Body work advise for my top side panels (1 Viewer)

[jjenloe]

The side panels are bent in as shown in pictures. What would be some suggestions on straitening them out?
Since the metal is doubled on the side, my thought that taking angle iron and beating it into submission wouldn't work. I was thinking to make some relief cuts on the top where the fiber glass top meets the side panels. I am by no means a body person, and was wondering if that would work.

 

[Skreddy]

I’d lay it so the bow is up, with a block of wood about a foot to either side of the center of the bow. The stand on the peak of the bow, slowly applying weight and see if that will straighten it. Basically on the pic with your level, put a 2x4 under each spot where the end bubbles are then apply pressure on the interior side where the middle bubble is. Then just need to address the little dents.

 

[jjenloe]

I’d lay it so the bow is up, with a block of wood about a foot to either side of the center of the bow. The stand on the peak of the bow, slowly applying weight and see if that will straighten it. Basically on the pic with your level, put a 2x4 under each spot where the end bubbles are then apply pressure on the interior side where the middle bubble is. Then just need to address the little dents.

That would make sense, but there is an inner frame. This is keeping a dolly or block of wood to straighter out that panel. Unless I cut a section of the inner frame out to get a dolly in there?
Im desperately trying not to cut it too bad.

 

[MOTOV8R]

Cut it open from the back, straighten it and work it with a dolly and hammers like you are thinking. I don't think you can pull those dents out from the front. It also might be just as easy to cut out that section and rebuild that section and weld it back in.

 

[Skreddy]

Just went and looked at mine. See pics. Use a piece of wood, probably cut a slot in it too to go over the lip so you’re applying pressure to the panel and the lip evenly. For the dents, either have to cut open the back or drill a hole to get to them, use a stud gun/ dent puller (which will ruin the paint right there), or look into a suction cup dent pulled like my pic (but smaller). If you can fix the bow, you may be able to find a paintless dent repair person that could fix the dents.

 

[jjenloe]

Great tips. Just need to figure out which will do the least amount of damage.
I am not worried about the paint. PO painted over the beautiful stock beige

 

[Ayuir]

Perhaps similar to @Skreddy s picture above, but plate a piece of angle iron over the lip so that it wraps over it somewhat and then tap downwards until straight. Ensure the angle iron is long enough to extend past both sides of the dent. Gently so it doesn't overstress the metal. I'm no bodywork specialist but that's what came to mind first.

 

[jjenloe]

Perhaps similar to @Skreddy s picture above, but plate a piece of angle iron over the lip so that it wraps over it somewhat and then tap downwards until straight. Ensure the angle iron is long enough to extend past both sides of the dent. Gently so it doesn't overstress the metal. I'm no bodywork specialist but that's what came to mind first.

I ended up cutting out a section of the inner panel so that I could get a hammer and dolly in. I also cut relief cuts on the top flange which made work easy at straitening the damage.