Front end collision - Body question - Fender support bent

[black7]

Well, the car has some front end damage.
Basically the fender is smashed, as is the hood.
The radiator support is bent out of shape also.
I know the under fender support is bent but not sure how bad.
I have yet to bring it to a body shop to see if they can straighten it, but I have a question before I do that.
Can the underfender support be replaced?
Or is that a piece that needs to be cut and rewelded if it can't be straightened?

Thanks for the help!

[Bill Roberts]

Their is no limit to what can be done if needed, depending on your finances.

Yep, a bodyshop will do whatever it takes to make it look right and drive strait. Does not mean their will be no evidence of a wreck, it means to the average joe or driver, they would never know unless it was pointed out to them.

You can do anything..depending on cash.

[black7]

Thanks for the reply.

What I ment was that can the under-fender support and the radiator support be simply unbolted and replaced?
Or are they all connected and need to be cut off and rewelded?

From looking at it, I assume that it has to be cut off and rewelded back on unfortunately.
That would mean a body shop would have to do that kind of work.
I was hoping to be able to do as much of the work myself.
Obviously, the shop would be painting the car, but I was hoping to be able to at least put on the new parts (ie fender support, radiator support, fender, hood, bumper, etc) if possible.

[Bill Roberts]

You are certainly welcomed!

Looks like a cut and weld..I would need to see pictures and I have built a few racers in my days, I always summoned the experience of a bodyshop for cutting and welding support members and such. It is a welded chassis and if the "core support" could be unbolted, certainly the mounting areas and the chassis extentions are bent..so they must be trued first before a strait one could go on.

Basically, nothing will line up as far as body parts untill all the mounting points are strait...no matter what is bent otherwise. Also, bending steel weakens it. Proper bodyshops are equipted to reinforce the structure back to ridgid/flexible qualities, insted of crumpled /pulled.

I took an old 56 chevy we use to dog, missed a curve and hit a tree at about 35..and that thing was tough as nails. I took a tractor and a chain and placed the other side against a tree and pulled like hell the bent side out, took the tape measure, jolted it some..and before you know it, I had the thing close to strait to bolt on body parts and no one would have been able to tell...a tractor pull here, a sledge hammer there..it actually looked really good for a beater...BUT...the Japanese cars don't work this way. Things must be pressed and reinforced and pulled and reinforced..all the while having lasers and precision measurement aids to guide you on the path to making things right again. Just the rear suspention alone has so many contact points that some bending up front can cause a chain reation of misalignments that can go ape sh!t.

I have neither the expertise or the patience to do it with sticks and stones. Best to rely on a reputable bodyshop and chassis alignment facility to make it right..

They will, but you should do most of the dirty work, get the parts, and pay the labor....or find a friend that does it off hours with their own shop..is best.

Whooo did I need to talk that long?? (Wipeing sweat from my brow, looking for the next cigarette...))))>>>>>