Making Dents My Way

[Romell R]

So how would you like to make dents that look like your car has been hit by another car ? I made the car below about a year and in the process I developed a process of making real scale dents. before we get started i have to post a legal disclaimer (Aftashox , Romell Robinson, MCM or it affiliates cant be held responsible for lopped off fingers and toes ) now on to the tutorial.

OK here a small list of things you'll need to do this right

1. you need a victim or a body

2. the ol trusty Exacto Blade

3. a Dremel or Roto tool of some sorts ( you don't have to have it but it'll make the job a lot easier for you)

4. coarse sand paper

5. sheet aluminum .016 or thinner the thinner the better (not too thin though you don't want to used aluminum foil)

Now to get things started lets select an victim for our experiment im gonna use this old Nova body (ok you got me its not old)

ok we need to figure out where we want our dent or dents. I want the door smashed so I'll cut a piece of aluminum sheet the size of the dent i want. Form the aluminum to the proximate shape of the door. ie if there's a body line bend the sheet the same way.

Take your panel and KNOCK some dents in it with something.Don't go over board most dents aren't crumples. Now place that new panel on you model and trace the shape onto the body, and cut it out DON'T

cut on the line , but cut just inside the line. We want the new panel to fit snugly in the cut out section of the body. here I have done one the correct way (the door) and one just a tad to big( the rear panel) which one do you think is gonna be easier to blend in?

Allll righty then now get your putty, body filler, Bondo whatever you use to fix body's and smooth in those new panels, keep in mind it doesn't have to be perfect.

I added some small drilled holes to simulate the often seen dent puller holes of mid repair cars of the 70's & 80's, you can also bend the aluminum add holes where the mirror should be or the door handle. Notice my panel is slightly raised to simulate the door being shifted a bit.

part two is up next

[Romell R]

Ok Let get some primer on that body, but avoid getting it on the new dent panels because we want that metal to show later on, once you have the primer on to your satisfaction shoot your color coat but this time you want to paint the entire car dents and all.

now that you have the car painted get ready to mess it up. WHAT? you thought we were done? I never said this would be easy

get out your coarse sand paper and start taking off the paint on the dent panels dont remove it all just get the high spots leave the paint in some of it. And sand from front to back NOT up and down, If you do it correctly it will have a sideswiped look to it.

you can add detail to the dents like bent up side trim lights hanging off missing mirrors, broken door handles, add a panel primed up. Ive done all that on this car

I hope this helps in you car crashing ventures

[Chuck Most]

Well, you've mastered the dents... now it's onto the rust. Then you'll be ready to built that Rat Rod you keep on saying you'll build.

[crazyjim]

WOw. That looks pretty good, Romell. Somebody posted an Impala in his diorama bodyshop with a look like that.

[W-409]

I've been trying to replicate a car in the junkyard, and I used this style to make those "dents"... Works fine, and it's simple and easy! I did also a hood from aluminium, but that's just aluminium, there's no plastic used...

[Scale-Master]

That looks like junk. And I mean that as a compliment. Nice wrecking.

[MikeMc]

Great info Rommel.....My buddy Nigel does the same things.....

[ra7c7er]

WOW, That's awesome. I never thought about using aluminum for the panels. Makes those of us worried about getting flame to close to the body have a shot at doing our own dents. Thanks very much.

I've been trying to replicate a car in the junkyard, and I used this style to make those "dents"... Works fine, and it's simple and easy! I did also a hood from aluminum, but that's just aluminum, there's no plastic used...

That hood looks great. Just like something you would see in a junkyard.

[W-409]

I'm trying to build a little junkyard diorama. And that Mustang should fit there nicely. I mean that I'm building just a little junkyard's corner and put that Mustang right there. Thanks, Mark and Robert. And Mike, your buddy does great job with that one!

[Dr. Cranky]

Ooh, I love this. The first time I saw this technique used was in article written by Ken Hamilton. Rommel, you've taken it a step further by using real metal. Nice!