What's the best repair for a slightly bent car?
#31
I'm with Future on the re-body idea. Lorax--I'm not saying the car can't be clamped down at all with generic equipment...for a hard hit like Van's though it will be difficult to tie it down sufficiently to make the proper pulls without causing more damage. Obviously I managed to straighten my car, but it only took a very light pull. I'm sure you're a very knowledgeable guy but you are out of your depth here. Van, sorry to go off topic here, just trying to help as this is my field. Van, you will come out $$ ahead with a better finished product if you re- body the car. My .02.
Who knows what would happen after a good pull, sometimes you just can't tell how close it's going to be until you've finished doing the initial pulls.
I'm not challenging your knowledge of frame work, and I don't think we disagree... I was just confused because it sounded like you were saying that you can't clamp a 944 down at all without some kind of special clamps, which would have been news to me.
I have an interest in this since I have access to a nice car-o-liner and often look around trying to find a wrecked 968 or something that I can straighten myself.
#33
#34
I'm not challenging your knowledge of frame work, and I don't think we disagree... I was just confused because it sounded like you were saying that you can't clamp a 944 down at all without some kind of special clamps, which would have been news to me.
I have an interest in this since I have access to a nice car-o-liner and often look around trying to find a wrecked 968 or something that I can straighten myself.
I have an interest in this since I have access to a nice car-o-liner and often look around trying to find a wrecked 968 or something that I can straighten myself.
#35
No hard feelings here, but that is what I'm saying. Once you have one of these cars on a frame machine, its pretty clear that it will be a pita to hold it in place for pulling. It is flat on the bottom so there is nothing to clamp to. You can block it up and chain over the suspension or crossmembers which is not the proper way to do it. I don't know what fixtures were available for 924 series cars, only that they were and no body has them now that I could find. Hell, most frame/body techs working today have never even pulled one of these cars. I would shy away from buying any front engine porsche that needs significant pulling. Btw, access to a car-o-liner is nice to have, excellent equipment but pricey. Is it a rack or a bench?
Yeah I was kinda thinking you could just weld some tabs onto it or something, chain it down and pull out the majority before you put it up on the rack.
That is good to know. Actually the guy who taught me everything I know has pulled quite a few 944's, I am going to ask him about what they used to do it when they were new.
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It's a BenchRack. lol
I'm still trying to learn how to use that thing properly.
#36
Three Wheelin'
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 1,384
Likes: 0
From: out in the sticks and flat lands of va wondering around for an open field or pavement!!!
I would have to agree with burma these cars are hard to pull dew to the "area" u have to clamp but if your careful it can be done. I would say get a re-body unless it's just a track car and straighten it the best you can and go at it al over again ....my .02
costas
costas
#37
Gents, it may be a little premature to call the patient dead...
I just spent the last 2 hours on my hands and knees on the garage floor:
And, much to my surprise, the suspension point locations are all within tolerance! In fact, given the crude measurement analysis, they look really good. It is clear to see that the diagonals between the bumper mounts and the transmission mounts are off a bit, 0.875" to be precise.
Do you think the roll cage played a role in keeping the suspension points pretty straight? Other than: a) dumb luck; or b) Porsche's excellent design, I would think it had to play a factor.
So, I think I should try to save the old girl. Perhaps just get a porta power and try to push the trunk back in place so the hatch latches (and run a thin set of spacers on the rear wheels).
Remember, this is a track car - ultimately, I want it to be safe and reliable. Cosmetically it doesn't have to be 100%.
I just spent the last 2 hours on my hands and knees on the garage floor:
And, much to my surprise, the suspension point locations are all within tolerance! In fact, given the crude measurement analysis, they look really good. It is clear to see that the diagonals between the bumper mounts and the transmission mounts are off a bit, 0.875" to be precise.
Do you think the roll cage played a role in keeping the suspension points pretty straight? Other than: a) dumb luck; or b) Porsche's excellent design, I would think it had to play a factor.
So, I think I should try to save the old girl. Perhaps just get a porta power and try to push the trunk back in place so the hatch latches (and run a thin set of spacers on the rear wheels).
Remember, this is a track car - ultimately, I want it to be safe and reliable. Cosmetically it doesn't have to be 100%.
#39
I've been following this with some interest due fact to my hatch closes slightly off center as well...though I believe mine may be due to the hatch itself as it's delaminating from the frame and can be adjusted somewhat. I would say though that .875 (7/8") is quite a bit off. I'm interested in how you laid out your ref. points...that would be a great check for myself just to see how my alignment is.
#40
I drew "x"s on sheets of paper, slid them under the sinkers and lined them up best I could. After taping the paper to the floor, I carefully used a tape measure. I'd say I'm probably working with a tolerance range of 1/8" (+/- 0.0625) - maybe just a shade more, like +/- 0.080" (+/- 2mm).
#42
I've been following this pretty closely to see the outcome because my track-car-to-be has similar damage to the rear end from the hit and run that happened on it back in the spring. These cars are pretty tankish. If you'd done this to a newer porsche you'd have all sorts of cracked and shattered fiberglass and carbon fiber parts. Keep us updated!
#43
Please let me know what he says, I know how we went about pulling mine but I'd love to hear how others do it. Btw, you will always be learning how to use that thing properly. The guys that quit learning suck.
#44
Sorry Van, I should have come back to this thread earlier - hopefully these guys didnt get you too worried about needing major frame work or re-tubbing the car...
Ive seen a lot worse get pulled straight and put back on track. Moved my front shock tower about 1" up and 1" inward hitting a berm a couple years ago. Car still aligns and corner balances fine, and is faster than before the wreck. Radiator subframe is still a little screwed up and the fender lines are not perfect, but its going to get wrecked again someday - so not worth the $$ to make it look new.
This car was repaired - wrecked last wknd in July and raced again at Daytona a couple weeks ago. Let loose at about 140mph and ended up hitting nose, side and tail into an earth berm.
Ive seen a lot worse get pulled straight and put back on track. Moved my front shock tower about 1" up and 1" inward hitting a berm a couple years ago. Car still aligns and corner balances fine, and is faster than before the wreck. Radiator subframe is still a little screwed up and the fender lines are not perfect, but its going to get wrecked again someday - so not worth the $$ to make it look new.
This car was repaired - wrecked last wknd in July and raced again at Daytona a couple weeks ago. Let loose at about 140mph and ended up hitting nose, side and tail into an earth berm.
Last edited by Oddjob; 10-26-2008 at 11:11 PM.
#45
I asked him yesterday. It's pretty simple really. It uses a special clamp the attaches to one of those rear jack points somewhere, and another that bolts into a suspension pickup point. You just have to call car-o-liner and they will rent them to you uber cheap. Same thing that is used to pull old MB's and stuff, it's really no that hard. Of course you have to have a car-o-liner to make those work, but I'm sure other companies have them too.