When I bought my 97 Bonneville after totally my 98 one, it had a big burn mark on the drivers side fender. The owner said there was a previous fire and he tried to fix it himself. I asked a body shop about it and they said about $500 to fix that and the dent that I myself put into it (see photos). I went to a car shop and they said I could do it myself and paint it myself but I need your advice on how to do it properly. I would like to take the whole fender off and try to at least bang out the dent and want to work with a circular sander that my uncle loaned me.

I reach out to my forum mates for advice please!!!


Burned Part of Fender


Dent in Fender and Paint Scrapes



Full view of fender

Also, on the other side I have a scuff mark on the drivers door and fender that just won't come out! I have tried a whole bottle of Nu Finish and Turtle Wax Heavy Duty Compound to no avail. I also have several small scratches that are not deep enough to scrape your finger on, Any suggestions on getting rid of those? I do have a circular buffer that I just found in the rafters that I can use too!

Thanks in advance!

Can't tell from the picture but if the dent has no creases and can be removed, but you wont get a smooth finish. For that it will take some filler and the right sanding blocks. You will need long blocks to get a good smooth finish. A rotary sander will not give you this finish. Once it'* smooth it will need a filler primer, then paint, followed with clear coat. This all needs to be done with a good spray gun, not from a can. Followed up with wet sanding with 2000 or 2500. All in all, a lot of work.

If the scratch is not threw the clear coat you can clean it up for the most part. A DA polisher is your best choice. You may need to start with rubbing compound and then move up to polish.

I agree with DANTHURS. It will be time consuming and tedious work, and unless you already have the right equipment, it will be more expensive than that $500 quote.

Unless you are absolutely sure you want to dive into that project, a good used or new replacement fender might be a better path to take.

Another option, one that us non-body work guys like to take is looking around the local JY'* and car-part.com for the right colored fender at say...$40ish bucks. then it'* a few bolts $40 and you are all fixed up.

Some call it cheating, but our cars are plentiful around here.

Well I certainly do not have the time nor patience to go through a huge project like that! Perhaps a trip out to the wreckers could be in order to see what they have in the line of fenders. The trouble would be getting a black one to match up with my Bonneville.

Hey BillBoost, maybe you got a black one for me??? I am in Canada and they are not too plentiful around here, although when I was making inquiries for my totalled Bonnie, fenders were out there, just not black ones! I guess I will be taking the sand paper, primer and paint back to the store to get a refund on it and use that money for the new fender!

I have one. Comes with the other side and rest of car soon to be up for sale. It'* even circa 1997 paint.

I'll look in the yard the next time I'm there.

Keep in mind that I am in Canada and if you are in the States, there are are shipping, taxes, duty and brokerage to pay on it!

I just stopped by one wrecker and he had nothing in stock. Have to try the other one later but I got more pressing issues to deal with then the car but let me know!

When it comes to body work the tools really add up. Hand sanding blocks will cost you between $50 and $100, sand paper will cost you another $75+, it comes in big rolls. Spray guns, well, you don't want a cheep one, so your looking at $150+. Want to make your life easy, get air sanders for the big stuff. It took me a while to build up all the tools.

Well I just returned the primer and the sandpaper to where I got it from. Could not return the paint as it was custom mixed for my car. It is a spray bomb but could come in handy for some small touch up jobs in the future. The way I drive, might as well leave it or I will be spending all my time repairing scratches, dents and dings anyhow!

Going out to wash and wax it at least. I got some rubbing compund and have a buffer to try and get the scuff marks out, will let you all know how it turns out!

Be careful with the buffer so you don't over heat the paint. You burn it and you have a whole new set of problems.