Ok, Here's The Info I Promised On The Dent Removal Tool Time & Difficulty (pics)
09-04-2009, 12:16 AM
#41
Racer
Member Since: Nov 2008
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front crossmember dent tool
Sounds like a nice tool, but if the dented area is bad or rusty on inside or out, I believe it would make more sense to replace that piece with a new one. I took a small side grinder and ground off the spot welds and removed the dented piece and made a pattern and welded in a new piece of metal just slightly thicker than the old piece. I even drilled the holes in the same spot to make it look original. Total cost: 3 hours and a couple of beers. Some of the suppliers even sell that replacement piece if you cannot fabricate one. My point is it might be easier to replace it than try to bend it back. My method gives you brand new metal although you will have to have a mig or tig welder to weld in new piece.
09-04-2009, 07:46 AM
#42
Melting Slicks
Yeah I thought about re-welding steel in that area but I don't have the tools to do the fabrication part. I'm not 100% confortable with my welding skills yet, I do have a low end flux core mig welder.
I seen the replacment part that Zips sells, it's the same price as the tool.
The only thing is that it looks like there is a lot more work involved removing the old piece and welding that in.
I'm thinking about buying the tool, use it and then sell it for a fraction of what I gave for it. It's worth $50 or so to me to fix my dent....basically splitting the cost with another member and they end up keeping the tool or resale.
Would anyone be interested?
Otherwise I may just live with it, it's not that bad I suppose.
I seen the replacment part that Zips sells, it's the same price as the tool.
The only thing is that it looks like there is a lot more work involved removing the old piece and welding that in.
I'm thinking about buying the tool, use it and then sell it for a fraction of what I gave for it. It's worth $50 or so to me to fix my dent....basically splitting the cost with another member and they end up keeping the tool or resale.
Would anyone be interested?Otherwise I may just live with it, it's not that bad I suppose.
Last edited by 1982CorvetteDude; 09-04-2009 at 07:49 AM.
08-21-2012, 01:47 AM
#48
Burning Brakes
Dent repair
I bought the tool some years ago and had it shipped to Tasmania, Australia.
It did a great job, although I had to modify it a little as the dent was quite deep.
It's been sitting in my garage ever since.
Don't need it anymore so it is up for offers.
Chris
It did a great job, although I had to modify it a little as the dent was quite deep.
It's been sitting in my garage ever since.
Don't need it anymore so it is up for offers.
Chris
03-30-2015, 03:44 PM
#52
Glad it worked well for you. It was a tough decision trying to make the tool fit to so many cars. It turns out that hole on the bottom of the front crossmember sort of moves about depending on what year car. It doesn't move much but it does move enough to sometimes cause some fitment problems. Also, some have reported that the dents are so severe that they simply can't get the tool into the crossmember space. As the crossmember gets caved in, it pinches the walls of the crossmember in. This might be part of the problem as well. Goal was to pull the dent out without causing any creases in the underside of the crossmember or to over pull the dent. I think the instructions indicated that some modification might be needed to make it fit. It was a fun project. The original tool was made from an old hay baler that I took apart. It worked so good, that I decided to make the tool. I haven't made them in a long time but I think some of the other corvette suppliers have started to make them. I still have a supply of rough tools left, not pretty but work. T
