Northern Custom Cruiser

So....... No words can express how i feel about this incident. Any tips on how i can fix this without causing more damage?

oldcutlass

Do you have full coverage insurance or just liability? It does not look really bad so you may be able to straighten out the minor body damage and replace the tail light and filler panel.

70-442-W30

I've got no advice, but I do have a story: Someone parked their vehicle right up against the front bumper of our new car in a parking lot when my wife was loading the kids in. She felt the vehicle move and told the person about it touching. After they put it in park to get out and check, it coasted back some, and they claimed that it wasn't touching.

Nothing surprises me anymore. Most people are sane, but some are just idiots.

Best of luck on the repair.

Northern Custom Cruiser

Just liability, im sure if i had full coverage theyd just junk my car and give me 1500. The same thing happend with a seville i had. Ive heard people mention a hair dryer trick but do you think its a possibility i could straighten out the bumper with a simple rubber mallet

oldcutlass

You can straighten the bumper using a 5# sledge and wooden blocks. Use one block as an anvil and the other to hammer on to keep the bumper from getting scratched.

Northern Custom Cruiser

A neighbor of mine across the street had some sort of party and my spot was taken so i parked on his side of the street. Needless to say, he didnt like that and backed his truck up until his trailer hitch was ontop of my bumper and scratched it. My girlfriend ripped him a new one and hes been parking in his driveway ever since. I really dont feel like starting this game with a grown man....

Northern Custom Cruiser

One of the main issues i have is that the tailgate chips the edge of where the tailight is but just barely. I really dont know how im going to go about getting that a quarter of an inch over so i dont ruin my tailgate.

joe_padavano

Unfortunately I sold my good bumper and filler pieces a year or so ago, but I think I still have tail lights left.

Northern Custom Cruiser

Joe, i believe i just sent you an email if my phone cooperates with me

oldcutlass

Remove the bumper and straighten it. While its off, then straighten out the body area. The bumper is not that tough if you use the method I described above. A good shop hammer will work, just start out hammering on the wood lightly and increase pressure as needed.

Inline

Yeah your bumber aint even bad, just do like oldcutlass says. It works.

Northern Custom Cruiser

Ill give that a swing, thanks for the help i appreciate it greatly!!!!

CRUZN 66

I have NOS Tail Lights & Bezels, and most likely a set of used ones... If Joe doesn't have what you need, let me know and I will check my stock for the used ones I "THINK" I have...

Northern Custom Cruiser

Will do sir thank you very much. I might just get yours also as ive got 2 custom cruisers and am split between parting the other out or restoring it. However, i could always use an extra set any maybe i could help out another fellow yaht captain in need of a tailight one day. The more the merrier!

Rustbucket2

Port-a-power will put that bumper back in place. And you don't need to hit it with hammer, a little pressure on the back side should do it.

Northern Custom Cruiser

So to continue with the repairs, i got one of those suction cups to pull out the dent and it pops right back in..... How do i keep it from doing this?? I can pull it out where it looks perfect in some parts but i might have to get inside and beat it out, (pun intended..) i really dont want to cause more damage than there already is but i need to get this straightened out because the tail light wont fit in its place otherwise. Thanks in advance guys!

joe_padavano

If it pops back, you've got a distortion somewhere else that is locking the oilcan in place. Usually this will be along the reinforced edge of the panel, like the opening for the taillight. Check closely. You need to unlock that distortion before you worry about the oilcan. Don't randomly start beating panels; this can cause even more damage if not done properly.

Northern Custom Cruiser

How would you suggest going about unlocking the distortion in the reinforced edge since going crazy with a hammer is obviously not the best idea? Im sure the old hairdryer trick wont cover this one

joe_padavano

Depends on exactly what is distorted. Unfortunately, it's tough to see this remotely. An experienced body person can run their hands over the area and tell by feel. There has to be something along one edge (I'm guessing it's near the opening for the taillight) where reinforced metal got pushed out of place. You might need a slide hammer with a hook to pull it back. The movement could be very slight and not easily seen. You might have to carefully compare sides to see it.

oldcutlass

When your pulling it out, look for the low spot, that's usually the pressure point that's working against you.

joe_padavano

Unfortunately, that's not always the case with an oilcan dent on a low crown panel.