I have a very small dent in my hood and I want to beat it out but I am not a body guy at all.
I have some metal working dollies/hammers that I borrowed and want to give this a go.
My question is how do I beat this tiny dent out without messing up the paint? The dent is just big enough to see it when you look down the line, maybe an 1/8 inch.
I was thinking that all I had to do was tape over the dent so the paint doesnt get marred up, put the dolly under the dent, and gently tap out the dent from the top. Is this about right?
Like I said I am not a body man so your advice is greatly appreciated and needed.

First, I would check with one of the paintless dent repair places... this sounds like a slam dunk for one of these guys... but it would cost you some...

If you really want to do it yourself... and if I'm reading this right (dent goes in from the outside of the hood down) What you'll need to do is maybe even wrap the dolly in a thin cotton cloth. (what ever will contact the paint) Then you'll lay the dolly just to the outside of the indent on top of the hood with say your left hand and hold it tight against the panel. Then with your right hand and the hammer, you start to lightly tap around the dented area... (never tap right where the dolly is as you'll be streching the metal and could warp it)

So in effect, the dolly is keeping the surounding area from going upward as youi tap, and the hammer is pushing the indented area back out...Work from the outside of the dent to the center. If you go right to the center, you stand a good chance of cracking the paint...

Keep doing this lightly, moving both the hammer and the dolly all around the indented area and inspecting it as you go... a little at a time.

It won't take much to get it back out, light taps are key, as if you tap with the edge of the hammer you will leave marks! So very light flat taps...

The paintless guys use a series of spoon type tools to sort of smooth and push the dent out from behind the dent, from the outside to the center of the dent. No paint cracks, and they just smooth the dent out...

Hope this makes sense and you can follow along?
Maybe practice on a piece of scrap sheet metal?

Good luck and let us know how it comes out!

Brett - 67 Drop Top 455!

I`d go w "paintless repair",(probaly less than $100) thinking the risk invloved doing it yourself w no previous experience...
I think you`ll mess it up, then you`ll have to pay a body man fix it , paint it...$350-400 +_

Sorry, the dent goes from the inside of the hood out, shut the hood on a tool
So with this being said, what changes?

The dent is so small that I am thinking that I can handle it with with proper instruction and patience.
I am not ruling out the use of a paintless dent repair shop though. Thats why I am asking here.
If there is too much risk involved then forget it and I am going to have someone do it for me.
Just dont want my stupidy of closing the hood on a tool to cost me $$$. If I can fix it myself I will, but maybe your all right and I should just pony up the cash and in the future make sure all my tools are policed up before closing the lid

This wouldn't happen to be the classic air cleaner nut into the hood problem would it? Don't ask how I know this.

No, not this time. Closed the hood down on tools laying on the filler panel.
But I have seen it happen :rolleyes:

And if you have the hood off for say like taking the engine out - when you go to put the hood back on the hinges MAKE SURE YOU USE THE CORRECT LENGTH BOLTS! I mixed up the 9/16's for the hinge to fender and when I went to tighten down the bolts on the hood guess what happened??? Luckily it was only one of them that popped up a nice dent in my hood. Kicking myself over and over. Stupid. Stupid.

I did some searching around and found a highly recommended paintless dent guy in the area that has a max charge of $75.00. He is also a Firebird fanatic so probably less.
Taking your advice and having him do it. Next time I will remember not to leave tools lying around. DOH!

Invest in a "Hospital Table" to hold the tools over then engine bay while you work. Then roll it (and all the tools) out of the way when you close the hood.

Hospital Table on eBay

That is a very good suggestion, I just might do that. Thanks.

Same proceedure... but you'll want the dolly right in the middle of the dent (covered by cloth) and you'll tap the hammer undernieth all around the dent... then the reverse as needed... but it will take a very light touch as not to damage the paint.

But at that price, I'd go with the paintless method too.. good luck!

Brett! - 67 Drop Top 455!

I'm a fairly handy guy but, I really screwed up my rear fender trying to "gently" knock out a reverse dent(..on a Honda Accord years ago). I brought my '68 to a paintless dent removel place here in New Orleans. For $100, they flattened out about 12 dinks in my right door. I couldn't be happier with the result. Its worth a visit. They should be able to tell you if they can do it upon examining your car.

I'd to the dent doctor too.

69fbconv. Man! I can only imagine! It has never happened to me, but I can see where something like this can happen.

Sorry that Mr. Murphy had to lend his assistance, but it's excellent advice for the board.

Believe me, when I slammed the hood down I could have killed myself.
To make matters worse my 16year old brother in law was standing right there, I will never hear the end of it from him.
Oh well, lesson learned.

if you go the paintless way, i would make sure you tell them not to drill any holes to get thier tools in. got hail damage on my durango 2 months after i bought it. took it to one of those places and the first thing they did was pull out the drills. i got in and drove off.