Hey, I just repaired an 86 GT with almost exactly the same damage. The driver's side was damaged, also. I had access to something a little more high-tech than a tree, though.
And I get to do that again, this time to the front of my 86 SE
Sorry to hi-jack the thread. Good luck fixing the damage!
------------------ 86 SE 4 spd - undergoing reconstructive surgery 86 SE auto - receiving heart transplant 86 GT auto - daily driver 85 GT 4 spd - parts car
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09:27 PM
Kento Member
Posts: 4218 From: Beautifull Winston Salem NC Registered: Jun 2003
Well the thing is the part did what it was designed to do..... crumple and absorb the impact... If it was rigid the energy transfer to the driver would most have likely really hurt a good friend. Well NOw I get the chance to help that friend rebuild his car to an even better state then it was in before and most likely have a lot of fun doing it. I mean heck, Power Tools, Torches, & Sledge Hammers, What more could you ask for on a weekend!
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09:58 PM
Feb 17th, 2005
rogergarrison Member
Posts: 49601 From: A Western Caribbean Island/ Columbus, Ohio Registered: Apr 99
I have a 6" steel post in the cement driveway I use. Tools are chain, come-a-long, sledge hammer and porta-power. If there hit hard I just pay $100 for the frame rack next door.
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06:35 AM
Indiana_resto_guy Member
Posts: 7158 From: Shelbyville, IN USA Registered: Jul 2000
I have a 6" steel post in the cement driveway I use. Tools are chain, come-a-long, sledge hammer and porta-power. If there hit hard I just pay $100 for the frame rack next door.
Funny, I use almost the exact same tools here Roger.
LOL....hopefully everythinggoes well Saturday with our "reconstructive surgery" We're going to get a pretty early start and I plan on bringing my digital camera. I'll post pictures of the job when we are done.
Kento....Is Earl going to make it? What about Malacite???
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07:22 AM
Kento Member
Posts: 4218 From: Beautifull Winston Salem NC Registered: Jun 2003
Reapairs have been completed! She still needs some paint but everything got fixed and she's back on the road! I'll post pics tomorrow of the work we got done! Many thanks to Kento on the forum for giving me a hand with this, and to The Fiero Store for getting me my parts in record time!
[This message has been edited by powrmajik (edited 02-19-2005).]
Reapairs have been completed! She still needs some paint but everything got fixed and she's back on the road! I'll post pics tomorrow of the work we got done! Many thanks to Kento on the forum for giving me a hand with this, and to The Fiero Store for getting me my parts in record time!
Dang that was quick. Didnt know you were having a working party I would have tried to come over. Yes post some pictures
Got a small tree (36" Dia) in the back yard that will work just great for that. it just happens to be about 10 feet from the parts car that will get disected if needed!
I worked in a body shop a friend opened, and when we were moving into the building, there was an odd little door in the wall on both sides of the shop near the back. The place had been a body shop before, It had been vacant since the 50's or 60's. Guess what was outside the building at both holes. Bigass oak trees. What we figured was that they had build the shop deliberatly between those trees so they could use them for frame work.
Here's where we started pulling out the "crumple zone" portion of the frame rail...Used a torch to heat the metal just enough to ease it back into shape...and for the parts of the bending that did not want to cooperate...they got the SLEDGE HAMMER!
A little wood, a 2-ton bottle jack, a couple hammers...
and the final product! Good as new! I need to clean the carpet, but hey, that was the least of my worries! It looks like there is evident damage seen even though the carpet is in place...not true. The carpet was bent during the impact and is still so. I figure once it is cleaned it will relax and will take its normal shape again.
[This message has been edited by powrmajik (edited 02-20-2005).]
My pictures of the installed bumper and straightened frame rail did not come out...very blurry, sorry guys. But Kento and I did replace the bumper with an excellent donor which received very minor surface rust treatment and a fresh coat of flat black paint. The frame rail was also treated to a coat of the black paint before we reinstalled everything. All damaged parts were replaced from the donor vehicle so everything went back on nice and straight. Now I just need that paint job! Maybe a new rear fascia....anyone got one laying around?
[This message has been edited by powrmajik (edited 02-20-2005).]
And for those of you wondering which insurance company decided to total this car....well believe it or not it was Progressive. They were not MY insurance company, but the other parties. I can't believe that they totaled the car for roughly 4 hours worth of work and a few replacement parts.
If this is good info. for anyone can you hit me with a "+"? Trying to get my meter going here and I don't think I have much farther to go!
[This message has been edited by powrmajik (edited 02-20-2005).]
Hey Jake! It wasn't much of a party...only Kento and myself. Just the two of us...a few hammers, a come along and a torch! Woo Hoo! Got to work on cars, use tools and play with fire...doesn't get any better than that! LOL
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08:45 AM
Indiana_resto_guy Member
Posts: 7158 From: Shelbyville, IN USA Registered: Jul 2000
Does nayone know of a descent painter in the Orlando area that could do a good job rather cheaply? I have to keep it fairly cheap due to insurance not giving me much of anything for the damage to my car so a middle of the road paint job will do for now.
UPDATE! I just got the car back from getting paint and it came out looking great! It's not show quality but a good job none-the-less. Think I'll send a picture to the insurance company that totaled it just out of spite! I'll post pictures tomorrow as it was too dark by the time I got it home tonight.
AND I'll make it to DAYTONA this year!! WOO HOO!!!
dont let that baby go!!!, do the repairs your self, it doesnt look that bad, i mean its bad, but not bad enough to send it to the scrappers for sure!, theres not enough fieros on the road to just pick them off this easy!, my fiencee was hit in the front of her 1999 dodge intrpid (niccce car!!) and the air bags poped out, not bad body damage, but it was totaled because of the air bags, but the insurence comp. still let her dad buy it back for repairs, but he didnt, being a money bag he just bought her a 1998 black flare side extended cab f-150 XLT with the 5.4v8, its a damn monster! i hate that damn uncomfy ford pile of **** !!! (hope amanda dont read this lol) it looks like a lightning...but i hate trucks, especially fords!!! yuk!
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12:15 AM
rogergarrison Member
Posts: 49601 From: A Western Caribbean Island/ Columbus, Ohio Registered: Apr 99
Insurance companies basicly suck. I recently had one of the girls cars in that they almost totalled because she hit the whole side against a steel post in a parking lot. They did finally pay $2800 to fix it. I pulled off the body side moldings and used my stud welder to put a row of pull rivets down the side. Pulling on those, using a suction cup, and a rubber mallet, it took me about 3 hours to get it back to original. I did have to buy both door side moldings for $80 (came prepainted). Car came out perfect, moldings covered all the pull points (brushed on undercoat on the spots), and didnt have to even paint anything. A little bit of rubbing compound to get the posts paint off the side, and it looked brand new. She even got 1,000 to go on a shopping spree.
Looks great! My trunk took more damage, I will be cutting it out but the rest looks just like your damage. The front took some damage to the driver side headlight bucket but I started cutting what I will need to fix it out of my parts car. I'm going to pick up the body parts today and should be able to start working on the car in a week after I get rid of my parts car.
Figures...Digital camera is on the fritz today. I got it fixed and now the batteries are dead....recharging them now. They will be charged in the morning. Heading over to Kento's place to do the top half of the engine swap and I'll get some pics then!
We're going to get a pretty early start and I plan on bringing my digital camera. I'll post pictures of the job when we are done. 
