So, I bought a 85 gt a couple weeks ago and i LOVE the car... but..... it has some pretty bad frame damage the front end is a little smashed in on the drivers side, the door frame is smashed in about two inches all around., other then that the car is pretty good, I really like it and i want to put some money into it but i dont wanna put alot in it and not be able to get anything back or it not be worth anything because of the frame damage. does anyone have any suggestions what i should do? should i sell it and hope i can find another someday? should i keep it and pay somebody to fix the frame damage.. if its even fixable. well let me know what you guys think i should do. Thanks!

2" worth of structure damage in the door area is a lot. From my experience, you have a nice parts car. You would need a frame rack and technician with proper specs to get it back into shape. While it can be done, cost may be too much to make it worthwhile. You can buy another straight car for less than several hours of rack time and move all your good parts yourself. This is just my opinion without actually seeing it.

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quote Originally posted by rogergarrison: 2" worth of structure damage in the door area is a lot. From my experience, you have a nice parts car. You would need a frame rack and technician with proper specs to get it back into shape. While it can be done, cost may be too much to make it worthwhile. You can buy another straight car for less than several hours of rack time and move all your good parts yourself. This is just my opinion without actually seeing it.

that's what i was afraid of lol. well i don't have the money to buy another fiero right now so i would be selling it and afoot for awhile so that's kinda a problem lol., i should post pics but i don't feel like tearing all the body parts off again i just replaced them all of a crappy rusted out car lol but here is a picture of my car now you cant really tell it except for the door sits in about inch and a half to two inches. i could probably pull it out myself with some hillbilly tools lol but i dont know,

[This message has been edited by dejulio (edited 06-01-2010).]

quote Originally posted by dejulio: that's what i was afraid of lol. well i don't have the money to buy another fiero right now so i would be selling it and afoot for awhile so that's kinda a problem lol., i should post pics but i don't feel like tearing all the body parts off again i just replaced them all of a crappy rusted out car lol but here is a picture of my car now you cant really tell it except for the door sits in about inch and a half to two inches. i could probably pull it out myself with some hillbilly tools lol but i dont know,

Why not find a real cheap chassis and transplant the parts from this car to that one? That way this one can live on with another frame.

[This message has been edited by Hulki U. My-BFF (edited 06-01-2010).]

because im only seventeen and dont have the know how or the tools do it and i cant really go without a car for too long because i work a full time job,

quote Originally posted by Hulki U. My-BFF: Why not find a real cheap chassis and transplant the parts from this car to that one? That way this one can live on with another frame.

It would need to come with a title for the frame. Its illegal to switch parts over to another frame and title it as the car he has now.
But if you want to tug it i have a good rust free frame with a title. there is some slight frame damage in the front but only to the headlight bucket.

If not i would just drive it and save up for another one. if its not causing any problems why kick it. my frame that i have used to be my driver and drove great till the engine gave me its sh*t.

[This message has been edited by pontiackid86 (edited 06-01-2010).]

quote Originally posted by pontiackid86: If not i would just drive it and save up for another one. if its not causing any problems why kick it. my frame that i have used to be my driver and drove great till the engine gave me its sh*t.

Even though it may not be causing any problems, it is structurally unsafe. There are many weak spots in that unibody now, and if he were to get into an accident, his safety would be compromised.

Take the panels off the car that are the problem then get the biggest slide hammer you can man handle and have a go at pulling it out if you can't then part out the car if it comes out then pull it all back into place.

You would need an awful big slide hammer to pull out the door frame, not to mention you would put lots of holes in it. What it takes is a 4-10 ton frame rack. A slide hammer that big would need a crane or forklift to lift Slide hammers are for tin body panels.

Lets see some pics of your damaged areas.

Look at the pic carefully.
It looks like the roof at the top of the A pillar is pooched upwards.
That car has taken a hell of a hit.
Do the door and window still work correctly? No leaks, etc?

Although anything can be fixed, it is not going to be "economically feasible" to repair it, unless you've got a buddy with access to a frame machine.
If it's otherwise reliable I'd just drive it, and save your coin for something else.

PM TwoFatGuys, he has some parts cars and he may be able to help. He'd only be a couple hours away (Wheaton MO).

If you don't want to swap over parts, then you can pull some of the body panels off where you suspect the damage. Take some pictures and post them up here and I bet some of the guys that know bodywork can help you get it fixed. You'd be amazed at how much damage can be pulled out with just a come-along, some chain, and some mallets.

If you're young/inexperienced... well... now you own a Fiero so you'll just have to learn as you go. Theres a saying that goes "Fieros: making mechanics out of ordinary people since 1984" that rings true in cases like this

Can you take pictures of the actual door post? not the door itself, the post that the door latches to, it doesnt appear to be damaged looking at the side view pictures, if the door is the only thing that needs replaced, just replace the door, i cant hardly give away doors here in WV, i threw away about 8 good doors in the last year and ive saved about another 6 because they have power windows locks and mirrors.

more photo's of the damaged area's needed.

matthew

Other thing you can do is (and take out your whole interior) use a bottle jack and some peices of wood (id suigest LVL so it dosent splinter on you) place it between the damaged area and start jacking that SOB it might take that 2 inches out. just make sure the bottom part is on a strong spot so you dont create other damage.

I have been switching everything off my 1986 SE to my 1986 coupe.Nothing has been hard, just have to think about things before you do them or you break stuff. Almost everything I have done has involved these very few tools:
6 through 22 mm sockets, 1/4 ,3/8, and 1/2" ratchets. metric wrenches, torx bit set, flathead and phillips screwdriver, a floor jack, ramps and jackstands. Thats it. You could probably get everything you need to do the transfer for less than 100 bucks. 17 is a good age to start collecting your tools.. I just buy them as needed.. and I buy a lot less tools nowadays. You can find a lot of tools in the Big Lots and Dollar General automotive corner, if money is tight. They work too, just break easier.

Yep, just starting buy a whole bunch of cheap stuff, replace them with better as you go. Ive had my shop over 40 years off and on and still have Chicago Pneumatic air ratchets and impacts that cost $20. Harbor Freight and Odd Lots are your friends. Ive lost many more tools than Ive broken. No big loss if you lose a 25 cent socket.