How Much would it cost...

thebigbread · Post by **thebigbread** » Thu Apr 12, 2007 3:57 pm

to fix this dent? ive had it since i got the car. I dont need a clear coat job on it, just some primer. i know body shop prices vary greatly, but could anybody give me an idea?

tonythayer · Post by **tonythayer** » Thu Apr 12, 2007 4:57 pm

Have you considered fabricating a whole new body panel out of bondo? I hear it doesn't rust

I keed, I keed
Mine is showing some rust around the back. I think I'll just take it as free ventilation.

Post by **Petros** » Thu Apr 12, 2007 7:25 pm

NO matter how good of mechanical condition of your Terc, I know it would cost way more to fix than the car is worth. Either replace the car, or keep it as-is until it dies.

If I owned it this is what I would do: take a wire brush, or wire wheel, and get as much of the peeling paint and loose rust off of it (or even better sand blast it the rusty parts). Then use this special primer paint for rust, it chemically reacts with the rust and stops it. Than just spray over it with as close a matching paint you can find. I would not even try to fix the dents, too time consuming for the value of the car. By just spraying it, it will cost little to do, improve the looks some, stop it from getting worse, and it will not take long nor much skill.

keith · Post by **keith** » Thu Apr 12, 2007 7:46 pm

I did a similar dent in ours. Open the hatch, remove the inner panel and use a variety of wood blocks and 2x4 to pry the outer skin out by prying against the inner panels. You can get most of it back to its original shape. Then you can use a little bondo if you want to make it perfect. Paint with those small duplicolor spray cans from a larger auto parts store.

I'll post some pics later. It's quite easy to do and you'll save hundreds maybe 1000's.

takza · Post by **takza** » Fri Apr 13, 2007 4:52 am

That's a lot of work...but do able? At least I don't see holes.

That's a body work students dream. I could fix that myself...but it would take some time.

Maybe find a shop class looking for a project?

Post by **Petros** » Fri Apr 13, 2007 5:36 pm

I faced the same issue with my first one. I only paid $200 for it (rough body and interior). It ran good for about 2-3 years and then the engine failed (a piston skirt collapsed). I was torn between rebuilding the engine or just dump it and get another one since it had a few very hard to fix dents/scraps (side swiped from front fender to rear panel).

I then found one with a near perfect body, no rust and good inteirior with no engine or trans. It was owned by a guy with a tow truck business, he had three of them, all had been abandon, were not drivable and lacked titles. He wanted the engine out of the one I wanted to put it in one with a bad engine but a working auto trans. I traded him the engine swap for the good body chassis, and then I had a car worth fixing up. So my old one became my parts car, but this one was worth fixing since the body only needed a few minor repairs to make perfect.

It would be cheaper and faster to find one with a good body that is easier to fix since they are cheap enough to buy espcially if they need mech work (clutch, valve job, etc.) If you find a non-running one so much the better because it would only be worth scrap to a typical buyer. That is why it is not worth fixing, yes it could be done, but it is too much work compared to other alternatives. Find a non-runner with a good body, and then use your old one as a parts car and part-out or scrap what is left.