there are cracks in the paint in 2 places and the metal looks like it's buckling
I'm hoping that I'm imagining things ... would someone comfirm that I'm not imagining things.

 

No, you're not imagining things! Looks to me like the tunnel is buckled in front of the shifter boot and under the boot also. Has the car been in a hard frontend collision? Or did someone pull a Dukes of Hazzard move to it, you know, jumped it? I realize that would be hard to tell.

 

I found that it took a good lick on the front drivers side... the frame rail looks like a piece of cooked bacon at and in front of the radiator support and has probably close to an inch of shims (ok, probably more like half an inch) to make the front end components square up.
Man, I was ticked off when I found that .
I checked the rocker panels and they don't look buckled so I'm trying to figure the best way to go with this ...
I'm thinking, jack up the car in the middle( not all of the weight, just some to see if it gives) and weld a brace across the area.

and thanks for the response...

 

If that was buckled from a wreck, chances are the doors wouldn't even close.
Looks like the tranny mount was/is broken and the tranny smacked the tunnel a few times... or countless times.

 

the tranny mount had given way when my step son was driving this car... but the damage to me looks like the metal has been caved in,not pushed out, especially at the base of the shifter boot.
Since this is the only 3rd gen I've seen this close, I could be wrong.

Tony

 

deffinitly from the accident i had a 85 manual ta and it looked identical to your pic my car was also hit on the ps front real hard upon further digging mine once had the whole rad support changed as well as the ps strut tower the whole thing was replaced but my doors and everything else lined up fine.

 

definately a wreck. mine has something similar, the pass rear floor has a nice buckle at the tunnel, and the driver side under the front seat has another... looks like the car rear ended someone with what repairs i seen on mine... as long as the car is straight and solid no big worries, mine has survived 14 years repaired i found out...

 

thats good to hear, at least that it's not the end of the car... she tracks true so I'm assuming that whatever work was done at a good bodyshop.
I do appreciate the responses guys

Tony