1971 Plymouth Road Runner Deck Lid

[CT71RR]

Hello all, I’ve been a long time lurker and a recent member of this forum. I am amazed at the level of skill that many of you have! I recently started restoring my 1971 Plymouth Road Runner. Most recently, I stripped the paint on my deck lid and of course found a lot of damage hidden by tons of body filler. After stripping all of the filler, I found a large area of oil canning as well as deep dents and a pretty good gouge that was made worse by using a slide hammer. I’m new to this and have no formal training. I removed the trunk skin from the trunk frame. I was able to hammer/slap and dolly most of the damage. I also did several heat-shrinks on the oil canning spots. After doing so, the oil can spots have tightened up significantly to the point where I have to use force to get them to pop down - they stay popped down until I pop them back up from the other side. My question to you experts is what to do next before making things worse? More heat shrinking until the metal stops popping? Hammer/dolly to stretch back out?

Bondo over damage and large oil can area:


Damage:


More Damage:


Oil canning areas in red after hammer dolly work:


High spots in black circles:


Large red circle is large oil can area that is easy to push in- bounces right back:


High spots:


High spots:


Any suggestions much appreciated and thank you!

[blue62]

I am a novice metal shaper so bear that in mind.
From what I can see in the pictures that is a fairly simple trunk skin.
There are no body lines or recesses to deal with. Looks like just a low crown panel with a bend at the bottom.
I you have the tools perhaps making a new skin would be better way to go.

There would be less time spent in producing a new skin and you would have a much better end result.

There is a lot of hand work (time) involved in repairing your existing trunk skin.

It is the way I would go

[David Ward]

It’s extremely hard for anyone to know the best approach to repair this lid without seeing it first hand. With the skin off the frame, your oil canning could be better / worse than attached to the frame. I’ve found large flat skins are best worked holistically and not one part at a time. Have you tried to find another trunk lid?

[Gojeep]

Finish fixing the damage first before worrying about the oil can. It most likely being caused by the damage area next to it.

[drivejunk]

Off the top of my head, I'll say make a new vertical section. The way I see it, even if you did smooth out the back, the metal there would be stretched out so big as to be beyond any means of shrinking. Another lid is the best bet and what I advise for a novice but replacing the worst metal might have a sporting chance. I don't think theres a win to be had with the metal thats there. Unless, of course, your expectations can be adjusted to suit. If you only make it a little better then re-pave it with filler, well it is better. Just depends on individual definitions. Maybe theres a lid out there with nice skin and rotted shell. Maybe lids are unobtainium, don't know but I'd want to shop around before tackling any plan.

[Jaroslav]

Perhaps the hood is rare and is connected to some story - a machine gun conversation.

Leave and treat with transparent varnish...

[hot rivet]

That oil can can on the large flat section of the boot lid is most likley there because the damage still remains on the small section (where the lock goes). i would not be concerned with it until the panel has been worked smooth and then maybe think about shrinking disk. That said i would certainly consider replacing the lower section

[crystallographic]

Wow - that is quite the "metal testimony" document.

I did a Rolls trunk lid long ago ..... nasty old thing ....... looked a lotta .... close resemblance ..... like that.

Reading that lid shows a few different impacts / fixes / attempts.

"A lotta filler and some paint
makes 'em look
like what they ain't."

A real good metal-man could save that lid ................ with no filler.

A good craftsman could shape up a new skin ...............

... Either'd be a helluva fun class for a buncha journeymen metal-guys .....

[CT71RR]

Thank you all for the replies. My first thought was to replace the skin with new metal but I was quoted over $350 for a 4X8 sheet of 18ga sheet metal I’ve also been looking for a replacement trunk lid. This is a one year only lid so they are a bit hard to find. I may have a lead or two on a lid. - fingers crossed. In the meantime, I figured I try my hand at fixing it. I’d also like to learn how to work sheet metal. I’m on a mission now

Thanks again!

[Marc Bourget]

Recommend re-reading the thread and then "make haste slowly"


This has been a good thread for me. Picked up on points I previously missed.



Brings to mind a life lesson learned from my High School Geometry instructor - you have to read something 11 times to best understand the author's point.


This lesson was reinforced by Heinlien's portrayal of Michael Valentine Smith's "grokking" a subject.


and brought into better focus watching Kent White's intense focus while shaping a piece on one of his machines.