Geesh Jim, what are you a Borg? You've never expressed any emotion for your cars? Even when someone opens their car door into yours and leaves a ding? Hard to imagine one so hard hearted would own a 928. There are more affordable machines deserving of your un-emotions.... Saw a Rambler not long ago with a Chevy 350 in it for $800.

 

I like the idea of restoring it, and making it available for people to see at events etc., but driving it faster than about 35 mph wouldn't be on my list.

 

By James Bailey

Fair comment about the repair.

Greg

 

Exactly! There is a lot of emotional attachement to the car and for good reason.

Now as far as the car's safety goes, i would have NO problem drivng this car straight and fast. that cage would make it far safter and more stable than ANY new 928. Front clips are put on chassis ALL the time. a friend of mine put two jaguars together right at the middle! I drove it fast on the 405 in LA and it was nice and solid. The cost was cheap to fix and the new owner liked the price as well.
If you know how beefy these chassis are, you would not even question this straighten chassis as far as safety, jim of course knows this. even if the front clip is not replaced, once the chassis is bent out, the main stiftness is in the cross member that will be replaced with a new one. the walls that hold the A-Arms are monsters as well. All we are talking about is pulling out one frame rail . the main challenge will be to get the kinks out and thats someone else's specialty. the main damage and bending is at the front clip attachmement. These kind of things are fixed all the time and will be very strong. That cage was only slightly bent, and the roof was not. As you might know, there is a donor car that will have much of the front end transfered over to the Holbert car.
as far as VINs, this car WAS registered LEGALLY in california and will have no issues with re-registration in the US.

If this thing was straightened, i would have NO problem pushing this car around Willow springs all out, and certainly no issues driving it in a straight line fast!!! I dont know what Jim things will happen after its straighened, but it might be a little softer frame wise, but that can be fixed with a couple of bars to the shock mounts from the cage if someone was really concerned about perfection.

Jim has been real negative lately.

mk

 

you have got to be kidding me! I would take a dented 928 chassis over a new BMW chassis any day of the week at the track, let alone driving "35mph"
These things are TANKS! Have you ever driven an old 80s corvette? talk about a death trap!

mk

 

So I take it you won't be there for the send off?

 

Well the Holbert car is back to being a roller. Front and rear suspenion are now installed and it is ready for the trip.

 

Thank You ever so much Mark.What kind of beer do you like?

 

No problem. Not a beer drinker but I have been known to consume a few old grapes

 

Unless the repairs are done as if money wasn't an object, this car will never drive as it did before the addicent. To say that only one frame rail needs pulling is very naive. Mark, you have emotional attacment to this car and that's probalby why your point of view is very optimistic almost bordering unlrealistic. The entire car got twisted like a pretzel and every part of the car got effected. It might not be easily visible but I guarantee you that almost every spot weld on that car saw siginficant amount of stress.

As for your buddy's Jag, it will drive straign and all but what will happen if it ever gets into an accident? Do you think it will react like it was never cut in half before?

 

Cold.. very cold.

At least the forum will give the Very Brown some hugs after you ditch it for an 86.5 5-speed, because it can do more

 

This project maxes out the cool meter!! Kudos to you guys taking this on!!!!!!

 

The whole is greater than the sum of its parts, I'm looking forward to progress updates.

 

I think that pretty well sums up the motivation for this.

 

I have a 1970 Maverick with a Mustang 302 4speed already...owned a couple Ramblers in the past As a kid my family bought and sold many cars as a result I drove many cars never OWNED one until I was 20 I often drove a different car week. While in college I worked at a Ford dealer they gave me a free demo to drive ....428 Cobra jet Torino , Mach 1 Mustangs , Boss 429, boss 302 etc. that changed as the car was sold. No I do not tolerate someone damaging a car just recognize that they have no heart,no soul,nospirit, and are easily replaced. After I sell a car I really do not care what becomes of it much like Ex-wives......A professional Psycologist once stated that I was the most analyitical person he had ever spent time with perhaps that IS Borg like