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If it had been me there would also have been the small matter of needing a thorough cleaning of the drivers seat and probably the carpet just underneath.
Ugh! Good that you are okay. I think replace door too, better to change paint color of door then all the filler. Repair rocker. Maybe strip outer skin of door then prime and repaint for closer paint thickness.
I am not a body guy but I would just replace the entire door and transfer your parts to a solid dismantler example. I would be mostly concerned about how the rocker panel is repaired. A replacement probably involves a lot of welded structural seam dis-assembly. Repairing the existing rocker will involve some level of filler in a area subject to road debris abrasion. My gut tells me I would try to repair the existing one as it avoids a structural intervention.
Any one else have thoughts on this?
Having a clean door from another car would be a nice alternative. Straight and true.
That being said, I could pull the dents from the original door and make it perfectly straight again as the door is actually not that bad. (Looks more like two fat people were fighting along side of the car vs. an accident impact.)
It would also maintain the factory paint on the inside of the door.
If using another door, the swap of the inners and wiring is a little more work which i am certain an insurance adjuster wouldnt want on the claim if they had anything to do with it.
Personally, if you could settle the claim with the redneck for cash or cheque and have the work done outside of insurance it might be better for the history of the car... Wouldnt show up on carfax and scare of buyers.
(As long as the car maintains pictures of the damage and restoration from the utility trailer strike it will be better come resale time.)
Switching out the door where the replacement has the glass and all the innards in place seems to me to be an in the driveway job. Conceivably the only parts you would need to transfer are the lock cylinder and the interior door furniture. You may be able to find one in the correct painted color as I have with cars in the past. If not before you reinstall the furniture you could drive it up to a paint shop to have it painted. An alternative is to see if a door skin is available as a replacement part. If a new skin is the way to go I would be particular about how the edge seams are rolled.
I would generally not accept a fix the dent and glaze compound solution as the door is subject to impact forces from opening and closing and over time I would question as to if it would last. My last suggestion is to make sure hey use a two part K2 urethane paint and clear coat as they will not peal over time like the acrylics commonly used all eventually fail.
This is why who paints it is more important than who fixes it. A shop that specializes in restoration rather than insurance work knows what to do..
Ya i had my bummper re painted at Superior and it looks perfect. But i am open to other shops. At this point im waiting for the adjuster to call me to see my options.
I wouldn't think to replace the door, it clicks fine. For now... But i am no expert at all on body damage. I am worried if i do replace it that it won't close shut perfectly like from the factory. Or can people these days do a perfect fix? Thanks
Ya i had my bummper re painted at Superior and it looks perfect. But i am open to other shops. At this point im waiting for the adjuster to call me to see my options.
I wouldn't think to replace the door, it clicks fine. For now... But i am no expert at all on body damage. I am worried if i do replace it that it won't close shut perfectly like from the factory. Or can people these days do a perfect fix? Thanks
This below the door is another thing..
The door in the hands of a good metal worker can get it back to straight and use minimal filler to achieve a long lasting, non cracking paint job.
The door is not that bad in terms of impact. In the restoration world that would be considered a rust free door in decent shape suitable for resotration.
The pros of keeping the door is the fact that it is original to the car and has the fit and interior finish one would want.
The only con is amount of time it takes in labour to get the door completely straight again before paint. In this circumstance it is not that bad.
The pro of a new door is the ease of scuffing it down and repainting it.
The con would be the shipping cost of the door, the overall condition of the donor door (glass, etc) and the time it takes to swap the interior wire harness from door to door. (depending on what comes with the door. Donor door could come naked or could come with clipped speaker cables etc.)
The rocker in the hands of a good metal worker is not a big deal.
Pull it, straighten it, smooth it, fill it, paint it.
The tricky thing is being able to blend the 18 year old factory paint.
Drip rail, door, rocker.... wouldnt need to paint the entire car, but matching the aged factory paint would be the interesting part of the job.
Man that's a sweet looking trailer, you could fit a huge amount of valuable **** in that, hope it's not a write off and will be seeing action taking the grille out to the camp site soon. The owner must have been in tears.
Hilarious. Lucky that ladder was bunjied down or that may have been damaged as well. Most of the good stuff is up high so the owner wouldn't want to lose that.
Now I usually like to have work done at Superior www.superiorautobodyshop.com where they do a lot of expensive cars and do a great job. OR should I have the repair done at the porsche dealer collision center? Where I would assume it's "guaranteed" work. (Bert smith porsche st. pete)
So sorry to learn of the left side body damage to your 993. On the Gulf side of Tampa Bay, Superior Auto Body reportedly is one of the best in collision repair and paint. A friend with a 996 GT3 recently had his car hit in the rear (just cosmetic damage to the bumper skin and bumperettes), and he is using Superior.
Bert Smith Porsche is one of the few dealers that has a collision center within its multiple marque facility. In talking to one of its technicians, several months ago, it is the only one "certified" by PCNA in this area. Reeves Porsche in Tampa just recommends an independent body shop that it apparently has a working relationship.
That being said, I have never seen any of Bert Smith's finished work product. While stating the obvious, a good dose of collision center investigation and due diligence on your part as to the repairs on your 993 would seem to be in order in the coming days. If in talking, I learn of Porsche owner who has had body repair work performed at Bert Smith, I will PM you with a name and number.
Please keep the forum and those interested in the loop as to your selection, and as to the finished work product. Your coming experience may be of help to others, and, most hopefully, it will be a good one! Type 2
Thanks everyone, man replacing the door sounds like a mess of work to be done to the car. tcsracing1 is right, it's not that bad the door that is. I don't know if want some door from a dismantled car. I like the "keep everything original idea" but I guess I wont know how bad door is until someone looks at it. And since it's labor day tomorrow I wont hear from the insurance adjuster until Tuesdays.
I don't if its possible to get a check from insurance for the cost of "replacing the door" but then just have the dents repaired. Never been in an accident before.
Ya i really don't know how good or bad Bert Smith Porsche collision center is. Anyone know or had work done there in St. pete?
Also ya i remember reading on here to get diminished value. Something that will take research i'm sure.
08-30-2014, 08:49 AM
