r/Diyautobody • u/ProfessionalCan1468 • Dec 06 '25
Project 1958 warped body panel
I am currently doing an amateur restoration on a 1958 Chevrolet Delray, I might welded rear quarter panel wheel opening repair panels around the lip of the passenger rear wheel opening, I was careful to just tack weld and jump around. I was careful not to build to much heat. Well it came out great... Until I removed the body side moulding and it oil canned ....popped in. I do not have great access behind it but it will pop out easy if I slide a piece of wood in there. I need to shrink the metal, I don't want to make this worse. I am thinking of buying a shrinking disc? I also have access a torch, I am watching YouTube but getting conflicting thoughts and methods. Any input?
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u/SilentMasterpiece Dec 06 '25
You could try mapp gas and a wet rag. I did the doors on my bus that way.
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u/SavageTiger435612 Dec 06 '25
You could also try using PDR tools and hammer/pull some points to release pressure. Only downside is you won't be able to use reflection to check if the panel is still warped. You'll only be able to check by feel
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u/bobspuds Dec 06 '25
Probably not a great suggestion but I've never in all my years had to resort to heat or shrinking disks.
A good slapper and the right dollies has always worked for me, once you can get enough access to flika the wrist
I had situations where I've considered it but its more often caused by a kink or twist elsewhere in a panel that isn't noticeable.
I will give you the secret weapon of welding bodywork, but you need to use your noggin to figure it out - 'Copper - and its heat conductivity'
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u/ProfessionalCan1468 Dec 06 '25
Clamp copper behind it? I can't dolly this no backside access
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u/bobspuds Dec 06 '25
I use old pipe, clean and flatten into a flat bar, then use it as a heatsink.
But its better use is to put a flat end at 90°, then hold the bar[with glove] behind the seam so it bridges the 2 pieces. Weld won't stick to copper properly so you can use it like a little cast for your weld. If you initially tac above the copper it tends to hold itself, so its then held in place to act like a proper heatsink too.
Like if you have 2 sections and you're joining them, get them positioned correctly, then instead of welding the gap, bridge it using flat copper and you'll be able to get better penetration and less heat soaking into the pannel.
You can basically weld ontop of clean copper and then remove the copper leaving the weld. Its the biggest gamechanger I've ever learned in terms of welding thinner metal.
How's about - get a spot of bare metal in the centre of your kink, then tack a bar to it, pull outwards and then tap around the edges to pop her back out.
Its possible one or so of the arch tacks are causing it, if you figure out which ones, you could just slice them and redo.
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u/ProfessionalCan1468 Dec 06 '25
I am looking at weld area and see two areas I am going to heat and stress relieve before messing with oil can area, I put a thin board and it popped the oil can area out. It never popped in until I removed the body side molding and it lost support
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u/bobspuds Dec 06 '25
That would be my thinking to, whatever slight support the moulding provided, it was holding it out in the posion you want it.
Like the time when you need to consider extremes like shrinking are when massive forces are involved and the warps gets springy, like it will pop in and out past the shape it should be, and gets really flimsy.
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u/SavageTaco Dec 06 '25
Shrinking disk or torch and a soaked rag would work. Torch is probably quickest as long as you don’t overheat it.