Related to the thread on Bob Palma's article, I have a real question of my own. I have been blessed to own several examples of PNW survivor cars. Not the least of which is "Humphrey," the 1960, four door wagon that I was able to rescue from thirty nine years of repose in a single car garage of a ninety seven yo women who was moving to a rest home. Original shinny paint, decent interior and no rust car that people often mistake for body shop redue, which might have been done any time during it's fifty seven year life. There is much more to the story, but I will leave it there for now. I hope that it doesn't sound too pompous to say that Humphrey has developed quite a following since his coming out in 2009.
That was some of the good, now some of the bad. The other day as I was putting the car away I put a noticeable, fist sized dent in the rear quarter, below the gas filler and just in front of the wraparound of the rear bumper. I was sickened by what had happened, and the more I looked at it the more guilty I felt.
The question became an obsession as I tried to decide how to go about making the dent less noticeable, without affecting the car's original condition. I have done much of my own body work in the past, but what I would be attempting would be beyond my ability. Could the dent be gently massaged without damaging the original paint? My insurance company and the adjuster were of course all for it, and that was how they wrote it up. There was a slush fund set aside by the insurance company if deemed necessary.
I subsequently contacted a technician who was experienced in doing what I needed done. Unfortunately his response was not what I wanted to hear. He indicated that the process only worked on the newer thin, hard metal on today's modern cars, and that it would not work on the old stuff. Not sure if I want to repair with the large paint blend that would be necessary or leave it and call it patina. Anybody out there want to comment?
That was some of the good, now some of the bad. The other day as I was putting the car away I put a noticeable, fist sized dent in the rear quarter, below the gas filler and just in front of the wraparound of the rear bumper. I was sickened by what had happened, and the more I looked at it the more guilty I felt.
The question became an obsession as I tried to decide how to go about making the dent less noticeable, without affecting the car's original condition. I have done much of my own body work in the past, but what I would be attempting would be beyond my ability. Could the dent be gently massaged without damaging the original paint? My insurance company and the adjuster were of course all for it, and that was how they wrote it up. There was a slush fund set aside by the insurance company if deemed necessary.
I subsequently contacted a technician who was experienced in doing what I needed done. Unfortunately his response was not what I wanted to hear. He indicated that the process only worked on the newer thin, hard metal on today's modern cars, and that it would not work on the old stuff. Not sure if I want to repair with the large paint blend that would be necessary or leave it and call it patina. Anybody out there want to comment?
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