Hot off my wetsanding adventure, I thought I might improve the driver door a little more. If you'll recall, the PDR guy worked on it, but couldn't make it perfect because someone else had already attempted to fix it, poorly though. Damage is in the middle of the pic, you can just see it. Easier to see IRL.
First, I went very lightly over the area so that it would expose the high and low spots of the dent and I could better see what I'm dealing with:
You can see that the shape of the damage is very vertical and narrow. So, I rolled up the sandpaper to match the shape
Took it easy - I didn't want to remove so much orange peel and flatten it so much that it becomes an eyesore in a different way. I figured I wouldn't be able to completely hide the dent, but thought I could smooth it out.
Dry. Time to buff it and see if I made enough, but not too much of a difference
Again, hard to see in a picture vs. real life, but if is definitely smoother and less egregious. Orange peel doesn't look as "disturbed," but also not too flattened either, which can happen if you remove too much clear with sanding.
Further back, more realistic view - can't even see anything at this distance.
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Decided to go from 12mm spacers up front to 15mm. Not a huge difference, but these stock wheels need all the help they can get. I don't like using spacer, but I also don't like the stock wheel look, so 15mm is my compromise - won't go to 18mm or 20. Pictured is the old 12mm (KSP - really nice), 15mm is behind it. I tried to put the 12mm in back, but with the fat 255/40 tire on 9" rim, it rubs, so went back to 10mm which is fine - only really wanted more "poke" up front.
Pretty decent poke
Car is looking good now!
First, I went very lightly over the area so that it would expose the high and low spots of the dent and I could better see what I'm dealing with:
You can see that the shape of the damage is very vertical and narrow. So, I rolled up the sandpaper to match the shape
Took it easy - I didn't want to remove so much orange peel and flatten it so much that it becomes an eyesore in a different way. I figured I wouldn't be able to completely hide the dent, but thought I could smooth it out.
Dry. Time to buff it and see if I made enough, but not too much of a difference
Again, hard to see in a picture vs. real life, but if is definitely smoother and less egregious. Orange peel doesn't look as "disturbed," but also not too flattened either, which can happen if you remove too much clear with sanding.
Further back, more realistic view - can't even see anything at this distance.
_______
Decided to go from 12mm spacers up front to 15mm. Not a huge difference, but these stock wheels need all the help they can get. I don't like using spacer, but I also don't like the stock wheel look, so 15mm is my compromise - won't go to 18mm or 20. Pictured is the old 12mm (KSP - really nice), 15mm is behind it. I tried to put the 12mm in back, but with the fat 255/40 tire on 9" rim, it rubs, so went back to 10mm which is fine - only really wanted more "poke" up front.
Pretty decent poke
Car is looking good now!
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