I figured why my bumper isn't fitting right. It is because the front frame horn on the passenger side is bent. I imagine that this is some really tough steal so how in the world can I fix it. I've done backyard straightening before. hook one chain to the frame and other end to a tree. then hook a com-a-long to the bent part and begin to pray and pull. Any suggestions would be nice.

mike

Take it to a frame shop and let them pull it. Then, you'll be assured of everything lining up.

Second the frame shop. There's a reason why they get the kind of money they get per hour to run a frame rack. You got to know where to pull, how to pull, where to tie it down. Might come to find you got more problems then a bent frame horn, and now you start pulling you could make matters worse smile.gif ...Eric

Well I hope the fact that the car has been lowered in the front wont hurt anything? I looked at it agian and saw that it is just were the brackets bolt to the frame horn. couldn't see any more damage past that point. everything on the front end lines up nothing looks tweaked, and I have an eye for that. It drives me crazy how I notice the most minute detail. I don't really have the money to take it to a frame shop. I'll figure soemthing out. Thanks.

Originally posted by micali:
I don't really have the money to take it to a frame shop. I'll figure soemthing out. Thanks. Just remember, Mike, often we don't have the money to do it right the first time, but we find the money to do it over. Just a thought before you begin. ;)

So just out of curiosity, what kinda price do frame shops get? If anyone has taken their care to one.

:cool:

My shop that I work at doesnt have a rack mainly do to space and after doing some numbers we make more money without one. Anyway the place we sublet frame work to gets 60 bucks per hour. My old shop(3 years ago) got 55 bucks.

Like I said before you start pulling and not KNOWING the true problem area or having it tied down right, YOU CAN really mess things up. Are you SURE everything lines up on the front end, are the tires algined correctly?

My son's friend just had the frame pulled on his Bonneville. Cost was 400 dollars, but this is NJ. He had "T-boned" a guy who went through a stop street so he had extensive damage. Check the Yellow Pages in your area.

I had the frame "tweeked" back into place after setting the body back down on my '67 Elky. From all the moving around, blasting, baking, powdercoating, re-assembly, and setting a BB down in the middle of it, the frame had stressed. They're actually not that rigid to begin with. The frame shop charged me $300 and it sure did make the sheet metal installation go easier.

I would get it fixed. My right front frame horn was bent up about an inch from a previous accdient, long before I owned the car. I lowered the bumper and it was barley noticeable so I let it go, what was the worse that could happen? Somebody could turn left in front of you. What should have been a minor accident, totals the car, because the frame bends right where it was creased and the whole front end comes back 18".

Then you have to find a new car like me. I would recomend getting it fixed.

Later
Steve

From everything that I can tell lines up ok. I have noticed that there is a wider gap before the door on the pasenger side then the driver side. But what is strange is the frame horn is bent towards the passenger door. I would think the gap would be smaller if it affected it in anyway.
You can look at the gaps on the hood and they both look straight, no gap wider than the other. the hood closes fine and opens fine. Both doors open fine with out any sticking or hard pulls, they also shut fine without any slamming. The tires don't look to have any odd wearing. You can let go of the steering wheel and it doesn't wander. I have a little shimmy at 45. That could be a tire out of balance.
I took it to a small car show and one best of show in the car division. I just got it painted. It is blood red with pearl white stripes. The enterior matches the paint. Looks like the stripe theme continues into the interior then back to the hood again. I'll take a pic of the damage and try to post it. Let you guys have a look. Thanks for your help.

WHAT A GREAT SITE!!! graemlins/thumbsup.gif graemlins/hurray.gif