8/14/2005: Metalwork 5..
I picked up a cheap ($8) slide hammer and used it to tweak the left tail light opening- the inside edge was slightly pushed in, so the tail light didn’t seat completely flush. It’s amazing how having the right tool for the job can make a huge difference. Smack smack smack and the gap is gone.
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I declared the taillight area basically done and sprayed a little spraycan primer on there for now. This helps the picture somewhat. It’s really quite smooth now, with no filler. Just a few minor low spots, and a little more work required on the corner where the bumper will be.
Also, an update on the opposite side of the car, where I was straightening out a twist where the bumper bolt went through. I got it pretty smooth, so I plug welded the backing plate back on. It came out pretty well, although as expected the heat from welding did cause some shrinking of the metal, which translated into a low spot. I’ve corrected it somewhat, but even if I can’t get it perfect, this area is behind the bumper anyway, so I have to keep a little perspective here.
You may also be able to see that there’s still work to be done o the underside of this panel. Down at the bottom there’s more denting to be smoothed. I didn’t have a good dolly for this high-crown corner though, so I’ll have to get back to that later.
Last night, on a whim, I decided to see how much better I could make the nose panel of the car in-place. I still expect to replace it, but still, it’s educational, so why not see what I can do with it?
So far, I’m pretty impressed with what some crude prying and lots of quality time with the shrinking disc has managed. I’ll post an update on that next time with a before/after.