How to Do Bodywork on an Impala 2003

The Impala is, hands down, one of the best and most recognizable vehicles to ever grace the American roadways. The vehicle is a vision of extraordinary engineering and design: not too flashy yet not too understated. Its seamless combination of speed and luxury, and of muscle and convenient grocery-storage room, make it a real American classic. So when a dent or a ding threaten to undermine this incredible car, you need to take action. Fortunately, you can do your own bodywork on an Impala without coughing up the extra dime for body-shop labor.

Instructions

1

Tape off the work area on your Impala with duct tape and newspaper, to isolate the affected spot and prevent any damage to the area around the dent.

2

Lightly scratch or rough up the paint all round the dent, then remove the paint from the dented area. Sand down to the metal, removing the primer and topcoat.

3

Apply a dent remover to the dented area. A suction-cup dent puller works best. Pull out the dent as far as you can get it to go.

4

Mix some Bondo putty and hardener in a small bucket, then immediately apply it to the dent using a rubber or plastic scraper. Apply it liberally, filling in each an every divot in the pulled dent. You may need to apply two or three coats depending on how deep the dent is.

5

Let dry. Then sand down the Bondo until you have created a seamless transition on the Impala's body.

6

Prime the Impala body with a normal primer. Then paint on a matching paint coat from the Chevy factory line. You can find car paints for every car at Autozone or another parts store.