Ding

[KJ4YXY]

As yall might know I wrecked my car.
Here are photo updates of the work that has been done.

Original:




After Work:






Slowly you can see my progress.
Now time for bondo and smoothing out...

[hotfordcat]

Looks like you have alot more work before Bondo!!!

[KJ4YXY]

Looks like you have alot more work before Bondo!!!

I still need to alighn the original part of the frame to the door. After that I will most likely do bondo.

[FB71]

you need to cut out and replace that jamb! No amount of hammering will get that straight enough.

[KJ4YXY]

you need to cut out and replace that jamb! No amount of hammering will get that straight enough.

I dont know how to weld.

[FB71]

then this is a good time to learn!

[Festiva_Fred]

^Agreed. I'm a bodyman, even if you pulled that out the best you could with welding on tabs and using a frame machine, then studgun etc.. after it's pulled to where it's supposed to be. Whats left will be weakened to the point of being unsafe, proper way is get it pulled out, cut off that section of jam and weld in a new one like FB71 said.

[Nerd Racing]

welding with a mig is pretty easy to learn if you have the time and a good project.

[BigElCat]

I think you can get behind it. Remove the back seat, and right side rear plastic panel off. You can put a long flat bar or super large flat screw driver in the corner of the jamb, and hammer out. Put a square dolly in behind the raised crease, and tap it down.

You'll be able to make the door work. It's a bad place for bondo, what with door slamming and all.

I hate pics and videos of Festivas being trashed, just because they're 'cheap cars'. I know you like yours, so be careful.

[BigElCat]

I guess he has been hitting from behind already. Try hitting it forward, from inside.

Young fellow has no welder on the farm, no money neither. Wide flat bar.

[KJ4YXY]

I think you can get behind it. Remove the back seat, and right side rear plastic panel off. You can put a long flat bar or super large flat screw driver in the corner of the jamb, and hammer out. Put a square dolly in behind the raised crease, and tap it down.

You'll be able to make the door work. It's a bad place for bondo, what with door slamming and all.

I hate pics and videos of Festivas being trashed, just because they're 'cheap cars'. I know you like yours, so be careful.

I know that i have to make the original crease match with the door and then its bondo from there.

What was done there was hitting it with a board. also a tire wrench, not the best tools but my parents are too cheap to buy anything.

The door opens and closes fine - the ding didnt mess up the closing latch.

Do you know of a good tool that could be used to straiten that edge?

[FestYboy]

you need to get familiar with a hammer and dolly set.... and practice!!!

i mightg be able to cut you a section from a parts car if it's straight enough and send that to you, but that would require you to get a welder and PRACTICE before you tack it on. look for a used brand name unit with a bottle, find some scrap to play with and get burning! also, you may find that a local community may have someone giving lessons on welding (there's one i my area that pops up once a year).

[BigElCat]

Bodymen make their own dollys and stuff to fit the damaged area.

In your case, I'd find a 3/4" diameter steel rod about 18" long. This could be an axle shaft or a steering wheel shaft out of a riding lawn mower.

Grind one end at a slight angle, about 10 deg. or whatever it takes to land it flat on the front wall of the door jamb as you poke it in from the opening inside. Tap it, going up and down with the rod. If the metals not moving after the first pass up and down, do it again, a little harder.

The dolly would be a cube of steel about 2" by 2" by 2". Where you'd find something like that, I don't know. It's got to be heavy for its size. I'd offer to send you one, but I'm short on 2" square stock (as we call it).

Take the rear pass. side window out. You'll need to lean out to tap the crease, while holding the dolly inside with your left hand. I asume your right handed?

That's all I can think of tonight. Look at Beastiva's recent wreck. Somebody fixed his door jamb really well. I don't think they cut it out. I may be wrong.

[KJ4YXY]

Ok thanks for all of yalls help.
I will take a look into it this weekend.

I will try to mess with it more and maybe have a pro finish it off depending on the "finished" state.

[KJ4YXY]

Progress

I think I can confidently say that Bondo is to be used now.