How Do You Shrink This!

These are classic enterprises panel, great panel but it was already a little warped when I got it, now post weld in it’s even worse, not sure what to do here. There is about a 10”x10 area on each side that need shrunk, it’s like they almost need relief cuts to get them flat

 

haven't done it myself . But
Making/improvising Special Tools
read post 86

 

Hot-shrinking is a thing. I've done just a little but I couldn't tell you how to do it.

Hot shrinking - Wikipedia

 

I know that shrinking discs work too if in the right hands, just not sure if this is such a trapped extreme oil canning that it needs the extreme measure, the torch?3/8 gradient is quite a bit

 

Another way is to use a small flame from an oxy acetylene torch and do several nickel sized dull red raises, then immediately bump them down off dolly and let them cool using a blast of air do them one at a time, then move to the next highest spot. If you can get a dolly behind you can then get a flat panel with off dolly blows. Just make sure the panel is cool to the touch between shrinks

 

Thank you!

 

I would point out that Jeep's body work from the factory wasn't great in this era. And that area will be mostly hidden behind the spare tire.

 

I use heat and air start on the outside edges and shrink a little and see what happens try to make a few practice shrinks on some scrap it actually goes fairly well once you get the hang of it.

 

Thanks for all the help, this is what I came up with, I think I I’m in bondo range, no more than 3/16.

 

Yes, hammer dolly, slapped bar would be great, I’m afraid to mess with it anymore, if I keep hammering it will it not stretch, oil can or otherwise?

 

Hammer and dolly along with heat shrinking worked well for me. Doing the heat shrinking method with my oxy acetylene torch i flattened my drivers fender from 3/16"+ Bondo to around 1/32". I have a heat shrinking disk I had no lock with.

 

The off dolly method will tighten the floppy panel. Everything you are doing requires practicing. I have been “practicing “for thirty five years and still learn something every time.

 

This is exactly why I didn’t chime in. Just because I’ve done it, doesn’t mean I know how to do it.

 

Like you I know my limitations, looking at this panel when I started I thought no way can it be flattened, I proved myself wrong it really wasn't too hard to get it semi flat, now if I can just get the small highs and lows out without stretching it I will really be stoked!

 

I often use a “waffle “ headed hammer to help with the stretching.