Here is some more action guys.
The dreaded side of my mini. Where aparently a holden ute backed into her.
OUCH!
Damage to this extent would warrant replacement rear 1/4 section, for most panel shops. For me it's a challenge, and a excellent learning curve.
For me sizing up this task has to be thought out. I know it may sound crazy, but you have to sit back a bit and think how that steel bent in the 1st place. I did this, and marked out 3 key points.
* No 1.....Top window frame was kinked inward.
* No 2.....Large door gap you could slide your fingers into to unlock the door.
* No 3.....Wheel arch pushed in.
These key areas are to be worked out, before the panel can be brought back into shape. If not you'll just make more work for yourself.
This shot shows how I broke the panel up into sections for working.
* No 1....The 1st place to start. Size 8.5 Redback work boot, and couple of heavy thrusts.
* No 2.....Once I kicked that area out, I then had to use a block chisel to hit the door frame back to shape, this also helps the main panel straighten, because it is actually pulling the panel back where it should be.
* No 3......I used the mig and welded spots, or ledges for areas where to hold vice grips, these were attached to a slide hammer, so I could then pull the wheel arch out. When I started to straighten the wheel arch the large dent at 5 started to pull out.
* No 4...... The window frame kink was a pain, due to poor access from the inner frame, I had to use the redback again. Then worked the area with hammer and dolly.
* No 5........This showed a previous repair which was just bogged up. After pulling the wheel arch out, this started to straighten itself.
As you can see from this shot. I only used tools that most people would have, in there garages. And still managed to pull it out pretty good, after a hours work.
These are the areas now i HAVE BROKEN INTO WORKABLE SECTIONS.
Starting with the least damaged area at No 1 then working my way across.
I have found if you practise this method, you find it less harrowing, to try and continually chase your work all over the panel. This way if you over work the area section, you can come back staright to it.
I have been working the shrinking hammer on the return creases as shown by No 1. Once these were pretty straight I continued with the door gap alignment at 2, using a brickies bolster, which I ground a radiused edge on. And then bit more pulling at 3, the wheel arch with the aid of the slide hammer.
TIP: Cut cardboard templates from the good side panel and keep comparing that against your work, just as I did with the wheel arch, to get the right shape.
Here is the roughed out product of now approx 3.5 hours work. Thats not to bad.
You can see the weld spots at No 1 for the vice grip posistions.
The marks you can see at No 2 are heat shrinks. These are made from the oxy. Where a spot is heated orange to the size of a 10 cent, then hammer and dollied, whilst still glowing to shrink and re-compress the steel area.
Close up of the heat shrinks. The panel in this area was very drummy, or loose. The Shrinks tightened that section right up. This area also is very inaccessable, being so close to the wheel arch. So dolly work here is very minimal.
The panel is looking pretty good at this stage, I would be pretty happy to use the oll'e bog from here. But because I'm me, I will continue to try to get it better.
You can see the the spots on the wheel arch, and notice how tucked it is around the arch itself. There is no way of getting in here, unless you cut the 1/4 off.
The yellow marks are the no access points behind the panel for dolly, lever or bar work. I do not have a plug dent welder so I have no resort except for the nicky, But a bit in a dent that size won't really matter.
Will finish this 1/4 off tomorrow.
Hope you enjoy.
John
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