Need help with wrecked bird.
12-04-2000, 11:03 PM
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Need help with wrecked bird.
OK, I'm not sure if this is the right topic area, but my girlfriends son got run into by some guy in a jeep and took out the hood, driverside fender and nose/headlight area. I can't tell how much damage there is right now, but over all it doesn't look bad. Basically the battery got pushed in a little and it tweaked the driverside of the radiator. Anyway, the other guys has no insurance or license and already had a warrant out for wreckless driving. Her son only has basic coverage so now it's either fix it out of his own pocket(not deep)or try and piece it out. It's a '88 Firebird with V6 and auto. Was in excellent shape, but had high mileage.
The question (finally)is how hard/expensive is it to repair one of these and/or how much is it worth if we part it out? I'm sure I can hang a fender and hood, but ain't strong enough to straighten heavy metal :-)
TIA,
Kevin R
The question (finally)is how hard/expensive is it to repair one of these and/or how much is it worth if we part it out? I'm sure I can hang a fender and hood, but ain't strong enough to straighten heavy metal :-)
TIA,
Kevin R
12-05-2000, 03:37 PM
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Car: 1986 Firebird
Engine: 2.8 V6
Transmission: 700R4
Kevin, sometimes, the frame can be smacked, but the alignment is fine. Your best bet is to find a frame shop and ask them how much it is to put it on the frame rack and straighten it. They can also take measurements (listed in the GM service manual) to see if the frame's alignment is tweaked any which way- if it's not, they won't have to work too much with the frame machine.
The damage might only be visual and not affect anything... I don't know how bad the driver's side hit is. But yeah you can hang a junkyard hood/fender/headlight/bumper. You probably won't get as much parting it out. Hm, I just noticed you said the battery was pushed in... this might've messed up the frame's alignment.
I say find out how much it would be to fix, then decide. In fact you might be able to save him a few bux by stripping the driver's side of the car down to "just" a frame in the front, yourself. The less the body shop has to move, the cheaper it'll be. I had a ton of framework done; it only cost me $1100 because I stripped the car myself, and I put the car back together myself. All the shop did was cut & weld.
------------------
-Tom P (Hot rodded 1986 Firebird 2.8l) from http://www.f-body.net/mailbag/3rd/3rd_mailbag.html message boards
---Think your car could be pic of the week? Visit http://www.f-body.net for details!
[This message has been edited by TomP (edited December 05, 2000).]
The damage might only be visual and not affect anything... I don't know how bad the driver's side hit is. But yeah you can hang a junkyard hood/fender/headlight/bumper. You probably won't get as much parting it out. Hm, I just noticed you said the battery was pushed in... this might've messed up the frame's alignment.
I say find out how much it would be to fix, then decide. In fact you might be able to save him a few bux by stripping the driver's side of the car down to "just" a frame in the front, yourself. The less the body shop has to move, the cheaper it'll be. I had a ton of framework done; it only cost me $1100 because I stripped the car myself, and I put the car back together myself. All the shop did was cut & weld.
------------------
-Tom P (Hot rodded 1986 Firebird 2.8l) from http://www.f-body.net/mailbag/3rd/3rd_mailbag.html message boards
---Think your car could be pic of the week? Visit http://www.f-body.net for details!
[This message has been edited by TomP (edited December 05, 2000).]
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