antscrd

disregard the date on pics. my question is what is your guestimate to fix this? insurance totalled the car, but i bought it back as it is the only 3rdgen i have at the moment and parting with it would just make me relive the same pain of parting with my previous two. in your guestimate factor in the fact that the person repairing it is a (very good) back yard mechanic who is an exceptional body/ paint man (when he doesn't rush) and he has 95% of the parts needed as he has tinkered, repaired, driven 3rdgens since i was in high school some 20+ yrs ago. actually i bought my first 3rdgen from him.
i called him yesterday to come get it so regardless of the price this car will be resurrected. i can't bring myself to scrap yet another 3rdgen, especially one that was, i guess still is, all original, albeit it has been molested, nay... raped, since. when i get it back though, it will stay away from high schools filled with teeny bopper 16 yr old girls driving new rustang gts who fail to look both ways before pulling onto a highway.

92firebird 305

my guess is about 3,000 including parts labor and paint

MikeSammy

Sorry did not fully read the post, I agree with 92firebird. It will be about $3000 with parts and labor unless you paint it the factory color. Those metallic looking paints are on the high side. About $1000 in materails to paint this car.

Dante93GTZ

iTrader: (5)

Ouch - Get that thing on a frame machine, cause its gonna be ugly.

white gold 88

Crush zones on front of frame rails look to be trashed. Will need rails, at least front section to be repaired properly. Crush zones just can't be repaired to look good or withstand the impact and do what they're designed to. You can just pull it out but next collision may put bumper in windshield. It just wouldn't be safe repair IMO.

Camrs89

Id save it. My 91 was in similar condition though the frame itself was ok, just needed a new crash support and the front mounting tabs bent back into shape. I needed a entire front clip. But save it! Think of it as saving a piece of American muscle! May need to do some frame work. Core support can be cut from a donor car and welded in, no big deal or you can make a custom core support like some of the turbo cars do where they mount the turbos in the place the core support was and reinforce the front with tubular supports. Have the frame checked out though and see if that was tweaked. Good luck and I have a front bumper but shipping would kill the deal.

Mathius

Make it into a custom. Cut that whole front end off, make sure everything else is straight, weld in subframe connectors and a partial cage, and then get yourself a new front subframe, or build your own.

Smooth the firewall while you have it apart, and consider your options of maybe switching to an a-frame front suspention, mustang II, air bag, whatever.

Mathius

deadbird

lol, my bird wasn't even 1/3 that bad and the body shop estimate was $4300 and that was 10years ago. Prices haven't gone down since.

And before you want to b--ch about it as an insurance estimate, using a (personal) GM collision estimation guide was nearly 2300 for sheetmetal (new) and frame pulling.

Sparkytfl

Yeah insurance estimates are kinda all over. They totalled and cut me a nine thousand dollar check for this http://i278.photobucket.com/albums/k...camaro2008.jpg all I did was slide into a tree at like ten mph. Did catch it just right that it broke that front wheel, but yours looks so much worse.

white gold 88

I agree with mathis if you just want to keep the car. 3000 won't get it repaired properly so mod it if you want. If you want a stock appearing car then either clip it or find one not wrecked. Just from the pics I'd say the rails went back in floor. Mine did after S10 pulled out in front of me at 50. Even busted a/c box inside car. You'll find surprises like that when you tear it down.

MikeSammy

Incase you guys didn't read properly he is having all the work done by a backyard mechanic. I worked for a body shop and a repair like that would run about $12,000. Thats why the insurance said it was a total loss because the car isn't worth the 12k to fix. But since he is having that labor done for him for free. The $3000 for parts I said would be 80% from a junkyard and 20% new. Then your looking at $1000 in painting materials alone. Id say that he might charge $2000-4000 in labor depending on how much work is required. I would just keep it parts and buy another 3rd gen. So all in all, he is looking at around $7000 to get it fixed and it will take about 2 years. Thats how long it took me to fully restore a 1968 Camaro and that was 2hrs of work 5 days a week. In my previous post I only said what the cost of parts would be and the cost of paint.

mr305

iTrader: (1)

Thats crazy my 91 RS looked just like that i hit another car and it went under so the crash was mostly on the center radiator support and not the actual crash support all i ended up getting fixed was the whole front clip were the headlight support mounts to i had the drill out all the spot welds and had them put another one on the rails looked like they were gonna have to be replaced but they ended up being fine only the passenger side was bent at the tip a little which was easily straightened out i think its lookin worse then it really is right now tear it down and see the damage what the damage is but i definately say fix it

lillee64

well at the auto yard over here hood-49.99 +3 core charge, front bumper-39.99+2 core, and fenders are 34.99+2 core each so thats about 168 before tax. idk what prices are like in your area but id just get used parts and just get the frame straightened out and paint

antscrd

thanks for all the opinions. i will be posting updates with pics as the work progresses when he gets started. as long as he is willing to do the repair, though, i cannot just let another one go to the yards. i am hopeful that the damage is not as bad as it seems after we start pulling it all off.

theNMBR27

that girl creamed you. IMO just get a roller the same color and transfer over all your good parts. Much easier and less of a headache.

itsMikey

this...just my (or our) opinion tho

white gold 88

Me 2. Wheel looks back to me. Good luck whatever way you go.

FueledSoul

iTrader: (18)

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antscrd

antscrd

in the second pic above you can see a tear in one of the welds; it is at the driver's a-pillar. i guess it's time to find a roller. my only comfort is the knowledge that most people here understand the emptiness in me of not driving around in my baby.

Duane's 91 Z/28

iTrader: (1)

I think I'd find a roller shell too. Good luck. Too bad you didnt live closer to the western states and get a fully rust free body.