Thread: Bent Frame - Reality Check

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As little as it's tweaked, doubt it's going to be a big deal to straighten it. If done properly there won't be any sign that it was ever fixed, I sure wouldn't be for throwing the body away before you get it up on the rack and have it checked....

Well perhaps. I must admit that I can't really see a lot of detail from those pictures.

I got a few estimates $250, $400 and $600.

I'm gonna look closer for more sheetmetal damage.

Doesn't sound that serious then.

I had a friend back in the day that ordered a brand new 69 Nova with the 427 4 spd. Car was a black post body and was just insane. Way too much motor for that car.

Originally Posted by Corvette64

Doesn't sound that serious then.

I had a friend back in the day that ordered a brand new 69 Nova with the 427 4 spd. Car was a black post body and was just insane. Way too much motor for that car.

Bet that unibody got twisted every time he dropped the hammer!!!!!!

They were insane, they were another attempt by chebbie to build a car to go after the Hemi cars in Super Stock, heck, the Hemi's still own the upper classes....

Originally Posted by Corvette64

Doesn't sound that serious then.

I had a friend back in the day that ordered a brand new 69 Nova with the 427 4 spd. Car was a black post body and was just insane. Way too much motor for that car.

built a 509 big block for a friend and put in a rust 69 rusty nova he had a hard time getting it to hook told him he could use some weight. 200 pounds of bird seed was his idea it was getting toss out the rust holes in the trunk at 11 flat they broke off wheel studs then they twisted the tube in the 12 bolt rear end when he added slicks as for your car i pulled cars on frame machine like the chief and power post with rocker camps and a black hawk bench and we did very hard hits. i think your car can be fixed . like many have said on here. there are some half a$$ shops out there . i hated fixing other work that was not right but sometimes the cars they were hit in the same spot more then once . hinding bad work or damage not fixed were hand fulls of washer or new holes drill to make things fit good thing with a unitized body is it will not carry the collision thru the hole car like a car with a frame so if you find were it stops pull it were it needs to be and cut the whaded part off and weld in a new or donor part .in mich you have to be certify by mich for unitized body repair but there still were a lot of bucher that were doing cars for resale that were rolling death traps

And what do you do with all the wrinkled sheetmetal hidden under the car?


If the car is PROPERLY pulled on a rack, most of the 'wrinkled' sheet metal will be straight.

THAT is the POINT of putting it on the rack. It FIXES the problem, doesn't just hide it.

BESIDES.. he is talking about chopping and replacing panels. anything which doesn't get wrinkle-free he can replace AFTER the pull. And his job will be MUCH easier to boot.

Originally Posted by Dave Severson

Bet that unibody got twisted every time he dropped the hammer!!!!!!
.

Yeah big time. Scariest car I've ever ridden in. If the streets were wet he couldn't even drive it. Couldn't get traction at a stop sign in order to take off. On dry pavement it made copious amounts of tire smoke. After the novelty of having to replace the rear tires 3 times in one summer he sold the car.

Here's a couple more pictures.

The guy from called again and said there was a rack open for me
I told him I thought it was an easy pull, and he said - well maybe only $300.

Anyway - one minute I think I can fix it, the next it seems out of my reach.
And these pictures with the shadows make it look even worse.
The one with no flash is a strange color, but really shows the warp.

I think I'm going to arrange for a trailer and let them look at it!

Thanks for all the comments -

I've seen a whole lot worse get fixed and work fine.... So when you get it all done, might want to consider some frame ties and other strengthening items.....

Actually, that doesn't look too scary.

So when you get it all done, might want to consider some frame ties and other strengthening items.....

Yep - woke up thinking about frame connectors and cross members

In reply to a previous reply.........I cant say I have ever had the pleasure of being able to "rack" up a car for inspection before purchasing it..new or used.
Heck ,most of the rides I peek under at car shows look pretty shabby on the underside ...to down right scary.

most of the rides I peek under at car shows look pretty shabby on the underside ...to down right scary.

I agree - I'm appauled when you see a new disk brake system being installed on TV over an old rusted, dirt crusted frame. I always clean 'the area' to the best of my ability before proceeding.

Obviously this car needs lots of cleanup and POR.
With the gas tank now removed and a new trunk pan to install the underside will get a complete cleanup.

Right now it rides tilted - and a crooked view from the rear drives me nuts!!!

i 'm kinda gettin in on the tail end of the convo here, but I agree with a lot ofteh other guys as to the car needing some pulling, but one thing that's been overlooked ( and BTW I am a autobody tech!lol) is that the car WILl have to be pulled and measured on a frame rack no matter what route is taken to fix it, even if sheetmetal and a frame section is replaced it must be measured and the body square to ensure the new parts are square as well, so the framerack or bodyshop costs may be a necessary evil to prevent a LOT of headaches in the long run!
But after seeing the latest pics I dont think you have any hugr problems, just getting some undone work carried out and the car in the shape ir deserves!
Best of Luck to you!