S4drifter

I feel bad for the possum, didn't even see it. Never touched the brakes. Was driving along and it suddenly felt like I hit a big pothole. Got out and found that my front left foglight smashed and the airdam buckled in on the left side from the license plate over.

Is this something that can be easily fixed? there is no paint damage and I am sure I can get the fur out of the license plate bracket easy enough But I wonder if this is something i can do myself or need a body shop to do. I do not know how involved getting that dam thing off (sorry for the pun).

Any advice is appreciated. Thanks.

PorschePhD

You can try to push the dent back out if it is a gradual indention. You might want to run by a body shop and see if they can get it out. More than likely you can get most of it without a lot of work. To make it perfect may require some PDR or body work.

S4drifter

Thanks doc. I cannot seem to get behind that part of the dam though. When I crawl under the car there is a black bar that wraps behind the dam and immediatly behind the bar is a rectangular, metal mesh covered box (sorry for the poor description I feel like such a newbie) about 10" wide whose function is a mystery to me. They are preventing access to the back side of that part of the dam. Is that something I can remove? What is it? Thanks.

PorschePhD

Unfortunately you will need to remove the whole bumper and valance as one unit to access under there. They do make it tight!

jhunt@huntinter

Why did the chicken cross the road?



To prove to the possum it could be done ;-)

SteveMB

Hi guys. New to the list so please don't be offended for me throwing in my 2 cents! The valance can be removed without the bumper. It's easiest if you jack up the car and remove the front wheels. Take the 8mm nuts off of the studs that hold the rubber spoiler lip to the fender. Take off the 8mm nuts that hold the accordian boots to the spoiler. Underneath you'll find a 13mm nut/bolt, remove. Open the trunk and look along the inside front wall on either side of the jack. Remove the 10mm bolts and the valance will come off. Don't forget to disconnect the fog lights (like I did). Hope this helps!

Staffan

First of all, am no expert in this.
Depending what the dent looks like it might be taken care of without having to remove the bumper, I have seen it done.
I wouldn't do this based on my bullets below, but it could be something worth looking in to.

1. You clean the dent with starting gas.
2. Carefully warm the dent with a heat gun, not hotter than you can put your hand on it without burning yourself
3. Use a glue gun, put a fair amount of glue in lowest part of the dent
4. Glue a glue stick into the dent (where the glue is), the glue stick is should pointing straight out. You might have to make a T-shaped construction of glue sticks to make it stick
5. Attache a welding plier to the glue stick
6. Attache a slide hammer to the welding plier
7. Use the slide hammer to "pull" the dent out
8. When done use the heat gun to remove the glue, clean with starting gas, polish, wax and you are done.

S4drifter

Staffan, I will end up in the hospital If I do that. I can see it now.

Doc #1: what do we got
Doc#2: 35 year old patient with front Valence trauma to the head

Doc#1: Welding Plier-Glue stick syndrome?
Doc#2: That's my guess. Looks like someone used a heat gun on starting gas.

Doc#1: Uh-huh, guy probably hit a possum with his 930 and was trying to fix the dent.
Doc#2: yeah...probably a newbie

PorschePhD

There are always different ways to do things and I have found through the years the more space you give yourself and the more access you have the better. While I agree it can be done on the car sometimes the easiest route is not the perceived quickest No offense taken.

ZCAT3

You are seeing the front AC condenser with a protective metal cage covering it. Then for further protection a metal bar runs across the whole front end.

As for Stephen's advice that sometimes the trip that seems to have more steps involved ends up being the simplest path, he is certainly correct. As an example, you can change your rear shocks out without removing the AC compressor, intercooler and airbox, but it is so much easier with those pieces out of the way.