas. It should be long enough to reach all the way across the door. You may already have a 3 or 4 foot steel or alum straight edge ruler, but in this case it is used flat on the panel.

I use my hand a lot to feel for highs and lows, but it doesn't seem to work for everyone.
https://youtu.be/fLM_7rbEsfc

https://youtu.be/JOCaRipvOzc

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PostPosted: Mon Oct 22, 2018 12:58 pm
Thank you, will have to see what kind of things I can come up with to work it out now that I have an idea of the process to pull the edges of the panel. It may be worth it for me to buy something that will do the wiggle wire pulls though I can't spend much on it. I do have a contour gauge I picked up for $1 at a garage sale awhile ago (didn't need it then haha), I suppose that may help some.
previous cars-'61 Daimler SP250, '77 Avanti II, '77 Mercedes 280E, still have my '67 Chevy C10 long-bed.

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PostPosted: Mon Oct 22, 2018 6:39 pm
Making a little progress on the door. I made a tool from one of my grandfathers old canes, He's laying down and won't be needing it anymore but I am certain he would be pleased to see its use still. It seems to be working on those tight areas where it was low around the edges of the frame. Contour looks to be much better but still more to go on it. The oil canning seems to be not as much but still significant. Is that just from the metal being pushed down in one area so it raises in another? How to know where to manipulate the metal to take care of the oil canning? https://youtu.be/JxlJmkHkz-Q
previous cars-'61 Daimler SP250, '77 Avanti II, '77 Mercedes 280E, still have my '67 Chevy C10 long-bed.



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PostPosted: Mon Oct 22, 2018 8:19 pm
The oil cans are a result of the displaced metal, so I wouldn't worry about the oil cans until you get all the low areas raised up. You are certain to need a way to shrink after moving that metal around, and a stud gun would work very well to do that.



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PostPosted: Sat Oct 27, 2018 4:22 am
Here is a good example of innovative ideas, but pdr glue is the way to go because it can be neutralized.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mNz3AQLZBPU

Black plague is probably the stongest glue
https://www.blackplaguepdr.com/collecti ... adhesive-1

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PostPosted: Tue Oct 30, 2018 10:56 am
I've fixed things like this before in tight areas with this:

https://amzn.to/2JqDFYS

Its a hydraulic spreader that you can brace against the inner structure. It's important to go slow because this tool obviously has lots of power. I buffer the sharp edges with makes shift dollys and hammer as I go. I guess this is hard to explain with text, but it does work if you are patient and go slowly. It's like an extra hand in hard to reach areas to hold a dolly, then all the usual metal bumping skills can be used.

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