Frame straightening

[Seppi72]

As many of you know, I had an "off" on 9/6/08 and did some front end damage to my '72. The front left frame rail is bent inwards (you can see how much in the two pix attached - look below the two air horns on the carbs - although it's tough to get a true overhead shot of the car as it sits right now) and I am discussing the repair process with both the body shop owner and the insurance adjuster.

Initially, we thought that the car could be placed on a frame rack and pulled back into shape. My body man knows at least two local folks who have such equipment (and whom he respects) and he had one come out to look at the car. This guy ended up saying the he didn't know where he would be able to "hook up" the car to do the straightening. I find that very hard to accept and I'm wondering exactly how experienced this guy might be. I've told the body man to have the other local guy look at it too.

If the car can't be put on a frame rack, my body man says the alternative is to cut out the bent frame rail, use a portapack hydraulic cylinder to put the front corner back into position and then weld in a new frame rail (which I would get from Zedd Findings). I am hesitant to go this route simply because a body man with a portapack is not, IMO, a good substitute for a frame rack. In addition, all the cutting and welding will drive up the repair costs substantially.:stupid:

I found only one previous thread on this topic (#16933 from March 2005) and it didn't come to any satisfactory conclusion. I've PMed the originator, but haven't heard anything back yet.

I'm thinking that I need to expand the search for a competent frame shop that will do the necessary work. I'm sure that being close to Columbus, Ohio will allow me to find such a shop. I just would like to get the opinions of folks who might have gone down this route before with an S30.

Edited September 16, 2008 by Seppi72

[JimmyZ]

Have you seen pics of Diseazd's Z's front clip repairs? They are simply replacing the entire front fenderwell and frame rail. After seeing if it needs some tugging to straighten the firewall I'd replace that half of the front clip. It sounds like major surgery but it's really nothing if you do it every day. After replacing a frame rail on my Z and learning how to check my work I would probably do something like this in my own shop. It would require that you remove the engine/tranny and make, buy or borrow some tram guages.

According to my bodyshop friend (shop owner 27 yrs) anything can be straightened. It's only a matter of how much time and money you're willing to invest in saving the parts. The cut and replace method is cheaper. It's feasible that a frame machine could straighten and with some tramming bring it back fairly close to original.

Link to some nice measuring equipment. http://www.autobodytoolmart.com/c-530-gauges-measuring-equipment.aspx

2c

Jim

[Seppi72]

Not only for your reply above, but for the PMs you sent.

We had a second frame guy look at the car and he agrees that cutting out the frame rail is the way to go. We'll also have to replace at least the front part of the floor support rail too. Consequently, I'm getting both parts from Charlie Osbourne at Zedd Findings. He truly is a pleasure to deal with.

Now I have to convince the insurance adjuster that this is the way to go. It wouldn't be to bad except he's now busier than a one-armed wallpapaer hanger since Hurricane Ike sent a monster wind storm through Ohio on Sunday. Some folks around Columbus won't be seeing power until next week. I really feel for those of your who not only catch the wind from these storms, but get the rain too (we got no rain). And then there's tidal surges. I can't even comprehend what those must be like.

[John Coffey]

Your frame guys doesn't have to just pull. He can push also. Remove the engine and transmission, mount or weld a 2" x 2" x .250" thick, 4' length of angle iron to the opposite frame rail and push on a 2" x 2" x .125" thick, 2' length of angle iron on the bent rail.

[Seppi72]

Thanks for the info, John. I figure that a long-time racer such as yourself has seen a bent frame rail or two over the years. In addition, your fabrication skills lend credence to anything you say about "metal matters."

I was certainly going to follow a similar path before committing to a $2000 cut-out-and-weld-in R&R job by my body man.:stupid: I just didn't know what thicknesses and lengths of angle iron would do the job. You (and a PM from Diseazd) have set my mind at somewhat more ease. It also doesn't hurt that my body man's shop is located directly adjacent to a steel fabrication business.:classic:

I'm going to step back from this problem for a couple a weeks and tackle it anew in early October.

Edited September 19, 2008 by Seppi72

[er34gtt2000jp]

Just wondering if you ever got your frame repair done.

[SuomiZ]

I've posted some pics of my similar situation although I think my front clip repair is more significant than yours. Using a rust free and straight front clip we used a frame jig and replaced everything forward of the struts. I'll post pictures when done.