Calling all car guys: body work?

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Jayce

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I got hit by 2 deer on the driver side of my car last week. Estimate came out to 1600, but they refuse to fix the back panel (an additional 800) because there's a rust spot on the same plane as the dent/paint damage from the one deer that nailed me.

I'm considering on trying to just get the check cashed out for 1600 and fix it myself. The dents are pretty broad, and I believe I can get them popped out and make them look better than they do. My car is paid for. It runs great mechanically. I don't really care how it looks, I just want to try and make it look better. If the insurance company won't pay for everything, then I want to cash out and fix it myself with the money.

The only spot I'm not sure about is the rust spot. It's about the size of a 10 year old's fist, but it's bubbled up pretty good.

I can get under a car and fix something mechanical if I put my mind to it, but body work is very foreign to me. Are there any tips or suggestions you guys can fire out to me to get me started? I guess ultimately I need to sand the area down, apply some kind of bondo to it, sand to flatten, blah blah, prime/paint or whatever.

I won't lie - I'm a complete rookie at this. But at the same time, I'm just trying to make it look better than it is, even if it still looks horrible.

Any advice?
 
You can try to pop the dents out with a plunger or if you can get a rubber mallet to the backside of it and gently work the dent out by first gently pushing from the outer edge working toward the center. If there are any creases in the metal you will have lots more work if you want it to be right. You will have to hammer and dolly it and then use a good quality filler and get it smooth. Bodywork is tedious and cannot be rushed if you want it to look right. As for the rust, you will have to cut out the offending area and replace with new sheetmetal. It will have to be welded in place by someone who knows what they are doing.
 
I'm considering on trying to just get the check cashed out for 1600 and fix it myself.
The only time insurance companies will give you the money is provided that car is a write off. Otherwises, I would be kicking my side door in every time I needed money.

As for the rust, you will have to cut out the offending area and replace with new sheetmetal. It will have to be welded in place by someone who knows what they are doing.

Welding in the properway of doing that. However if you don't that sort of gear, then cut or sand the rusted area out. Then use some fibre glass (or Bog) to fill it up.

Then you would want to sant it back at paint it.


If this rusted area is not part of the main chasis, then you could look at going down to a wrecker and just replace the offending area.

also, it does not hurt to get a second quote if it's still drivable. Smash Repairs people seem to just pull figured out of the air some time on how much they want to charge you
 
You can try to pop the dents out with a plunger or if you can get a rubber mallet to the backside of it and gently work the dent out by first gently pushing from the outer edge working toward the center. If there are any creases in the metal you will have lots more work if you want it to be right. You will have to hammer and dolly it and then use a good quality filler and get it smooth. Bodywork is tedious and cannot be rushed if you want it to look right. As for the rust, you will have to cut out the offending area and replace with new sheetmetal. It will have to be welded in place by someone who knows what they are doing.

Is there a way I can touch up the rust area so the rust stops spreading, even if the existing rust remains where it's at?

I'm willing to try anything myself. After all, it's my car. Me screwing up my own car means nothing. But I'm also convinced I'm not THAT big of an idiot to make it ultimately look worse than it currently does. Anything is better than what I got, in my eyes.
 
Is there a way I can touch up the rust area so the rust stops spreading, even if the existing rust remains where it's at?

Sand / Cut out the rusted area
Apply some Kill Rust.
Apply fiberglass
Then Undercoat
Then start sanding back the paint starting off with a 320 grit sand paper* working up to 1200 grit*.
Then paint over
Then start sanding back the paint starting off with a 320 grit sand paper* working up to 1200 grit*.
Then buff.

* Buy your sand paper from an auto shop, not a hardware shop! THe sand paper from a hardware shop is more corse even though it might say 320 grit.
 
You can get alot of "paints" that can be sprayed over rusted areas and stop the rusting action.

The question is.. is it za hole or just surface rust?

I've seen on tv, some neat ways to patch holes with epoxyed in place patches instead of welds. Basically the patch is glued onto backer strips.. But if you have a body mold line or crease, its very hard.
 
I've seen on tv, some neat ways to patch holes with epoxyed in place patches instead of welds. Basically the patch is glued onto backer strips.. But if you have a body mold line or crease, its very hard.

That sounds alot easier than applying Bog.
 
You can get alot of "paints" that can be sprayed over rusted areas and stop the rusting action.

The question is.. is it za hole or just surface rust?

I've seen on tv, some neat ways to patch holes with epoxyed in place patches instead of welds. Basically the patch is glued onto backer strips.. But if you have a body mold line or crease, its very hard.

It started as just surface rust. But when the one deer clocked the back panel the actual metal "tore" right through the rust spot. Now it turned into a bit of an actual hole.

To "patch" it at this point I'll definitely need to apply some sort of filler to rebuild the area. I'll figure something out. I need to get the mirror fixed though. It sucks not having a driver side mirror.
 
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