Hey everyone. I'm looking to pick up an EJ1 coupe that has some front end damage. I'm not looking for this car to be a daily driver or a show car, so appearance really isn't a critical point for me. However, I'd like for everything to be *fairly* straight and line up. Enough to bolt up the major body panels (bumper, fenders, headlights) without a huge hassle. If someone with *experience* repairing front ends could speak as to the amount of work needed to get this car back driving, I'd appreciate it.

No need for "wow, that's messed up", etc. If it's really not worth fixing, I'd think that's a valid opinion.

But let's just say I'm getting a good deal on the car which has a running Z6, decent interior, etc.

I've sourced another core support to be welded on, and someone who says they can do the work. The A/C will be coming out so the fact that the lines look like pretzels really doesn't matter.

 

check out the junkyard for a car without the front smashed and cut out the section you need and weld it on yours

 

I don't know how much you plan on giving for this thing but they should be paying you to haul it off in my opinion. You haven't said how much bodywork experience you have but it needs a lot more than just a core support. It got hit in the front hard enought to wrinkle the frame rails on both sides and buckle the fender on the passenger side.

Everyone has their own definitions of "fairly striaght" but I'm on the picky side and I say you should be backing away slowly. It may be repairable but what a nightmare you'll be putting yourself through just to get stuff to line up within 1/2" of being accurate is not worth it in my mind.

If you planned on gutting everything to install a full tube chassis and run it on a track, I'd say go for it but if this isn't the case, dude you've got your work cut out for you. Literally.

 

Its gonna need to be set up on a frame table and checked for alignment and straightness, and then probably pulled a couple different ways to get it there, that's run between 500 and 1000 for sure....Then the panels and welding and painting of the front end, I would say you will be in around 2500 - 3000 including everything, how good of a deal is it now.

 

ive got the same deal with my ej1 that i already own. but the core support was just slightly bent from hitting a deer at maybe 30 mph at most so the frame is still straight. am i out of luck too or is it just a matter of welding it back on?

p.s. sorry for thread jacking but i thought it might help the op too....

 

^^It depends on your definition of "slightly bent", It may be able to be pulled back out. I bought an EJ1 a couple of months ago the the core support was all bent up on, I just drilled out all of the spot welds and straightened everything out and welded on the new one, The OP has a little more work cut out for him though