This is a build log on how to repair a dent on a car’s door and fender.
This video shows the procedure of removing the front bumper and fender to repair some damage to the door skin and fender on a Honda Accord.
A few fasteners and clips are removed from the front bumper before it is pulled off. Next, clips are removed from the fender liner and splash guard.
A few more 10mm bolts, along the top, front and inside door part of the fender is removed before it can be freed from the vehicle.
Once the fender is off, a hydraulic body jack was used to press the damaged tip of the door skin roughly in line with the rest of the car body. The door skin was then massaged using a hammer and spoon dolly, but proved difficult because the damage was right behind the rebar and could not be accessed from inside the door.
A few holes were drilled for a self tapping dent puller. Using a slide hammer, the door skin was pulled roughly back into shape and grinded smooth.
The fender was flattened using a dolly and put onto the car to realign it with the door. Once both panels are prep’d, Bondo auto body filler was added in multiple layers, sanding with 40 grit sandpaper in between.
Once the surface was smooth, 3 layers of primer was added. Spot putty was also added to the defective areas that the primer enabled us to see. The damaged area was then wet sanded before painting.
Paint was ordered from CarQuest which mixed it according to the paint code and put into a spray can. It is single stage paint, base, pearl and clear coat in one shot, which makes it tricky to apply.
4 layers of paint was applied in total, wet sanding blemishes in between. Once the masked area is pulled off and the paint is dry enough the handle, the front headlight, bumper, splash guard, mirrors and accessories can be reattached.
Clean up any overspray using a clay bar. The paint line can be blended using rubbing compound after the paint has cured.
Overall the project turned out well for what little was spent in materials (body filler and paint). The door had a bit of waviness due to the skin not being even and the filler did not compensate for it. In the future the fender should be instead replaced more cost effectively than spending time doing body work on it.
It just goes to prove that one can do a semi-decent job at home with the right tools and a lot of time.
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good video bro