[DeTomaso] paintless dent removal ????

[Larry Finch]

 Some of you in Reno no doubt noticed the dented section on the driver's door of 2511.

Small garages, rolling carts, and wayward bench-top drill presses do not play well with Panteras.  :-(

The really troubling issue for 2511 is the paint is a metallic. Couldn't ask for a more impossible paint
to try and get a good match. I do however have maybe 8 ounces of the paint well-stored and sealed.

Amazingly there was no paint scratching, but there is a six inch long crack in the paint just above the
top body line edge on the door - the edge 2" from the window. Randy Grubb wisely suggested that
crack could be addressed by camouflaging it with a thin body-line pin stripe, an idea I think will do just fine.

I've done some research on paintless dent removal (PDR) and it appears the results can be amazing.
Randy cautioned that if there is Bondo in the damaged area, that can interfere  in the PDR process,
and sadly Quella (who did 2511) is known for using a skim coat of Bondo in his restoration process. I am
a bit pessimistic the cracking is an indicator of Bondo, but no real way of knowing.

I believe our vintage cars are a heavier gauge metal than the current crop and that alone may be a concern?
There are also no doubt different PDR processes and equipment providers. Since I really probably only get
one shot at doing this right, I'd like my choice to be as well qualified and researched as possible.

My question to all of you is what should I look for in selecting a craftsman to perform the repair?

Thanks,

Larry