Had the car for 5 years; the ex thought it was a great idea to kiss it with the back of an axe.


So, I've been doing some research and reading forums on here that suggest I should get a donor car and cut and weld another panel into place. I've had someone pop the damage out which is what it looks like now. I was thinking maybe there's a chance I won't have to but the metal has already creased in 2 spots and started to peel the paint. Just looking for some friendly suggestions before I just give up and send it to a body shop for 5000$. Thanks in advance!

 

Yes, definitely a cut/weld job. Then body filler, primer, block sand, etc., then paint and clearcoat. It's pretty standard procedure on the collision repair world, as well as the restoration due to rust.

I'm learning body work and refinishing myself, although I have yet to do any automotive cut/reweld sheet metal on any of my projects. But I can do decent welding otherwise so I would not hesitate to try it when the day comes.

Find a good body shop that doesn't do hack jobs, is my recommendation. It's an expensive repair because it's very time consuming.