Bent Frame - Reality Check

I've begun to investigate why my Nova is high on the passenger side.
What I have found is a bit overwhelming.
Obviously the car has been rear ended on the right side.
The end of the right frame rail is 1/2 inch higher than the left.
The two attached pictures show the damaged rear cross section and the bent unibody frame.

It appears to me that the entire rear end sheet metal needs replacing.
I have a new tail light section already and can order the wrecked cross member. Quarter skins and outer wheel well need replacing also.

So - the plan is -
Remove the leaf springs. Support both frame rails at the hump.
Trunk pan is partially removed already.
Remove the wrecked cross member.
Cut the bent trunk flat section over the frame to allow the frame to bend down.
Cut the frame right in front of the bend and pull it down 1/2 inch (even with the left frame)
Weld up the frame rail.
Then refit the new cross member.
And work up to the tail light section.

Any suggestions beyond that?
If there's an easier way - I'm listening.

Though I'm sure the pics don't tell the entire story, doesn't really look like it would be that tough of a pull on a good frame machine.... Might want to get some estimates before you go to all the expense and work of replacing pieces and panels.....

Thanks Dave - I also considered cutting a trunk access from the inside and heat and beat the crossmenber back flat while pulling the frame down.
I don't have access to any frame pullers or any way to apply enough downward force.

I'll check with some body shops.
Thats the reality check I was kinda hoping for . . . :)

Thing is, with a tweak in the structure that you can see, you can almost bet that it's tweaked a couple more places you can't see.... IMO would be worth it to have it checked......

Dave is right. A frame machine man can pull points on the frame to determine the exact extent of the damage and what needs done to correct it. Those things pull from all directions and can move metal you and I can't do any other way.

Don

SBC- you better search real well for the best price possible because I can tell you from experience frame machine straightening on a Nova will run you about $900 here. I hope you can swing a better deal in TX.

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frame machine straightening on a Nova will run you about $900

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:HMMM:

That would be a definate show stopper!!!

Yeah, but the other side of the coin is that if you don't get the car PERFECTLY straight, anything else you do to it won't mean a darned thing. Not only will it not handle well and parts won't fit right, but it will be unsafe also.

There are some things you just can't cut corners on.

Don

Sounds like it has , Twist and diamond in the frame .

Be best to have it checked by a person that knows frames , you cant build a square body on a bent frame ! trunk gaps , door gaps , fender gaps , hood gaps all show signs on a bent frame . Plus you dont want a dog tracking car either ;)

for probably $300 or less you can get it pulled. After that the sheet metal repair will be much easier.

Think of it this way: that $300 will save you $1000 of your own labor.

I wouldn't pull on it. They are always damaged. Like trying to make a piece of wadded up aluminum foil flat and shiny again. Impossible. I'd replace the frame, clip it or buy another car.

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Originally Posted by Corvette64

I wouldn't pull on it. They are always damaged. Like trying to make a piece of wadded up aluminum foil flat and shiny again. Impossible. I'd replace the frame, clip it or buy another car.

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Being a Nova it's a unibody car, so putting it on the frame machine is about the only option.... That or cut and remove the bent structure with the car on a good chassis table, measure a bunch and put it back together square.... Unibody's are usually a bit lighter and cheaper to build....but repairing them is a bit more difficult....

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Originally Posted by Corvette64

I wouldn't pull on it. They are always damaged. Like trying to make a piece of wadded up aluminum foil flat and shiny again. Impossible. I'd replace the frame, clip it or buy another car.

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This is a popular misconception that is reinforced by the reality that there are a lot of hack body shops out there. I used to have to convince my customers that in fact a quality shop could very easily return a unibody car to original specs, often times better. All it takes is a commitment to doing the job right, and the right equipment.

Just to add emphasis to Darrel's comment, get the chassis straight before cutting anything, otherwise you're just chasing your tail.

When I worked at the body shop we pulled cars on a daily basis, some with frames and some unibody versions. All of them can be done sucessfully in the hands of a knowledgable tech.

A combo of heating and pulling is sometimes reguired, but we did everything from trucks to Vipers. Once it was done the panels and other stuff like doors would start to fit better.

Don

And what do you do with all the wrinkled sheetmetal hidden under the car? When you get ready to sell and the customer has it up on a rack looking at that mess what will they think? Unless SBC works in a bodyshop I think I'd try to find another body.

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.

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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.

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

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....

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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.

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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 :mad: 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.

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Originally Posted by Dave Severson

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

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

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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.

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

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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!