Ninety-One

Some lady pulled out without looking and I had almost no time to react, was going approx. 40mph when impact happened. Doors and t tops all fit perfect and open correctly still. The core support is bent back an inch or two, and the front frame horns(or whatever their called that the impact bar bolts to are destroyed and bent down significantly...

My question is, can I weld on new frame horns? I know I can do the core support, I've welded in new ones for Hondas and toyotas, many times, and done lots of panel realignment before, I'm very familiar with body work and such. I know I need a new core support, impact bar, frame horns, ds fender, inner bumper filler, bumper cover, parking lights, grill, fog lights, emblem, etc. I'm pretty sure I can collect 90% of this at my two local wrecking yards... But is anyone familiar with welding on those frame horns or core support? Where should I cut and also where should I take measurements to make sure the cars not bent in any unrepairable way. The car still drives perfectly straight and doesn't pull to one side or the other driving or braking. Any help is appreciated. I'm so heartbroken, i actually cried. I just had the front end repainted, restored with the decals and emblem a month ago... The car didn't even have a door ding and has a brand new engine spent $10,000 on. And new tranny a month ago. Besides the front end and a cracked dash the car was flawless...

mantaguy

iTrader: (5)

,OUCH.I hate to see this happen.

Joe Tag

iTrader: (4)

Sorry to see this. Being it was someone pulling out in front of you, it should be their fault. I would go to the best body shop I could find, most likely a dealership if they'd take it on.
I had a VERY close call about a month out of paint. Idiot pulls out of a gas station right in front of me. All I could do was jam on the brakes and swerve into the second lane. I was to a complete stop and could do nothing more. I actually just covered my eyes with my hands in terror. Beat up Cherokee that looked seriously underinsured. Stopped 4 inches from my passenger fender. He got the worst bitching I'm sure he had in his life and I had to go home and collect my nerves for about an hour before the shaking stopped.

jazzdadss

The aprons and frame horns will need to be looked at by a body shop that has a frame machine. Set-up and measure to see if it can be pulled or is too far gone for repair. The insurance co. will want to total it I'm sure but from what I can see, Body shops in the 80s and 90s fixed this stuff on a daily basis.

Whoop out all your receipts for paint, engine and anything else you have done with the car and watch em squirm. Defiantly let your insurance co. know what happened so they will have your back.

Sucks that this had to happen to one of the cleanest Third gens on here!

FlyDoc

you don't have to let it be totaled, you have all your receipts? before the ins. person comes get them all in order showing how much you have invested, not just the motor. then look on-line and find cars that look to be in the same condition yours is/was in and get values.
it can be fixed!!
after ins.person comes,
you know the deal pull off all the front body panels, look to see where the damage ends, and get it on a frame machine and get it pulled out straight (to factory spec's)
then get your parts and put them on. ether way in-front of the strut towers line them up and weld and grind to look good, don't cover up bad welds with bondo! your going to have to do this part on your own or be at the shop daily. If you replace behind hind the strut towers I would suggest doing it at factory joints along the sub-frame. no-one will ever know if you do it wright. then before paint put in on the frame machine again.

Good luck

worme6

That is heartbreaking .... I would be I'll if that was my ride

Javier87z28

iTrader: (1)

sorry to hear that man! hopefully everthing gets sitauted!

Mirror Image

iTrader: (2)

I think once you get past the bumper hood and fender you will need a core support and maybe pull the apron and that would be best done on a frame machine

90camaro355rs

sorry to see this man, I agree, from first glance it don't look that bad, it can most likely be fixed just take your time and do it right.

DD9TransAmGTA

iTrader: (1)

Have any pics of the car with the front clip removed after the wreck? I have a Firebird that had similar damage and I was able to pull the frame horns back straight

RSValor91

I´m so sorry, I had a similar crash, I totally understand your feeling!!! did air bag explode?

beths91camaro

iTrader: (35)

Ugh! That's my biggest fear about my car. It's getting painted today......

83ZZZ28

So very sorry... I know a good therapist.

My expirence with body shops have been enlightening. I would never take my ride to a dealership body shop. Most likely the body man has never touched a 3rd Gen Camaro. (except in high school), and gets paid to do your car really fast, not good, just fast.

I would take my ride to a body shop that builds, and paints Muscle Cars/Hot Rods. Most of them except insurance claims.
Where ever you end up taking it, go around the back into the shop, and talk to the accual person that will be doing the work.