We call it ‘dental work’ because we know dent removal causes many classic car owners with the same sense of dread as the proverbial visit to the dentist. Here are some tricks of the trade for removing those dents without the agony.

Removing dents from doors
1. Rather than using tools to push out the dent from the back of the panel try and lay your hands on a ‘dent puller’. This M shaped device has a screw handle and is glued with a specialist heat glue to the dent. When the glue has set you screw until the dent pops out. You’ll need some glue remover and polish to make everything as good as new.

dent removal

2. Another paintless dent removal method for doors is the heat-freeze. Heat up the panel with a hot air gun or household hair drier before spraying on CO2 – from a fire extinguisher, for instance – to freeze the panel. The sudden temperature change often causes the panel to flex back into shape.

Dents and wheel arches
3. This tip will not help with your dent but could save you money. A dent in the wing may well mean that the wheel has also been hit so get your bearings and wheel alignment checked or you will be paying out for new tyres much more frequently than you need to.

4. Wheel arch dents are more challenging as the curved panel can lead to a seam being created and the paint broken. Use a touch up pen to fix the paint and avoid rust from forming. Remove the inner wing lining and use a block of wood and clamps to exert pressure on a wide area and with luck the dent may just pop out.

5. Failing this try to let the panel flexing do its own work as you carefully beat it with a rubber coated hammer handle. Whatever you do never use anything with a sharp edge that could add dents to the metal, scratch it or cut through it.

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