How would you continue? The panel is sanded flat. As I move forward on the back panel there is an issue to be address. These high areas are the undamaged area of the back panel. But there are so many of them. I’m inclined to tap them in and fill. What do you think? A straight edge does reveal a hump all though it be real small at the exposed metal location.
If there are actually low spots next to the high spot, it would be better to try and raise them up, IMO. If your panel has the right shape overall, It's better to bring the dents out than lower the areas where the metal is exposed. Do you have a piece of straight sheet metal you can lay over the panel to check the profile? Or a thin long ruler laid flat.
If you have low areas that have been stretched, you may need to shrink them some. A donut dolly (I use a PVC pipe coupling) and a body hammer with a slightly domed face can do the shrinking.The stretchers behind that back panel are often in the way, and one of your high spots looks to be right near one (right side of the window opening). I've found that the back panel is one of the hardest to get straight, and they do take a beating.
I see you're pretty close to MPandC (Robert) down in Leonardtown. You might try contacting him by PM and see if he could drop by and advise you. He's the metalworking guru on here.
Kevin 1951 Chevy 3100 work truck Follow this saga in Project Journal Photos 1929 Ford pickup restored from the ground up. | 1929 Ford Special Coupe (First car) Busting rust since the mid-60's If you're smart enough to take it apart, you darn well better be smart enough to put it back together.
Although I had similar issues on my truck, I'm hoping some of the more knowledgeable folks will jump in. It may be helpful if you could spay a mist of guidecoat ( cheap rattle can flat black misting of the surface) and then block sand the areas and take a lot more photo's .
Ron - - Dusty53 1954 Chevy 3604 In the Gallery Forum "You can't dance with the Devil and then wonder why you're still in Hell." "They will forget what you've said, and they will forget what you have done but they will never forget the way you made them feel."
Try Dykem bluing for a guide coat for block sanding.
Kevin 1951 Chevy 3100 work truck Follow this saga in Project Journal Photos 1929 Ford pickup restored from the ground up. | 1929 Ford Special Coupe (First car) Busting rust since the mid-60's If you're smart enough to take it apart, you darn well better be smart enough to put it back together.
Make sure you get Dykem Layout Blue in a spraycan and not Dykem High Spot blue in a squeeze tube. The later will get into places you don’t want to get it on, may contain some type of oil, and would stain the filler rendering the technique useless.
Last edited by Phak1; 05/04/20251:12 PM.
Phil Moderator, The Engine Shop, Interiors and Project Journals
1952 Chevrolet 3100, Three on the Tree, 4:11 torque tube Updated to: ‘59 235 w/hydraulic lifters, 12v w/alternator, HEI, PCV and Power front Disc Brakes Project Journals Stovebolt Gallery Forum
At this point any "tap and fill" may risk fracturing or delamination of the filler on the panel now. The rear of your cab reminds me of the hood we repaired for John Vannatta, where we found so much filler on the outside that the center peak disappeared just over halfway back on the hood. We stripped all the filler and did some hammer and dolly work, some epoxy primer, more hammer and dolly work, etc. In the end we had minimal filler used and a very stable hood skin free of any oil cans.
I find that working out the majority of the dents while in bare metal, followed by epoxy primer and block sanding to show any remaining highs and lows, is much more effective and less an issue of damage to filler as you can still work the panel with epoxy primer on it with no fear of compromising your previous work. Unfortunately, any attempts at "cave and pave" typically pushes metal outward before it goes inward, so I fear you would only be compounding high spots elsewhere. Cab rear panels were a common area of abuse on working trucks, I think you would be better served to regroup and perform a more thorough metal bumping on the panel. If this were something I had to tackle, it would be stripped and do all the metal work until it was an oil can free panel and then epoxy, block, and continue to fix highs and lows as they show up better with the epoxy on the panel. I just feel you are limited to what you can do without causing damage to the filler there now, short of just adding more filler. This would have made a good dent repair seminar for Homecoming...
