Hello,
Bought my 87 z28 almost a year ago with I dent in the passenger side fender. Finally getting around to having it fixed. I don't know much about body work so I wanted to get some opinions of the best route to go. Please keep in mind I'm a broke high-schooler so trying to keep the cost lower Car is completely original with only 53,000 miles so I would like to try to salvage the fender.
Thanks

 

Thats not bad but if your paying labor you may find a used fender cheaper and install it yourself

 

Someone backed their car into mine and hit my driver side fender. I went to 2 local body shops for an estimate and the first wanted $2228 but was going to used a GM fender. The second was going to use after market and it was estimated at $1200 something, but the labor charge was also 2 dollars cheaper per hour. ($56-$58 per hour). And keep in mind if your paint isn't perfect it'll stand out because they can't blend the paint because of the old paint that's on these cars isn't used anymore.
If you can afford it you go for GM parts because there's no guarantee it'll fit like a genuine part, But I can guaruntee it won't be

 

May not look like much but considering age & what it costs to repair & refinish it adds up quickly. Most shops should be able to closely match color in either enamel or waterbased but you have you have to remove bumper, replace stripe (unless someone hacks it out & masks stripe)repair damage, install bumper etc . That little repair could easily top $1500 or more.

 

40 bucks for a hammer and dolly set. Its already dented so what does it hurt to try? If you screw it up then your still in the same spot you started... a dented fender.

 

Personally, I'd try to find a good PDR guy to take that out. Touch up the chipped paint, buff out the transfer scrape and off you go.

 

I vote with Chazman on this one, a good PDR fellow can work that fender.

 

Went to my local body shop. Was quoted $700 to fix the dent blend the fender and respray the cracking paint on the edge of the bumper. First thing he said was is his PDR guy wouldn't go anywhere near that.

 

Price isn't bad imo. The dent is on a crease which is supposed to be more complicated, and they would have to spray twice since the bumper needs additive. That and maybe having to push/pull it forward where it was pushed in. Be careful too since some would get it generally flat and fill it vs. shaping the metal back to where it was.

The general idea pulling it out yourself is to reverse the direction of damage. It's easier said than done and you can make it worse if you don’t know what you're doing. If you're even thinking of it research the methods before touching it. I would buy a little red book called Metal Bumping before any tools.