adrial

Spun on the saw mill river parkway going ~60mph...in the rain. I didn't hit any abnormally large puddles...but the back end just came around. I countersteered but nada, perhaps I wasn't quick enough. The rear tires didn't have much tread at all on em...but in the past I've never had issues...

Hit the divider with the back end...which was wider on the bottom than the top...so the brunt of the blow was to the bottom of the wheel..

At first look...it was good, very minimal damage. $150 of paintless dent removal I was thinking. Sounded like the wheel bearing was grinding at speed...but nothing major I didn't think..

When I got home I saw the sunroof popped out...and the crease in the body...

Does that crease definetely mean a bent frame?

What am I looking at here? It is possible to straighten this out, correct? Can anybody recommend a GOOD shop in the NY/NJ area? I'm talking a place that will be able to give me a estimate on the frame damage.

...I can't believe this...I should have replaced the rear tires long ago...thats the bottom line....but they never gave me problems in the past. I could feel it earlier in the drive...it didn't seem quite right...the water seemed to be affecting it more than I remembered...

Tom R.

post a picture. it probably isnt fatal.

Tom Carson

I was just reading on another forum...

"initially it looked like bodywork damage only, but putting her on a jig revealed significant chassis damage. Of 40 measurement points, only 10 were correct"

but with hope it's just a bent trailing arm

MM951

Wow, I'm sorry bro..If I still lived down in Goldens Bridge, I'd let you borrow a p-car until you were sure your baby is fine...I hope its all okay, no frame damage...

-Mike

adrial

Thanks...

But the crease in the body is right by the sunroof...

Also, the dents in the quarter panel I believe are as a result of a bent frame...because that part of the car didn't actually hit anything..

I'll put up pictures later

I was coming home from an autox btw...

adrial

OK..further inspection...

The wrinkling/dent of the rear quarter panel is because that lower part of that right by the rear valence hit the wall...

We did get the sunroof down with a slight push...(and the arms disengaged).

The lines look straight...but at this point the main evidence of a bent chassis is the crease by the sunroof, that the passanger door doesn't close quite righ and the hatch doesn't close quite right...but is barely noticable...I only notice cause the car is mine.

The right rear wheel appears to have more negative camber than the left rear wheel...but thats not for sure...could be how the car is sitting, etc...

The car drove straight for the 30 min drive after the accident...

How much am I looking at to put the car on a frame machine and straighten it out? Does this require that the car be stripped?

...Someone in HS 2 years ago in a camaro whipped the back end of his car into a curb (doing donuts)...broke the axle, suspension...was repaired for $3k-$4k...What happened to my car was worse...but the suspension held up and instead bent the frame...Why's the suspension gotta be so stinkin' strong?

I keep replaying it in my head...and I can't remember when I hit the brakes...after the car was all the way around...or when it was perpindicular to the wall....

User 41221

I hate to be the bearer of bad news... but you sound like you are tweaked. Rather than put it on the frame jig at a body shop, you can measure it yourself to get an idea, using the specs in the factory manual. If its like my '86, you have a slight indentation behind the rear corners of the sunroof, right? I also have a slight buckle in my passenger side rear quarter panel. My car is primarily meant to be a track car, so I don't worry about it (too much, anyway)... it still drives straight.

Its gonna be pretty expensive to straighten, if they do it right, based on the estimates I got for doing mine.

Sorry to hear it.

Regards,

Tom Carson

</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Helvetica">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Helvetica">Originally posted by adrial:
<strong>but the suspension held up and instead bent the frame...Why's the suspension gotta be so stinkin' strong?</strong></font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Helvetica">I think most will tell you the frame is stronger

adrial

</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Helvetica">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Helvetica">Originally posted by sh944:
<strong>
Its gonna be pretty expensive to straighten, if they do it right, based on the estimates I got for doing mine.

Sorry to hear it.

Regards,</strong></font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Helvetica">Please define expensive...

Tom...well..we'll see when we get it on a frame machine or take some measurements. But that crease by the sunroof and the door not closing quite right...and the hatch...all point to frame damage.

User 41221

I had an estimate for $3200 to yank the frame straight (18 alignment points were out of whack) and repair what appeared to be minor cosmetic damage. I may still do it at some point, but it will be when I am redoing the entire car and can get a bit more bang for my buck. Like I said, my car runs straight.

Regards,

adrial

Scott! Considering that insurance will be covering it that sounds great!!

I was worried about the car being totalled!!

Was this estimate by a very good place, or just a frame repair place? Do they specialize in Porsche's?

User 41221

Frame repair shop in Dallas TX. That won't help you much in Jersey, I'm afraid... I can't vouch for their reputation, but I didn't think enough of their work to have them fix it. Of course, I would have been paying for it, as it was damage caused by the PO, and one of the reasons I got my '86 fairly cheap.

Regards,

adrial

Scott, thanks...at least I have something to go off of...

AndyK

Bad break, Adrial. Hope it's not as bad as it first seems.

Goes to prove good tires are KEY in these rear drive cars! Replace worn tires ASAP!

PrerYDoG

Adrial - When my car was rear ended (I was at a dead stop, she was doing 45MPH), it buckled the rear quarters, popped the sunroof (crease there) made it so the doors wouldn't open/shut (unless you REALLY put pressure on) and pushed the rear bumper so that it was rubbing the rear tires...

I was going to fix it, but ended up selling it to a guy who works at a body shop. He, without much effort, fixed it up and didn't have to touch the frame, said the frame was fine. I'm telling you, these cars can take one HELL of a hit and still be okay. I wouldn't freak out yet.