StandardShift.com

I park only on end spaces in the lot at work so I don't get doored by other people. My car was virtually dent free (as when I got it), until yesterday. Apparently someone, somehow, managed to either drive or back into my car. I still can't figure out what they were trying to do (turn around? talk on the cell phone, put makeup on, and drive at the same time?) but they managed to push my right rear quarter panel in with their bumper, just ahead/under my tail light. The pushed-in spot is rectangular (ie. like a bumper corner) about 8 in wide by 5-6 in tall. I had access to the back of the panel from the trunk so I pushed most of it out with a rubber mallet, but it is still kind of wavy and uneven. I'm wondering if there is something I can buy to fix this? If there was something strong enough to somehow roll over the metal from the inside it might straighten it out (I think?). No pictures at the moment, I'll try to get one up when I get a chance.

Here's a link to a photo I took when I got the car. The spot starts just under the middle-right of the tail light and extends forward about 8".
http://rides.webshots.com/photo/2811425 ... host=rides

Things you can buy to help:
1. Professional work
2. A replacement piece
3. Bondo and paint
4. Proper auto body tools where you hold a heavy "dolly" on one side and whack with the mallet on the other side
5. Increased insurance rates after making a claim
6. Photo hosting that doesn't suck (wait, no money is required for that one)

thc: I was thinking along the lines of #4. My dad happens to have an auto body hammer (the flat kind), so I figure I'll either get a dolly or just find an old encyclopedia or other big, hardcover book to hold on the opposite side

As far as photo hosting.. I'm in the process of migrating away from Webshots and over to a gallery hosted on my own site. Here are some pics of the dent (after it was hammered back), hosted on my site: http://www.photos.douglasharrington.com/v/escort_dent/

It's pretty unlikely that you'll hammer it into shape. The metal is stretched, but not severely.

Replace it - quarter panels are cheap. That's how they got that name.

Rope-Pusher wrote:Replace it - quarter panels are cheap. That's how they got that name.

please tell me where you can get them for a quarter

Rope-Pusher wrote:Replace it - quarter panels are cheap. That's how they got that name.

Not happening.. I'd have to cut the panel out and weld a new one in. If it came off like a fender it wouldn't be a big deal. I might just bondo and paint it next year, as the rest of the car could use a paint job anyway.

Bawked wrote:

Rope-Pusher wrote:Replace it - quarter panels are cheap. That's how they got that name.

please tell me where you can get them for a quarter

I could get you several if you'd pay me a quarter million dollars.

The real problem is that they are a pane in the asp to R&R. Probably not worth the effort unless it has cancer or someone else is paying for it.