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Old 02-05-2013, 01:40 PM   #3
MP&C
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Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: Leonardtown, MD
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Re: Modified/re-purposed vise grips

Thanks, here's one more......

Probably one of the biggest challenges in taking things apart for repairs is doing so without inflicting more damage. Many times a door will require work to the inner structure as well as the outside. In such a case, it may be easier to leave one side intact while repairing the other, to keep a reference to work against.

Here the Vice Grips lower jaw is modified to receive the edge of the door skin...





Then a suitable "blade" is found....









Some welding and grinding, and we have a new body tool..... The blade was aligned to be centered in the groove of the lower jaw.











Starting at the corner, a diagonal slice is made in the inner panel so it will remove easier...





....and the tool is used to gently pry up on the flange of the tailgate skin.....











In the case where you may be reusing the outer skin and only replacing the inner, spot welds can be removed by a rounded end burr grinder, in an attempt to keep the damage (and hole diameter) to the skin flange at a minimum. Continuing:





The Vise Grip's adjustable tension help to keep the "unbending" consistent across the panel, for an easier "recrimping" if the outer will be reused.











All ready for replacing the inner.........
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Robert

Last edited by augie; 06-16-2013 at 12:41 AM.
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