Finding a fresh dent in your antique car can feel like a punch in the stomach. And no matter how careful you are and how many modifications you make to your ride, you’re bound to experience unexpected toothache eventually. Thankfully, many dents are easy to fix yourself with a little knowledge and the right tools. Although there are many parts of cars that even experienced DIYers should not tackle on their own, repairing dents is mostly harmless, and failure does not risk greatly increasing the repair bill.
The first method to try when repairing your own teeth is special for a true DIYer. It may feel weird when you’re doing it, but you can’t argue with the results. First, determine if you can reach the other side of the panel where the dent is. This is easiest on plastic bumpers, but it can also be done on metal and other parts of the vehicle. Boil a pot of water and then pour it over the stained area to heat the stained substance. If this isn’t possible, try using a hair dryer to heat the area. Then, simply push from the inside and see if the tooth pops out. It may seem crazy, but trust the process.
If that method doesn’t prove useful, your next step is to reheat the area. For plastic dents, you can spray compressed air on the hot area to cool it faster and force the material back out. For dents in plastic or metal, try removing your plunger. Suction it onto the hot tooth and begin pulling. It should come out relatively quickly. On metal, this may be enough to simply shrink the tooth.
Dent repair for DIY master
If the above methods don’t work, there are some DIY approaches to try. The first thing you’ll want to do is purchase a dent repair kit, which usually costs around $35. Inside these special kits, you will find what is called a bridge tool or dent lifter. This suction-based device works in the same way as the plunger method above, but it is custom-built for the job at hand.
A hand-held dent lifter is shaped like a staple gun, and has two padded feet on either side of a dent-pulling attachment, with a plastic part (often a suction cup) on the end of a retractable rod. Most versions of this device use hot glue to stick the cup to the car surface, but this is not always necessary. To use the tool, you place the feet on either side of the dent and extend the rod until the suction cup gets a firm grip on the center of the dent. You then begin to pull the rod back, which slowly pulls the tooth out. Although it’s a little involved, it’s nowhere near as demanding as something like plastic welding for car repair.
It’s also possible to repair dents using body filler – aka Bondo – which can be purchased for just a few bucks. This putty doesn’t exactly repair a dent, rather it allows you to hide it. You’ll need to sand off your car’s paint, apply body filler and shape, then sand it until it’s smooth enough to shine and paint. Make sure to take out as much of the dent as possible first by using the dent lifter method. When done correctly, you’ll hardly notice the filler is there.
Types of dents and why to fix them
Not all dents are created equal, and – truth be told – not all of them are possible or safe to fix without professional help. All of the dent repair methods mentioned above are effective and safe, but they are only useful for less severe dents. Dents and small dents that don’t cause any safety concerns can all be comfortably repaired using such methods, and making the project DIY can save you money in both the short and long term. This is because even small dents can lead to bigger issues that are harder and more expensive to fix. For example, they run the risk of moisture infiltrating and causing the metal to rust or the paint to deteriorate. The same is true of sharp dents, which are harder to repair and more likely to cause damage. Even if you repair a sharp dent, such as from impact with a low surface area such as car doors and shopping carts.
Crease dents, which are marked by long folds on the car’s exterior, and other larger dents probably require professional help. Firstly, because they are usually accompanied by significant damage to the paint and clear coat, but also because they can hide structural damage as well. Simply removing a tooth will not fix any underlying problems, and professionals are better equipped to diagnose and treat such problems. Of course, a YouTuber is building a brand new 1967 Ford Mustang, so there’s nothing impossible you can do to perform intensive dent repair on your car. Maybe it’s not worth the trouble. Seriously, if there’s any risk that your tooth is related to a bigger problem or if it takes more than a few hours to do it yourself, see a professional.
