Well a couple of weeks ago I had a minor mishap and I put the nose of the vette in a ditch. It wasn;t in there real bad, but the car seemed to have most of its weight on the front, and it had high centered around the passenger compartment. The rear wheels had little contact with the ground. It didn't seem too bad. I was able to push the car out and drive it home, no problems. The alignment was off some (steering wheel was about 20* off center) but it drove okay. I tried for 3 hours to get the hood open, with no luck. I took the airdam off, the 3 peices on each side of the lower wheel well... I loosened the front clip. Nothing. I couldn't tell a lot without opening the hood.

Well the noticible damage at the time was the front clip needed repainting (it all broke off), the hood was buckled up a bit on the driver's side - enough where the hood wouldn't pop loose and I couldn't move it back into place. The windsheild on the driver's side is cracked pretty good. The hood was acutally pushed behind the driver's door, so I couldn't open the door since it binds on the hood. I took it in and called the insurance company. The body shop (best in town here) took half a day just to get the hood open. They confirmed my suspiscion - the driver's side front frame rail is bent just a little.

When I had the wheel well off, I noticed a little bend in the frame rail, but it's also in the passenger side (it looks like there is a bend built into the frame rail there, so it can collapse in a collission I suppose). The driver's side was bent hust a little more though, and the paint on the back side of that rail felt a little brittle. They say that is my problem. Their estimate (paint, relocation of the hood and replacing the frame rail and windshield, maybe other stuff):

$8700.

That seems like a LOT of money. Does this sound about right to everyone? I assume they are going to fix it... An insurance adjuster was coming to look at it today, so we'll see...

 

I would say that is about right, frame issues are tricky and there is alot of time involved getting everything right. Sounds like you took it to a reputable shop, so hopefully everything will work out.

 

An LT4!...:(

Fix it and sell it.

 

Who did you get the estimate from?
A frame shop can fix your car but that number sounds high to me! Were they a corvette shop you didnt damage the car that bad sounds like you bent the frame enough to pop the hood back but I would have to see pictures of it to be of any help.
The insurance company may total it then you can buy it back and sell it or part it out. It would be a shame to take the car off the road perminently but with frame damage I think the agjuster may just total your car


but I would like to see pictures

johnny :thumbs:


[Modified by phrogs, 7:06 PM 11/18/2003]

 

Well, I don't have any pictures. I did take some stuff off the car to look at the damage, and it felt like the frame was bent just a little behind the driver's side front wheel. My insurance company sent an adjuster to look at the car and they agreed wit the shop's estimate. Most of the cost is frame work. They have to pull the motor to do the frame work (I called another reputable shop in Houston. they said they would do the same thing, But they send it to a dealership to pull the motor. the body shops don't do that). So I assume by today the motor is out and they should be working on it pretty hard next week. I plan to keep the car. If something doesn't seem right about it, I'll keep taking it back until they do it right.

 

...take cash- part car.
it will never be the same again. bent/kinked metal = weak metal. plus they will never get it "perfect."

 

If the shop does a good job, the car will be fine. Don't let people scare you with the bent metal b.s. My 95 was totaled, I had the left front frame rail replaced and it runs just fine. Wheel alin was right on the button. Car tracks straight and true, no creaks and groans. I just tell people it was pressure tested !! These cars are tougher than some people think.

 

is the hood damaged? do they have to replace it?

be cautious... these hoods are structural. can they keep it from fracturing???? I donno....

the price sounds about right.

this also sounds like the time to get to the body shop and clean that motor up!!! replace all the seals!!!!