Accident Cars!

[MP_R33]

Hey guys been helping my brother out with finding a clean R32 GTR. He wants to build one so we are looking for a good base to start from.

As some of you would know this is not an easy task. Have looked at around 12-13 so far in about 8 months...Anyway, long story short we have found a black one that is completely imaculate. No rust at all. Engine wise, interior and body wise... its perfect. Well almost, the only thing is that the car has been involved in what looks to be a minor accident (passenger side rear quarter)The owner has kindly allowed us to put it on a hoist and upon doing so we saw that there is no damage to the chassis rails but there is a slight crisp in the wheel arch which shows that there has been some minor panel beating in the arch itself and it looks as though the guard lip has a little bog on it..The dilehma we have is whether to keep looking or to buy. What do you all think? From experience with R32 GTR's their are many many more bad examples than good ones. The damage is cosmetic not structural and otherwise the car is perfect... 95,000 genuine kms with log books, receipts from japan and Australia.Some advice would be great Ross

[GTR-N1]

Did you follow this car on a test drive to check if it's crabbing?

Did you look at even/uneven tyre wear?

Do the two doors open evenly without dropping?

Did you check the wheel well to see if it has been crumpled?

Is there any overspray underneath that makes you suspicious?

Is there any bubbling/cracking from underneath or around the bog?

Did the owner allow you to do a robot check with a panelbeater to see if the car is perfectly straight?

If all the above checks out and the test drive creates no concern + the rest of the car is as immaculate as you say it is, I'd buy it (if the price is right)!

[MP_R33]

Did you follow this car on a test drive to check if it's crabbing?

What exactly is crabbing?

Did you look at even/uneven tyre wear?

Even tyre wear

Do the two doors open evenly without dropping?

Yes

Did you check the wheel well to see if it has been crumpled?

Do you mean like buckled?

Is there any overspray underneath that makes you suspicious?

Well where the crisp is there is a little tar over it, very thin line.

Is there any bubbling/cracking from underneath or around the bog?

Nope

Did the owner allow you to do a robot check with a panelbeater to see if the car is perfectly straight?

No Idea what this is?

If all the above checks out and the test drive creates no concern + the rest of the car is as immaculate as you say it is, I'd buy it (if the price is right)!

[Chris Rogers]

look at the sill panels. are they straight? if not there WILL be rust in the carpet side of them.

[GTR-N1]

I'd check the car a bit further for rust like Chris ^ ^ ^ suggested. Also take a fridge magnet with you.

And tap that thin line of tar with the handle of a screwdriver to make sure you hear the sound of metal.

Crumpled = buckled, yes

When you follow a car, sometimes if you notice that it's like a rectangle that's going slightly sideways rather that straight - or if you can see more of the front fender on one side and not the other, it's "crabbing"

[MP_R33]

look at the sill panels. are they straight? if not there WILL be rust in the carpet side of them.

Sill panels are good your usual minor surface rust on the ends of the lips on them from a speed bump or what not but the rails and sill panels are all good.

[MP_R33]

Thanks Terry.

Well car looks good, it has been garaged and usual rust spots are clean so thats good.

I will take your advice with the magnet and the screw driver. As for the crabbing It looks be fine we followed it didn't look unusual, would it be doing it at low speed and high speed?

Wheels look fine also, then again it probably was replaced.

[GTR-N1]

If a car crabs, it won't matter what speed it's doing > it still crabs.

If it travels straight, then you can tick that off your list.

Happy Hunting > 'er buying!

[Ten Four]

I'd keep it and build.

[Chris Rogers]

Sill panels are good your usual minor surface rust on the ends of the lips on them from a speed bump or what not but the rails and sill panels are all good.

lay the carpet back - look there. if the sills are grazed they will be wet = rust.

look at my GTS4 thread (see sig) fr more images on what to look for.

[MP_R33]

Thanks Chris will do that.

How do you really know if the job has been done well besides paint?

[Chris Rogers]

in my eye: minimal bog.

[gtr fan]

It sounds like a pretty good car.

When I bought mine I noticed that a rear guard and a front guard had been resprayed earlier in its life. There are even jig marks on the front rails indicating that there was some earlier repairs. However it all appeared to be done properly panel gaps were perfect and it did / still does drive perfectly. So I snapped it up.

In short these are very old cars now so chances are more than not are likely to have been involved in a prang at some point. But if repaired PROPERLY can continue to be perfect cars.

I remember seeing a pic of former Zoom Magazine editor Julian Edgar's Aussie delivered 32 GTR with a fair bit of rear end damage but I am sure it got fixed properly (as it was the subject of a magazine article at the time)and moved on.

http://autospeed.com/cms/A_0314/article.html

[MP_R33]

Yer well it is really apart from that.

Thanks for all the feedback. Good advice. I will pass it and will let you know If he buys it.

Ross

[djr81]

Hey guys been helping my brother out with finding a clean R32 GTR. He wants to build one so we are looking for a good base to start from.

As some of you would know this is not an easy task. Have looked at around 12-13 so far in about 8 months...Anyway, long story short we have found a black one that is completely imaculate. No rust at all. Engine wise, interior and body wise... its perfect. Well almost, the only thing is that the car has been involved in what looks to be a minor accident (passenger side rear quarter)The owner has kindly allowed us to put it on a hoist and upon doing so we saw that there is no damage to the chassis rails but there is a slight crisp in the wheel arch which shows that there has been some minor panel beating in the arch itself and it looks as though the guard lip has a little bog on it..The dilehma we have is whether to keep looking or to buy. What do you all think? From experience with R32 GTR's their are many many more bad examples than good ones. The damage is cosmetic not structural and otherwise the car is perfect... 95,000 genuine kms with log books, receipts from japan and Australia.Some advice would be great Ross

From that description - if it is priced reasonably - buy it.

[MP_R33]

Well we are going to take a final look tomorrow.

I guess worst comes to work you can sand it and fill out the imperfections..