Clamped some solid round bar into the vice that matched the profile. Hit down each side to raise the rib back up. Looking a lot better now. Also pressed down on each end of the door by hand to get the curve back in again. Just moved a long a little at a time so the end of the rod would not cause a crease.
Checking to make sure the rib curve is the same with the ones each side of it. Here is the good rib I was comparing against.
Checking to see if all the same height. The whole way along was checked.
Took a break from stripping paint and tackled this dent on my Willys bumper. Can see the distortion in the reflection and also the damage on the underside.
I just did it this way. Using a soft mallet on the stump so both had some give and wouldn't stretch the metal. With most lifted it was on to more detailed work. Used a matching curved dolly and a flat faced hammer on top. I had the bumper sandwiched between the base boards of my house at one end and jammed into my stomach at the other while the middle rested on the stump. This was so I could push up hard from underneath with the dolly while tapping around the outside of the dent with the hammer from above. Pushing up harder than you are tapping down off dolly will raise the centre.
The metal is way too thick to use my bullseye pick hammer, but I used it to mark exactly underneath where I had a tiny amount of a crease left on top. Then I line up the marks from the bullseye pick over the crack in the stump and then hit down, with the new hammer I bought while over in England recently, to hit on the marks.
Can see it has come up pretty well and have done no filing. Just light hand sand to show up any low spots. Still got to get a little bit more on the side which I will do over a piece clamped in a vice to lift it.
Think this is the last major original pieces to be chopped up. This is to make the grille nearly 9" wider overall. So this is my new 10 slot grille just balancing together for the photo. Still need to add a couple of inches each side in the headlight area yet. Made wider by cutting 4 slots out of one grille and then adding it to the side pieces of the other that has had only 2 slots cut out, making it only 2 slots wider overall.
Can see with the original 1958 8 slot grille next to it in the left photo how much wider it is. The 1948 10 slot grille next to it in the right photo. So it keeps the tie in with that and the age of the chassis and original cab too.
All together it is easier to see the differences. Thinking I might leave the horizontal grille bars off too, but we'll see. Left over pieces might be good for a golf buggy or rock crawler. ;)
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