The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Paint and Body Shop Where do I go from here?

Hi all,
I’ve been hammering on my C10’s hood lately and have some questions.
I started with the front right of the hood as it, and the grille, had been “pinched” hard in the nose by something sharp. It looks like a piece of flat bar on edge smacked it on the leading edge near where the hood lies on top of the grille. It also seems like this (or perhaps something else falling on it) have created a large dent on the hood’s flat leading surface and on top immediately behind the pinch.


Any dent, crease, or glancing blow has caused a stretch. Any hammer and dolly work that is on-dolly (you heard ping noises) adds to that stretch. In either case, some shrinking is going to be needed to remove the distortion and oil canning.


I am slowly beating things out and straight using the left side as a template. I’m using cardboard cutouts to ensure the same lines, etc. But here are my questions:
The massive (and also little ones nearby) dents I have hammered and dollied near completely out and the hood is starting to look smooth but I have stretched the metal I think by the occasional on dolly blow.


Here you would be better served to hammer/slap into a small shot bag or soft (plastic/Delrin or wooden) dolly that offers more cushion and will be less likely to continue adding stretch as you see from on-dolly. Another good option is to use a donut dolly, discussed elsewhere in other threads



The hood is flat, but I have slight mounds where the old craters used to be. They also oil can slightly.

Have I stretched this area? Should I attempt to spot heat and shrink? If so, do I work from the inside out? Or outside in?