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Bent frame

overpaid

overpaid

Well-Known Member
So of course when I bought this car sight unseen ( my mistake ) the guy didn't disclose this and then of course after I got the car he was so shocked to hear that it had this damage, total POS. Anyway, the car drives fine, alignment was fine but it bugs me a little. I considered heating it, getting a long bar and trying to bend it back or maybe even a ram and trying to pry from the one corner to the ouside of the bent one or the best solution, take it to a body shop, see what they can do. Do you guys think I should keep dumping money in this car? Get this fixed and carry on or just leave it as is. You can see it about 1 inch pushed in on the drivers side towards the passenger side. Thanks!
 

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overpaid said:
So of course when I bought this car sight unseen ( my mistake ) the guy didn't disclose this and then of course after I got the car he was so shocked to hear that it had this damage, total POS. Anyway, the car drives fine, alignment was fine but it bugs me a little. I considered heating it, getting a long bar and trying to bend it back or maybe even a ram and trying to pry from the one corner to the ouside of the bent one or the best solution, take it to a body shop, see what they can do. Do you guys think I should keep dumping money in this car? Get this fixed and carry on or just leave it as is. You can see it about 1 inch pushed in on the drivers side towards the passenger side. Thanks!
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Front body panel alignment will be tough. PM Bluess454 if he doesn't see this and get his opinion
 
Chevelle_Nut said:
Front body panel alignment will be tough. PM Bluess454 if he doesn't see this and get his opinion
Click to expand...
Yea for the most part it looks fine now in regards to the alignment of the hood and fenders. You can see it is off but not bad but I think you mean, once you straighten it, it will get worse right?

I will PM Bluess454, thanks!
 
I had the same damage on the same horn on my '69. The sheetmetal showed some passed trauma so I went deep and X'ed out the frame points and compared the dimensions with a known virgin in my garage. Also measured the hole center vs the other frame and the core support.....the damaged horn was inward 1/2" or so. I rigged up a foot for the horn that would accept a ram of a hydraulic bottle jack, then created another that would fit in the crotch of the K-,member. Then just cranked and it wanted to spring a little, so cranked and hit in a couple strategic spots with a double jack. It didn't take much, and it came out perfect without any signs of reverse trauma. I took pics, but they're on my dead phone. You'll have no problem attacking this, and yes, it'd bug the f' out of me also.
 
cheveslakr said:
I had the same damage on the same horn on my '69. The sheetmetal showed some passed trauma so I went deep and X'ed out the frame points and compared the dimensions with a known virgin in my garage. Also measured the hole center vs the other frame and the core support.....the damaged horn was inward 1/2" or so. I rigged up a foot for the horn that would accept a ram of a hydraulic bottle jack, then created another that would fit in the crotch of the K-,member. Then just cranked and it wanted to spring a little, so cranked and hit in a couple strategic spots with a double jack. It didn't take much, and it came out perfect without any signs of reverse trauma. I took pics, but they're on my dead phone. You'll have no problem attacking this, and yes, it'd bug the f' out of me also.
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Thanks for the reply! So if I get you correctly, just go from the crotch of the opposite side and then to the end of the other side? I was thinking of using something like this...


 
Yessir, a port-a-power or just a 2 ton jack will work well. Those are strong horns so it takes some force and be ready for something to spit back at you.
 
My first idea would be to anchor the passenger side of the frame with two comealongs; one at the rad support end and one near the control arm.
Then use another comealong on the drivers side pulling outward near the rad support end. The two pass sides could be 3/4 ton. You might need a 3 ton pulling out on the drivers side.
 
cheveslakr said:
Yessir, a port-a-power or just a 2 ton jack will work well. Those are strong horns so it takes some force and be ready for something to spit back at you.
Click to expand...
Wouldn't you need to install a support on the outside of the passenger side to keep it from flexing/bending outwards as you push against the inside of the driver's side ?
 
Nashville Cat said:
My first idea would be to anchor the passenger side of the frame with two comealongs; one at the rad support end and one near the control arm.
Then use another comealong on the drivers side pulling outward near the rad support end. The two pass sides could be 3/4 ton. You might need a 3 ton pulling out on the drivers side.
Click to expand...
Yea that is the issue is I do not have anywhere to anchor to. I may try the hydraulic ram method of just bite the bullet and take it to a shop .
 
Nashville Cat said:
Wouldn't you need to install a support on the outside of the passenger side to keep it from flexing/bending outwards as you push against the inside of the driver's side ?
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I was worried about that too but I figured the crotch of the frame would hold it? Maybe!?
 
Nashville Cat said:
Wouldn't you need to install a support on the outside of the passenger side to keep it from flexing/bending outwards as you push against the inside of the driver's side ?
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You'd be stuffing the butt of the ram in the crotch, nowhere for it to go unless you're not capturing it well enough. This is why I fabricated some "shoes" so there was a positive detent if you will.
 
cheveslakr said:
You'd be stuffing the butt of the ram in the crotch, nowhere for it to go unless you're not capturing it well enough. This is why I fabricated some "shoes" so there was a positive detent if you will.
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How can you get a 90 degree push ? won't that be on a 45 degree angle ?
 
That ram costs a couple hundred bucks, If a shop could do it for like 500 I could stomach that but I am worried it is going to be like 1500 or something....
 
Yes, a 45 degree angle is what you need, otherwise you'll likely kink the opposite side of the damaged frame horn, not stetching the kinked side back into shape. Think like an engineer.....I know you can lol.
 
overpaid said:
That ram costs a couple hundred bucks, If a shop could do it for like 500 I could stomach that but I am worried it is going to be like 1500 or something....
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IDK, seems like somebody could do that for $500. Well worth it plus they have the equipment to do it

What about pulling with one comealong near the driver rad support and using two concrete anchor bolts to hold the frame from sliding.
I think that would work and it's not that hard
Install two anchors in concrete and use these to hold the pass side frame using chain wrapped around it
Here are the eyebolts to thread into your anchors
 
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Hate to rat my brother out like this, but we did put this in his shop, he's a collision tech of 30 years and we got it close. I went home with it, re measured against my good frame and decided to do a bit more with the ram. It went much easier with my method than his. Don't tell him I said that.
 
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