Smooth Garage open for business!

[SmoothLine]

Ok, so I had an accident last monday...

In my quest to have the first foot of my car totally reparied I called a few smash repair places to get an idea of the costs involved...

-bonnet

-Front Bar

-Radiator support bar

-Headlight

-Raditor fan

-Front bar support

Total for parts approx $3000.

The smash repairer's were flooded with business after the rain and it took 4 days before anyone can even look at it. I then found out the labour involved would be approx $1500-2000.

I was lucky in that the front impact bar thingy took most of the hit and most mechanicals were ok, bar a few bent pipes etc... So I thought back to my days building lego as a kid and thought it cant be that hard to fix myself...

LEADING TO me making a decision to do the work MYSELF

So far I have straightened most of the bent steel (as a panel beater would) and removed everything from the cam cover back towards the front. It looks pretty daunting but overall its a peice of piss...

Tools used so far; large monkey wrench, 20kg 6ft long crow bar, assorted spanners and screwdrivers.

I spent about 4 hours this afternoon working on it.

I took pics of what it looked like at the start and will keep taking them as I go... Hopefully the parts arrive from sydney tommorrow so I can keep going...

It's really not that hard, so stay tuned for updates and pics

[predator]

haha.. good work.. go the crowbar!! To be honest, a lot of the time what the smash repairers use is not much more elegant.

If you can can get it back to "paintable" state thats the main part.. Then the paint isn't *too* much. Even if you just take the panels to them, and fit them back yourself later you can save a couple of hundie.. although there is issues with matching, "smoothing" and things they keep saying to me.

Damn hail damage, storm damage and everything else!! If its not one thing its another. I had the same problem last winter in Melb. Panel beaters are full of excuses - another thing I've found

Anyhow -- good luck man.. You learn plenty..

[SmoothLine]

Also if anyone ever needs parts quickly, I seriously reccomend JustJap for panels etc and UAS for body kits etc etc

[SmoothLine]

lol thanks G-man...

Once the new panels and steel bar bits go on it will look and mechanically be NEW

This crow bar i bought is insane its nearly as tall as me and weighs a ton, the hardware guy looked at me weird when i said i needed it to fix my car lmao! Go the might blue crowbar!

[Mase]

nice work mate, i also did this when i had my little bingle and saved myself well and truly over $500.

[MJ]

Good shit man, its always great to do work yourself and having that feeling of self satisfaction. I wish i had tools and initiative to do things myself.

[SmoothLine]

yeah, its only time that is needed... bugger if im paying some other prick $$$ per hour for something i can do...

Also forgot i bought a 1kg mini sledge hammer. Great lil hammer!

[Nismo_Boy]

I hope you bought the crow bar in true "aussie" fashion.. wearing teh "wife beater" (read blue truck drivers singlet).. btw this thread is worthless with out pics damnit!

[SmoothLine]

Good shit man, its always great to do work yourself and having that feeling of self satisfaction. I wish i had tools and initiative to do things myself.

I only live 5 mins away, the tools woudnt be a prob...

initiative may still be a prob though

[EnricoPalazzo]

haha its not a crow bar, its a pinch bar

get it rite will ya.

Can u post pics of ur progress, im very interested.

Cheers

[Mase]

I used a breaker bar to lever my front rad support back into place, then used a hammer to tidy up a few things and presto, all done!!

[knore]

yeh you gotsta get some pics up so we can see the damage

i got a mate who owns a panelshop, my car is there now. Post some pics and i can prob give u an approx quote, he is very cheap

[NA_R33]

Smoothline, ur finding out what i found out when i started work like a few months ago, everything to do with cars replacing fixing repairing bits is really easy u just have to think laterally (*sp). My boss basically told me what to do and once u get over the fear of not having done it before everything is really not that complicated, good to here mate.

[SmoothLine]

Yeah its so true... Once you get over the 'im never going to be able to put this all back' fear then its all sweet...

Just have to think about the big picture and repairing/fitting bits systematically

UPDATE: this afternoon saw me remove the washers from my bonnet and remove the bonnet itself.. A new tool was invented to hold the bonnet up half way and not letting it slip... custom tool number 2!

PICS will be up tommorrow of what ive done so far...

[SmoothLine]

Here are the first lot of pics...

The images dont show how far back the front parts actually were, so i added in some red dots to show you where they should be...

You can see how lucky i was to miss the intercooler! The radiator is actually pushed back 6 inches from the top in these pics, on an angle...

In the interior pic u can see i had the windows open and how much mud and grass came flying in to the cabin...

Later tonight I will post a few pics of garage smooth in action...

[Nexus9]

so you hit it pretty bloody hard by the looks of it

[chaos]

ouch

[SmoothLine]

so you hit it pretty bloody hard by the looks of it

About 40kmh at impact...

Could have been much worse though.

Kinda makes me wonder if i ever want to do a mountain run or anything again, because double or triple that speed and there wouldnt be much left

[chaos]

if you need a hand give us a yell i will be happy to help where i can

[SmoothLine]

Cheers man...

Should have it all fixed mechaniccaly by tonight, the bonnet went on last night, which included straightening the latch, pain in the ass to do but came up perfect...

All thats left then is a trip to dmd to get the front bar and have it fitted...