Hydra Glide headlamp body repair

[belmont]

Anyone have a place to get my newly acquired headlamp body put back in shape?

[T. Cotten]

It looks like you are going to have to do it yourself, Belmont!

How bad is it?

....Cotten

[belmont]

Cotten, I lack the exuberance of my youth now and would like to have someone with a better set of skills than mine tackle this. It isn't that bad, for these days anyway. The photos should show what needs to be done. I might have a better bezel hiding in my stash, gotta do some digging for it.

[T. Cotten]

Geez I'd run it, Belmont!

But you might try to burnish out the dents; Remember those sock-darning eggs on a handle?
(I carve old broken pool cues to order.)

Don't beat on anything; Work it out slow, pushing out from the inside, pressing down upon something like a leather or rubber sheet.

You might want to chill it in the freezer, too. That helps the metal's memory to go back where it was.

...Cotten
PS: Screw hole would do more damage to fix than worth it.

[exeric]

Have you tried a 'paintless, dent repair' place? I have to believe that a chrome finished part would be a lot less risky than a painted steel part to work dents out of. As a side note, I have a beautiful genuine Hydra-Glide headlight (with element) that I tried to sell a the Florida meet a few years ago for $75. No takers. . . It's no longer for sale out of respect for Guide, and H-D.

[belmont]

Cotten

Good suggestions. My wrists and elbows are pretty much worn out from years of beating heavy steel into submission. I seem to have forgotten about subtle methods on thin light materials, thanks for the reminder. I think I still have an old maple baseball bat around somewhere. It would polish very smooth and be a good tool for this. I have a small pile of floor mat material from a friend that made mats for machining center operators. Should be perfect resistance for this job. Now I have to dig around for all of it.

[belmont]

exeric

The dent repair guys are around here (Minneapolis), but a guy has to pick the right time to go into the city nowadays. Urban youth have become very bold and it gives me pause to think about the larger cost of a trip to stop somewhere I don't know the neighborhood. The times have changed a LOT around here, It isn't Chicago yet but its getting close.
Too bad you won't part with a nice Guide headlamp, but I understand. They are rare now, as I found out this year.

[T. Cotten]

So, what's a really nice Glide bucket worth, Folks?

(Askin' for a friend...)

....Cotten
PS: Its already boxed for http://www.chiefblackhawk.org/

PPS: If I ever HAD to fix another bucket, I would have to go to the Peoria warzone for dry ice.

Where I was raised ain't funny any more. (With all due respect to Laurel and Hardy in "The Bullfighters"...)

PPS: Would a real pro have some sort of mini English press to roll these out?
If I ever HAD to fix another bucket, I would make a selection of PEEK rollers somehow axled and opposed upon really-deep vise-grips. Free PEEK to anyone ready to try...

[Rubone]

Look in Hemmings for headlight bucket specialists, the antique auto world has guys who do it all the time.

[Chris Haynes]

The chrome headlights were brass.

[T. Cotten]

The chrome headlights were brass.

That's why I suggest dry ice, Chris!

....Cotten

[belmont]

Thanks Rubone, I will try to find a copy of Hemmings.

belmont

[exeric]

Maybe some of the dent repair guys in Minneapolis are good with brass base headlight and could do a good job for you. You could always ship it to, and from a Minneapolis shop, like any of the vendors in Hemmings; but, if the project drags out, or you need to give it the 'personal' touch you would be close enough to drop in to see them. I'm always nervous sending valuable parts away from home.