Hello,
Recently began my Pantera project car and saw that the rear lower a arms (particular the passenger side one) has a bunch of small dents all over. Seeing the cost of replacement a arms, do most folks just do some sort of filler and powder coat or use buy new ones? It also seems the aftermarket for the lowers have disappeared.
Picture is a little dark you can kind of see all the dents. 
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Your lower rear a-arms were likely damaged when the car was secured on flat bed tow trucks. It looks like they cinched down the car to the tow bed with steel hooks on chain or webbing hat caused the damage. The a-arms are fabricated from mild steel that is no match for hardened steel hooks and chains that are ratcheted down. Alternatively, they could have secured the car without damage by using basket webbing that goes around the tires but I guess that takes a little more time.
The dents on your a-arms look mostly repairable to me. Only high temp fillers can withstand powder coating and one is called Lab Metal: https://www.alvinproducts.com/.../6/Hi-Temp-Lab-metal
Regular bondo will melt or deform when powder coated. Bondo is perfectly fine for spray painting. My first choice for a-arms is powder coat because of everything they are exposed to.
If you prefer, our Pantera vendors definitely supply new replica lower rear a-arms.
@stevebuchanan posted:Your lower rear a-arms were likely damaged when the car was secured on flat bed tow trucks. It looks like they cinched down the car to the tow bed with steel hooks on chain or webbing hat caused the damage. The a-arms are fabricated from mild steel that is no match for hardened steel hooks and chains that are ratcheted down. Alternatively, they could have secured the car without damage by using basket webbing that goes around the tires but I guess that takes a little more time.
The dents on your a-arms look mostly repairable to me. Only high temp fillers can withstand powder coating and one is called Lab Metal: https://www.alvinproducts.com/.../6/Hi-Temp-Lab-metal
Regular bondo will melt or deform when powder coated. Bondo is perfectly fine for spray painting. My first choice for a-arms is powder coat because of everything they are exposed to.
If you prefer, our Pantera vendors definitely supply new replica lower rear a-arms.
Thank you, I never thought of the tow truck. Will look into Lab Metal.
You could also use Bondo to fill the dents then have the a-arms Cerakoted. Not all Cerakote is baked, so it’s fine to use with Bondo. Cerakote is pretty tough stuff. Its primary application is for finishing firearms but it’s now being used in automotive applications. It’s thinner than powder coating so it doesn’t obscure fine details. It looks more like anodizing. Also, because it isn’t baked it’s great for cast metal parts as there’s no out gassing.
Since the stock a-arms are just mild steel, you can drill a hole in the opposite side to the dent, go on thru the hole with a steel rod with a rounded end, and knock the dent out like body-working a dented fender. Then weld up the hole. I did that when a rear a-arm slipped in the hydraulic press during disassembly.
Even if it means weldering, you can also fill the dent with welder or brass.
I should have mentioned that Lab Metal is harder to work with than bondo. It does not have a hardener and has to air dry. Then you sand and put more on. It takes several applications to look nice but once completed it powder coats nicely.
