I am in the last phase of my project and i am spending more than i want to on a show winning paint job. there is a slight ding on the crease of my passenger side door. would it be better to get a new door skin or is there a better way besides bondo? Thanks for your input.

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1971 Chevelle SS 454
TC #1855
Ark-La-Tex Chevelle Club (http://www.arklatexchevelles.com/ACC.html)
Metroplex Muscle

There's nothing wrong at all with repairing this type of damage. The dent can be worked out 80% or better from the inside of the door and filler can do the rest. There still seems to be a few out there who are 'allergic' to bondo and wouldn't think of having to tell someone that there's bondo in their car! Not to fear. Fillers have come a long way in technological advances. The good ones no longer shrink or fall out or crack if applied properly, which is easy to do. A new door panel would be much much more expensive, time consuming, problematic and the end result could easily be worse than a repop panel replacement. 99% of the top show cars have plactic fillers in them whether the owners admit it or not. As long as it's done properly, a little plastic filler over a worked out bump is the way to go.

Thanks Jimmy, i will take that into consideration. And probably will take your advice, curious though, what kind of problems do you say would come out of a new door skin? Thanks again

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1971 Chevelle SS 454
TC #1855
Ark-La-Tex Chevelle Club (http://www.arklatexchevelles.com/ACC.html)
Metroplex Muscle

Putting a door skin on won't guarantee that the new won't need filler after it's put in either. Fix the ding and not worry about the door skin not working out.

JimmyP is kinda right... more like 100% of all show cars have mud on them and more then you think! You just cant do the type of mods they do and not have mud. Remove the door panel and glass, etc bang out the dent and mud it. You replace the skin you can end up with more mud in it if you dont know how to hang a skin. Plus you now have to worry about blending on the fender and quarter and get the paint to match, wheres if you just fixed the door you can just blend on the door and not worry about the fender and quarter...Eric

There is a very good chance a new door panel will have dings of its own you will have to fix. Just fix the one you have.