Fixing dents in car door

[DennisCA]

Last year (yeah it's been a while) my fiance backed into a bunch of mailboxes and the passenger side of the car looks like this:

Can I get some help as what to do to start fixing this. I have tried to reason this myself and from what I can figure, I need to hammer in the dents that are sticking out, I probably need some kind of backing behind the plate to help it conform to the right shape.

Apparently there are panel hammers for shaping panels, they are apparently made of steel, I would've thought something like bronze or brass might have been preferred but I don't know anything about this kind of work. I just know I want to get a bit better and I know I won't be spending money on this old car and taking it to any kind of body shop.

Not quire sure about backing material, feel slike I would have to make sometihng custom to somewhat follow the lines of the door in some places, otherwise something mostly flat should do it?

 

[Seadog]

A set of these, perhaps?

https://www.machinemart.co.uk/c/panel-repair-tools/

 

[DennisCA]

That looks useful. Many years ago I happened on a similar set 2nd hand but didn't buy it because what need was I gonna have of it. Yeah right....

 

[Ashley Burton]

Might be worth contacting some smart repair people, You would be amazed what they can pull off without it costing you a fortune

 

[Craig-SM]

The big dent on the rear door would pull out with a sucker pad or by melting some glue sticks to it and pulling. Poor hot water over the dent will warm the metal and make it easier.

The others I would get someone in to fix it with paintless dent repairs. Using hammers and dollies if you know what you’re doing is great but if not you can easily make it worse and damage the paint too.

 

[Wozzaaah]

Might be worth contacting some smart repair people, You would be amazed what they can pull off without it costing you a fortune

This!
It will cost you nothing to speak to one or two dent specialists, they'll ask you to send them some photos and will decide if it's a yay or nay.

 

[galooph]

The others I would get someone in to fix it with paintless dent repairs. Using hammers and dollies if you know what you’re doing is great but if not you can easily make it worse and damage the paint too.

Sorry, I couldn't resist

 

[DennisCA]

I'm gonna do a whole slew of work on this car in July, on the other side there will be rust removal, perhaps welding and repainting so I figured I might as well get this done too.

 

[Bobtail4x4]

its often quicker to buy a new door off a scrapper in the correct paint

 

[slim_boy_fat]

If, as you say, you don't want to spend money on the old car (well, more than is absolutely necessary) just paint "It was her" next to the dents..

 

[rtcosic]

I'm gonna do a whole slew of work on this car in July, on the other side there will be rust removal, perhaps welding and repainting so I figured I might as well get this done too.

If you are respraying the whole car anyway I would seek out two replacement doors.

 

[Ashley Burton]

@Bobtail4x4

Will it look like this?

 

[RWD3M]

@Bobtail4x4

Will it look like this?

View attachment 237587

I rememebr when these came out, what were VW thinking of?!

 

[Alan Reynolds]

I remember in the old days before PDR (paintless dent removal) I used to see 'repairs' to dents that had been done from the inside with the old ball pein hammer technique. It looked like the car was developing toad skin.

 

[slim_boy_fat]

I rememebr when these came out, what were VW thinking of?!

They were coooool, maaaaan

 

[Craig-SM]

@Bobtail4x4

Will it look like this?

View attachment 237587

Was this not on the back of the “United colors of Benetton” advert.

mispelling intentional

 

[Dcal]

That’s nasty and it would be very easy to spend a lot of time and end up with it looking worse.
The Father Ted example is certainly extreme but it’s funny because there is more than a hint of truth in it.

The paintless repair guys could make it look better but you won’t be able to fix it properly without paint, as the metal is stretched.
No matter what hammer you use it will damage the paint .

Unless you want to disappear down a whole other rabbit hole and get into panel beating and painting I would take the advice given here and seek out a couple of second hand doors the right colour or live with it as it is.
You will spend more on paint and tools than the doors will cost you without accounting for your time.

If you want to learn a new skills and are prepared to put the time in it is certainly doable but there are plenty of threads in the paint section on the trials and tribulations of just getting the paint nearly right.

 

[Ashley Burton]

@Dcal I think you would be amazed what some professionals can achieve

Have a look at this guy as an example:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCUyEa2HVxn64Ppd34qCtAvw

 

[DennisCA]

You will spend more on paint and tools than the doors will cost you without accounting for your time..

I've looked and a door would cost 200 euros. So 400 euros, there is no way anything I do would cost remotely that much even if I need to repaint some areas (not gonna do the whole car). I've painted cars before and have spray painting equipment. What I have not done before is working on dents.

 

[Ashley Burton]

@Dennis Aspö Leave it to the experts & save yourself the agro