frontend repair --(simmo)

[old forum]

i recently smashed up the front end of my TE, damaging the grill bumper, bonnet and guards.

All of these can easily be replaced, however the frontend and cross-member thingy behind these is fairly mangled.

I reckon i can get a mate to help me cut the frontend from the chassis rails and replace it with a straight one off a wreck and weld it up.

How hard/easy would this be to do and would it significantly compromise the stuctural integrity of the chassis??

I can't afford to pay a panel beater to do it at the moment so my only other option is to buy another car.

P.S. Every thing else on the car is undamaged, even the radiator and steering is fine.

Cheers for any info Simmo.

[old forum]

you better check if the rails are bent cause if they are pull ya wallet out bud

[old forum]

the rails are straight (except for the last few centimeters)

[old forum]

you can weld a new radiator support panel on but it would be easiest to do with a proper spot welder

[old forum]

As you said in a follow-up post, the chassis rails are straight. When I hit a roo in my TX we needed to replace the nose cone complete, the radiator support and bonnet.

We went to a wrecker and bought a cut TD front from engine forward (minus guards). Dad cleaned it up to the point where he had the support and nose cone ready. Instead of welding the nose cone on, he used a fair array of bolts, it all mounted straight and strong as an ox.
As for the radiator support, cut the old one off and simply weld the new one on, too easy. If you want, weld the new one in a little stiffer. As they come they aren't really a load bearing x-member like the engine x-member.

You won't compromise the strength of the front end if the nose cone is welded or bolted heftily enough. There isn't too much stress put on the nose cone and it mates up to the inner guards for vertical strength anyways.

One great feature of Geminis is the ability to rebuild with ease. Mine till fitted together like a simple jigsaw puzzle.
Just make sure you prep the new parts up with klllrust or a black primer, all surfaces are clean and true. Even if you measure things up first to make sure they are square.

Happy assemblage

[old forum]

A spot welder?..What the fuck are you talking about?

Use a Mig. If you don't have access to a Mig, hire one (they're about 30$ or some shit a night or something (been a few years since i've had to hire one)). If you don't know how to weld, you shouldn't be attempting this in the first place. But yeah, if it's only bent for the last couple of centimetres.. (how much?) as long as it isn't bent too far, you shouldn't have too many problems welding in a brace or a crossmember or whatever it is you need to do. As long as you do the welds properly, RTA shouldn't have any problems. If the weld looks kinda shit when you're done, just grind it smooth-ish with an angle grinder, and paint it black, then rub some dirt on it...nobody will notice.

Paul
Never late in a 308

[old forum]

it's like a spot welder they use just a big one i have seen em i worked at a panel beaters for three years doing the parts

[old forum]

Paul the whole car is spot welded together .. whats your problem ??

Michael

[old forum]

My problem was that, no matter what Holden originally used to stick the car together, for all intents and purposes, a Mig is generally much better suited to the average Joe.

Paul
Never late in a 308