front end collision repair help!

[cq23]

So to make a long story short I hit another car. The hoods bent up, grill fell off and several other things. I'll add pictures in the following post. I was wondering if anyone could help me out and tell me what I would need to get, how I would go about replacing everything and if there is in fact any hope of saving my baby. Thanks in advance and if you need any other pictures or anything let me know!

[wildBill83]

A photo is worth a thousand words. A few more photos from different angles are worth even more!

This thread will help you if you want to fully restore it:
http://www.cb7tuner.com/vbb/showthread.php?t=185221

[HardInThePaint]

We can't even begin to try to help you without a pic.

Basically, replace the shit that got broke.

[cq23]

Sorry couldn't figure out how to post pics from my phone


http://postimage.org/image/74fgx12un/

http://postimage.org/image/9hfv2j0xp/

http://postimage.org/image/w5o3snin5/

http://postimage.org/image/488kqfbyz/

[cq23]

Got an estimate at collision repair place near where I live. Said it would be around 2,300 to get it all fixed up. Here's what they told me I needed to get, although they also said there is a good chance this wouldn't be all. :

Hood

Radiator support - upper tie bar and center brace

New radiator

Grille

Front lamps - head lamps assembly



Any way I could just purchase these parts my self at a local junkyard or something? Not sure how I would go about it. I don't have a clue how I would replace the radiator support and all that stuff. Would a new hood close flush after replacing it? It's bent and pushed back several inches but it does shut and lock.

[alan lx]

That's not too much damage. Is there a pull a part near you? You can get everything as far as parts for prob around $100.00 depending if the radiator is busted would prob be the most expensive part.
First, get all the parts you need.
Second, bolt on the new hood (and you prob need hood hinges.) And using a chain or come a long tied to something, pull the old radiator support out to as close as original as possible.
Third, replace all the damaged parts. Check fitment of everything including hood closing, gap and headlight, grill alignment. Check everything.
Fourth, paint under hood, radiator support, etc.
Fifth, sand, prep and paint new parts.
Sixth, reassemble all parts, trim, etc. Check headlight adjustment, all lights, turn signals etc.
Seventh, wet sand and buff painted areas if needed.
Eighth, Enjoy.

Its really not hard. I had a similar deal on mine. Had most of it done in a few hours, once i had the parts not counting painting. Best of luck!

[wildBill83]

Any way I could just purchase these parts my self at a local junkyard or something? Not sure how I would go about it. I don't have a clue how I would replace the radiator support and all that stuff.

Yes and did you not open the link I posted on how to go about it.

[cq23]

Thanks guys! Sorry I'm a big noob when it comes to this sort of repair i really have no idea what I'm doing, buy hey we all have to start from nothing, right?

Alan: so you're saying I could just pull the radiator support back into place?? That's the thing with the yellow sticker that's bent in, correct? Would I be better off just in assembling all of it and replacing it? Could you give me step by step directions on how to do it? Or post a link with directions maybe?

Wildbill: sorry I just got a chance to look that over and after reading through it I still don't understand what I need to do, sorry! I don't have access to welding equipment or any knowledge of welding, is welding my only option for repairing or replacing the radiator support stuff?

Again, sorry for my lack of knowledge, please bare with me.

[ninethreecoupe]

I basically have the same exact issue. Unless your good with metal and body work I wouldn't suggest trying to pull out the bends. That center brace is one piece so that could easily be taken out (yellow sticker) at a pull a part as well as other parts that has been said. If you wanted to do it yourself, the only way that can be done I'm pretty sure is you can buy the upper tie and baffold but you'll have to drill out the welds and then weld in the new piece. But since you said you don't know how to weld then I'd say find all the parts you can, double check to see if your radiator has any leaks anywhere, and take them to a shop and do only the body work necessary to straighten everything out. Light assembly, center brace, grille, hood latch, all bolt in and can be done yourself easily.
This is what I did at least. I didn't really have time to every try fixing it myself nor the know how to pull out the upper tie so I had a shop fix that and paint a new hood.

[wildBill83]

Another option is pop rivets but they will not be as strong as a weld.

[alan lx]

Thanks guys! Sorry I'm a big noob when it comes to this sort of repair i really have no idea what I'm doing, buy hey we all have to start from nothing, right?

Alan: so you're saying I could just pull the radiator support back into place?? That's the thing with the yellow sticker that's bent in, correct? Would I be better off just in assembling all of it and replacing it? Could you give me step by step directions on how to do it? Or post a link with directions maybe?


Again, sorry for my lack of knowledge, please bare with me.

I dont have a link but let me say this to you brother: you will want to try and pull that thing back to somewhat close ( the rad. support with the yellow sticker) because those adjacent pieces and parts will then be pulled close to their original state. That middle piece with the sticker can easily be unbolted so it can easily be replaced. Hope this helps you young jedi.

[cq23]

Alrght thanks for the advice fellas. First part of my project is in the next couple days, im going to the junkyard and gonna snatch up a new headlights housing. I didn't have any luck searching for the way to remove and install it, so if anyone has a link or knows how, could one of you help me out?

After that I'm planning on just removing the yellow part with the sticker and the hood latch thing and replacing them both, if that would be enough to get a new hood to close. I also need help with that too so any instructions would be GREATLY appreciated. I just don't understand how just replacing the middle part with the yellow sticker would have a new hood sit correctly. It's bent in very far and as far as I can tell its the only thing bent. I'll post better pictures of it tomorrow morning.

Aside from the Grille and other minor things, that should be enough to get it looking decent, and legal to drive correct? It's really starting to feel like I'm just gonna have to get it up to legally driveable and save up for a new car, as much as it pains me to say.


Thanks again for all the help and putting up with my total lack of knowledge.

[alan lx]

To remove your headlight, you have to remove the bumper. To do that you remove the the bolt on each side just below the headlight in the engine bay ( twelve mm i think), then just take off the bumper lights and there is two twelve mm bolts on each side. Remove those and the bumper will slide off. Just be patient there guy. One piece at a time, it will turn out fine.

[ninethreecoupe]

After that I'm planning on just removing the yellow part with the sticker and the hood latch thing and replacing them both, if that would be enough to get a new hood to close. I also need help with that too so any instructions would be GREATLY appreciated. I just don't understand how just replacing the middle part with the yellow sticker would have a new hood sit correctly. It's bent in very far and as far as I can tell its the only thing bent. I'll post better pictures of it tomorrow morning.

You could try to take out the bends, but honestly I'd just go to a junkyard and find one that's not bent. To take it out, unbolt the two bolts holding in the radiator brackets (two black rectangular pieces on top of radiator). There's two more bolts, one on each side. When you have the bumper cover off, there's a vertical piece attached to the center piece. About halfway down I believe if you undo that bolt that'll detach it from those horizontal bars, condenser for the AC I think, not sure, and one more bolt on the bottom. Then you should be able to take out that whole assembly, including your hood latch. Sorry if that's too confusing, if it is let me know and I'll try to explain it better if possible but I think I outlined it decently.

Link to a thread I had with some pictures.
http://www.cb7tuner.com/vbb/showthread.php?t=194898

But you should be able to see all the bolts that you need to take out. It's not too difficult. And don't feel bad. I didn't know anything when I joined. I've learned a lot since I've been here, but there's so much knowledge to gain even still. Honestly I've found one of the best ways to learn is hands on experience. This little incident has got me a little more experience doing things as I've actually never taken my bumper off until this as sad as that is. ANYWAY just a look with your bumper cover off and you should be able to see what you need to do

[HardInThePaint]

Yeah thats a pretty easy fix from the looks of it. But from what you are saying you don't know what the hell you are doing so probably not so easy for you.

$2300? They are smoking fat sacks of crack. The damn car isn't even worth that.

If you even have just a little bit of skills then you should be able to buy the pieces from the JY and/or Certifit and do that shit yourself for next to nothing really.