Use a jack on that corner... That's a good idea, thanks! It's been
mentioned that heat would be a bad idea on the metal and I do have a
stud dent puller.

Rob

At  1/30/2011 10:25 AM, Scott Daniel - Turbovans wrote:
>well it is 'just metal' and it depends on how good you want it.
>
>I have one bigger than that , just like that one ..
>I might spend many hours on it but I think I can get it quite a bit back to
>where it was ...
>to where it just needs the finish body work and painting.
>
>where it's pushed under the rear hatch door ..
>I even forgot I did this on one van ..I jacked carefully across the rear
>hatch opening ..it a lot of 4 X 4's to support and guide the jacking forces
>..but I was able to 'sneak' that area back about 1/8th to 1/4 inch to get
>things lined up with the rear hatch door again.
>
>'it's just metal' ..
>and it depends on your skill, your patience, your creativity etc.
>My father is a perfectionist nut about things like this. I have seen him
>remove a dent above a VW Bug headlight with carefully shaped pieces of wood
>..so the pushing part matches the curve of what you're trying to straighten
>....and it get it perfect without even harming the paint ...just amazing.
>
>on this one I'd start with jacking that edge to the left to get the hatch
>door 'cut line' back where it belongs..
>you can't hammer outward right in the corner ..there's a frame member sorta
>of ..
>but you can pull those dents out.
>I got a big stud welder at HF for $ 100 ..it welds on a stud ..
>then there's a special tool to pull on the stud..
>gradually you get it back where it was.
>Eventually you finish off with as little bondo as possible. or however you
>do it.
>
>it's mainly a matter or how good you want it.
>welding in  a whole piece is one option of course.
>body work is a whole thing unto itself of course..
>I've gotten quotes of well over $ 500 on things like that ..
>and even then ...lol.....I have seen so much bad body and paint work it's
>sickening ..
>I don't care what you pay ..
>they tend to make it 'look' right where it's shinny , but otherwise do just
>awful work very often ..
>unpainted on the back side, mis-wired tail lights ..whatever.
>
>hey ..come to my shop and practice on the same but larger dent in my 87
>Wolfsburg !
>scott
>www.turbovans.com
>
>I know very little about bodywork but I'm going to learn.
>I just put a question and photo on TheSamba about a dent in my left
>rear corner, feel free to take look.
>http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?p=5100715#5100715
>
>
>
>Rob
>
>becida@comcast.net
>Western Washington State, USA
>
>  ____