Between my 4 cars, I have about 3 or 4 valances that needs a good straightening/occasional dent. Just in general, what is a rough estimate to have a body guy do one of these? Just trying to plan ahead. Thanks!
I just went to harbor freight and picked up their hammer and dolly set and did it myself... taught myself how to do it from watching afew videos online. not that hard just remember to check it regularly, I didn't and ended up going abit to far in one direction...
Well, I'm just afraid I'll mess it up I suppose. I know how hard good valances are to find. These are definitely fixable. Care to share those videos you watched online? I may get some good use out of them. Thanks!
I just did a bing search... and a youtube search for hammer and dolly techniques and the like I didn't bother to remember them...
I'll second the HF hammer and dolly set .... getting better at using them with practice. One of the keys to this is to look at how the dent happened, and then work in the reverse order, to work it back out ... if you just start working on the worst damage, you will create more problems. You need to work some of the outlying stress out of the metal, and then finish with the initial point of impact.
It may just be my area, but the two places that gave me quotes wanted a lot of money ($120 for each one) and couldn't 'guarantee' they'd look perfectly straight. I ended up cheating and ordering fiberglass valances. They ran me $119 each. Since the car is, eventually, going to be solid jet black, and never a drag or show car, I decided Id rather have the cosmetic appeal....even if it is just crunchable fiberglass. My valances were pretty torn up. It looked like the previous owner went mud bogging in the car. *shrug*
Where did you get fiberglass ones? A lot of valances didn't survive if the car was ever towed by an old school wrecker. Those big straps used to be valance killers.
Somewhere online? Id have to go back in my email to find the name. Its a small California based company. Theyre fairly obscure...they dont even have a retail website. I ended up doing my ordering by phone and was taking a leap of faith since I didnt order theyre $20 full color catalog to review the valances first. But their customer service was good, and the valances are nice. Definitely worth the price.
