Datsun Roadster Forum-311s.org

Now that I know which ones I have, has anybody had any luck restoring the strips? I have a couple strips (of course the long ones that go on the rear quarter) that have a bunch of dings from somewhere in the car's distant history when it was actually on the street and could be hit by another car door. Eastwood shows a special dolly and anvil for side strips in general. However, not sure how well that would work.

Almost seems like I need to sand the curve into a piece of Oak for the anvil and then create a matching piece of metal that I can use on to pound on from the back side.

Anybody had any positive or negative experiences here?

Thanks

Mark

markjhatch wrote:Almost seems like I need to sand the curve into a piece of Oak for the anvil and then create a matching piece of metal that I can use on to pound on from the back side.

This is what I have heard and read works the best. It is a little work to get the form set up, but once done, the side trim is restored pretty easily.

If I had the equipment (skill, knowledge, etc), I would make this set up for my own use.
Tim

we have the equipment and regularly do side moldings. We just finished three sets. One set took 10 hours and they turned out very well. they had quite a few parking lot dings but show no signs of previous stress and damage. One set is on its way to New Mexico and the other to California. The third set is for a Montana car in the shop. We can do your strips if you send them to us.

Ross
sports imports

I have seen it done. IIRC, it's more of a rub it back in place with your Oak tools, than a pound!
Slow and easy...

Years ago I had pretty good luck with some stainless trim on a Chevy. I used a sandbag (like you'd use for shaping aluminum) and a flat bladed scewdriver I shaped sort of like a round cornered popsicle stick. Like Phil said, it's more of a rub than a pound. If I remember the technique, I worked at the edges by pressing just enough to deform the metal and worked toward the center. A little practice and be careful, you sort of get a feel for it. Most of the dings would, at a point, kind of pop out.
I never got a ding to be invisible but with a little sanding and buffing they disappeared.
I tried a few chrome pcs but the plating is brittle and once bent, seems to crack when you push the metal back.
Dan

@Ross

10 hours! My goodness. No matter what your labor rate is for those things, that has got to be expensive. But knowing your reputation, I am sure they are perfect!

Given that I am probably going to make a form... What do people think of making the form out of something like JB weld (wrap the strip in wax paper, and then fine sand it in after hardening)

Is it going to be too brittle?

I did my own as I'm trying to do as much of my own resto as I can (it's my relaxation time). I can't speak for the early trim (because of the concave shape), but for late convex trim it's not hard to fix all but the worst dings (like a crease that bends the inside "fold" of the trim). As others have stated...a wood dowel rounded on the ends helps rub out the dents...as well as working on a sand bag...also, for deep dents I knocked the dent outward (really raising it slightly high in the front, and then file and grind back to the convex curve). The first picture is a repaired piece, the second I tried to show you the punch marks where the crease/dent was pushed out from the back (not noticeable on the front) and the final is really the basic tools besides the file and polishing wheel.





v/r
Buddy

You all have FAR more patience than I!

Yup, it's tedious. Remembering back on the time I spend undinging that old Chevy side trim, I'd probably just pay Ross 'cause his stuff will be as good as new.
Dan

I've heard that you have to be very gentle when "pushing" out the dents because it is more difficult to repair if you push is too far and the stainless is so thin that sanding a bump down might just create a hole.

That's probably why I've seen restored sets run $700 - 900 on ebay if you can find them.

Shannon

markjhatch wrote:Now that I know which ones I have, has anybody had any luck restoring the strips? I have a couple strips (of course the long ones that go on the rear quarter) that have a bunch of dings from somewhere in the car's distant history when it was actually on the street and could be hit by another car door. Eastwood shows a special dolly and anvil for side strips in general. However, not sure how well that would work.

Almost seems like I need to sand the curve into a piece of Oak for the anvil and then create a matching piece of metal that I can use on to pound on from the back side.

Anybody had any positive or negative experiences here?

Thanks

Mark

It can be done with the right tools...Gerardo used to give a demo at the Shasta meet. I want to say that he made a ding(yikes!) and then removed it and I was impressed. He did it several times and it came out looking undented:




I've got dings on mine b/c of missing door limiters

Is that a file that he is holding? I assume there is sometype of properly rounded tool and the file is used to move the tool along to push the ding out?

I doubt it (special tool that is)...as I replied above above, you can work the dent out from the back and then file/grind the raised section to even and then sand polish as needed. The trim is stiff and polishing stainless needs a little more work than alum, but it does come out very nice. Another member mentioned the metal was thin and you could file holes through the metal, but I file slow and soft and have not had that problem...file sort of works the metal back down (yes I'm sure some material is removed), but my trim came out very nice. I believe the method was mentioned on the site years ago.

v/r
Buddy

just got 3 orders for reconditioned sets of late moldings. thanks Dave, Ken, and, and Dan.

Ross
sports imports