Removing dents from early tank ?

A PDR guy will have a tough time moving metal of that gauge with push methods even with proper tool. We’d farm out certain jobs to PDR guys at our shop but the tools they utilize have limits. Glue pulling is suitable in very unique panel situations and would be a waste of time and money in this case. A good body man would likely stud-weld and pull that out, work the crease, and then skim fill afterwards to resolve any distortion left from moving the metal. It takes time to learn how to move metal, I’ve been at a body shop doing classic car resto part time for over a decade at this point and I still don’t compare to my mentor who is almost 40 years in the trade. If your super keen to learn it, grab a few donor tanks and start working them to get a feel of how metal moves. Hammers and dolly’s, which aren’t expensive can be easily purchased, stud pullers and a slide have also come down in price but at some point, unless you really plan on getting into bodywork, it’s better to let a pro have a go at it.
 
A PDR guy will have a tough time moving metal of that gauge with push methods even with proper tool. We’d farm out certain jobs to PDR guys at our shop but the tools they utilize have limits. Glue pulling is suitable in very unique panel situations and would be a waste of time and money in this case. A good body man would likely stud-weld and pull that out, work the crease, and then skim fill afterwards to resolve any distortion left from moving the metal. It takes time to learn how to move metal, I’ve been at a body shop doing classic car resto part time for over a decade at this point and I still don’t compare to my mentor who is almost 40 years in the trade. If your super keen to learn it, grab a few donor tanks and start working them to get a feel of how metal moves. Hammers and dolly’s, which aren’t expensive can be easily purchased, stud pullers and a slide have also come down in price but at some point, unless you really plan on getting into bodywork, it’s better to let a pro have a go at it.
Thanks for that.
I do appreciate good advice from people who really know their profession.
Well there's no rush with this tank, I've only bought it as a spare just in case disaster strikes.
If I do tackle some of the easier dents, I'm going to make very sure that I don't make things worse not better, I'll do the work at home, at my leisure, rather than rushing it as a foreigner at work.
I've now managed to do what some people will consider to be totally stupid.
I've removed the cast aluminium filler cap mount altogether.
Not by cutting away the weld with a die grinder or file, as other people have done.
I've carefully cut away the aluminium with a cutting disc, drilled it a little, then broken it away to leave the thin steel sleeve that it was cast around.
I was never too fond of the design anyway, I'm told that those little cast lugs are a known weak point, and one was already snapped off.
The tank is now heading for a long dip in de-rusting solution, inside and out.
I suspect this would have reacted badly with the aluminium casting anyway.
Then I need to find a tame machinist with a small lathe, to turn up the basic shape of the filler cap mount in mild steel.
I'll be posting a separate thread about this some other time.
 

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I dropped the tank off yesterday and the tech told me he would take pics of the process for me which I will share..:cheers:
 
Got my tank back today and it’s not perfect but it’s so much better and the guy only charged me $100. He sent me pics of the process.5A68CB38-61CA-4F17-9C92-CD4325407E43.jpegthis is the stand he mounted it on. I guess it pivots and swivels to allow for the best angle of access.A8E47B0F-533E-43A5-9D45-8551D98D8EB2.jpegFB726459-6351-4AB1-8907-26B74B86AAC6.jpeg The paint is heated to soften it and he slowly worked it out. He did a nice job of cleaning up the scuffing also.E6621817-55DC-4F0D-8293-B698BF61D73D.jpeg89FD161A-BD98-4DD2-9325-93EA9664C342.jpeg
 

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