Okay, I've done a search but i couldnt find much help there. My rear panel on the passenger side has a dent in it, you dont really notice it unless u look from up against the car u can see it deep in and the reflection of sun light. Ive found out on here that its really expensive to have the panel replaced so i guess thats out. I was thinking maybe it could be patched with bondo (car will be repainted anyway) also there is some rust where it folds under to the wheel well. How should i go about fixing this? Id prefer to do things myself than pay an arm and a leg to a body man.

 

It might be small enough to try a paintless dent remover place. Try a search on that, I know its been brought up before. Good luck.

 

Go grab a book (from an auto store, like Pep Boys, they have the Haynes Bodywork Tech Manual- a blue book, next to the regular car manuals) on bodywork. Since the dent isn't that bad, I'd suggest using a hammer & dolly to work the dent out so it's almost flush with the car surface, then using a SLIGHT coat of bondo. Remember you want to have the bondo coat as thin as frickin' possible. People would lay filler on a car without proper preparation (need to sand area down to bare metal with 36 or 40 grit paper), and would lay it on over rust, or too damn thick. This would cause the filler to fall out, and it's why Bondo has a bad reputation. I read that even leading a panel is susceptible to the same problems (lead falling out due to bad leadwork).

I recently cashed in a ton of Pep Boys gift certificates to do bodywork on a friends car (buddy was hit by a deer- it ran into the side of his car). I bought three body hammers (pick hammer, chipping hammer, heavy shrinking hammer) for an average of $12 each, and two dollies (utility dolly and heel dolly) for an average of $10 each. I think for your dent, you just need the small pick hammer and a heel dolly. I had the gift certificates so I bought 'em all.

For filler work, you'll need a "cheese grater" file, flexible spreaders, and a can of filler. If you can, find the Bondo brand Mixing Board- it's flexible plastic. To remove the dried bondo from the board, you just flex the board, and you can re-use it. Strauss Auto is where I get mine; $2/board, $3/three spreaders.

Use a "tack rag" to remove bondo/sanding dust after you're done, before you use primer on the area. You don't want to spray primer over dust... the primer sticks to the dust, and not the car. Go into your center console and write the "UA and WA" paint codes down, then go to Pep Boys, look up the color code on the chart for the exact color-match spray paints, and grab some paint. If the dent's small, one small spray can (not a bottle with a brush!) of color and the recommended small can of clear will be enough. People make fun of this paint, but the paint works well if you prep the area well. (People also usually can't tell their head from their butt!) Notice: I can't stress "prep!" enough!!

Quick "sandpaper grit" chart:

36-40: Removing paint
80-100: Final sand of bondo. (Use a sanding block so you don't make fingerprints in the bondo!!!!)
150-200: Sanding of primer
320: Final sanding of primer. Make sure you don't sand down to bare metal.
**Paint after using the 320 grit. Use a tack rag before painting.
600: Wet sanding of color coat after the paint & clear have dried. This gives your shine.
Use a bit of rubbing compound (like a wax) when you're done wet sanding to get your highest shine.

But the bodywork book will tell you how to use this stuff. Don't be freaked out if the book shows you old cars, the techniques haven't changed. Let me know if you have any more questions; glad to see you want to do this yourself!!

 

Oh yah, look to http://www.por15.com for a rust treatment paint. I used it on my 3.73/posi/disc axle when I rebuilt it, it was easy to work with, and the axle isn't showing any signs of rusting. I bought the $20 Super Starter Kit... it was just enough to do my axle.