Had a mishap in the Notch this evening. The Jeep fared much better than my ol girl, but I am quite surprised how well ol faithful didn't crumple either.
The real damage is under the guard cos I think the front end may be twisted which is gonna be a real problem.
I am insured with Vigil with a classic car policy so I get to keep the "wreck" regardless which is a bonus. Just wondering if anyone out there knows more about how bad the damage is and if it can be saved?

I am also in the market for a new drivers side front guard in the Melbourne area if anyone out there can help too.
Cheers
- Adam




Under the guard in the wheel arch. Note the crease in the metal.

Probably a good idea to check under the floor pan for any twisting or bowing. Hard to tell from the pics. You`re bound to have gotten creases in the inner arch from the impact. Surely the cars worth saving isn`t it? Hope you resolve it soon. ( and cheaply )

If a rusted out kombi can be ressurected from a river bank then this ol girl is well worth saving. It is just of the opinion of the insurers and the cost involved. I will keep the car and get it fixed regardless. The insurance company will have to remove the car from my cold dead hands before I ever let some pencil pusher destroy my pride & joy. There is definatly some distortion of the front end.
I didn't get too many photos cos of the poor light but it is a case of what lies beneath that is where the real damage and $ are. It isn't a case of a cut & shut with new guards due to the impact. It could have been worse if it hit front on and needed a new front apron and crushed it inwards.

Sad to see your misfortune, it's a sickening feeling.
Had a similar bingle in our '71 fasty not long ago. Looking at the damage we got a little more twisting under the bonnet, we were hit by a car coming across in front, so the front was shunted slightly sideways as well as guard damage like yours.
We were quoted ~$4000 to have it all fixed due to the work needed to straighten it, but it could be done OK. Our pan and wheel alignment etc was still in check, so at least that was OK.
Ours is now sitting out the back (like you no way I could give up the car). No idea how or when I can get it back on the road.

I hope you get yours fixed soon!!!

Update : The inner arch on the drivers side is creased and has broken away in parts from the spot welds where it joins the corner in the boot area behind the spare wheel well. The inside boot area and other wheel well are all crease free as is the front apron. The boot lid is not quite fitting properly but this may be because of the crease in the drivers wheel arch or the dent in the front which has moved the hinges. The passanger front quarter has come loose at the bolts on the bottom corner and at the top where there is some rust which has corroded the metal that the screw holds onto. The drivers guard is mangled and is a throw away job.
The good news is that I have a straight front end from a squareback in my garage of the same year that can be cut and butchered to provide spare sheet metal for the replacement panels required. All these years of hoarding parts & panels has come in handy.

Does anyone know how much it would cost to re-weld a new wheel arch in? I am prepared to do all the bolt on repairs but welding is well beyond my skill.
- Adam

The welding could cost many hundreds, maybe a thousand if you want it to be absolutely perfect and undetectable that it has been done. Or it may not be to bad, and the creased panels may be able to be metal finished perfectly without removal. It sometimes means actually getting in and starting the job to see what the outcome will be.

Bad luck Adam, hope you are ok mate. Does the door open and close ok? Surely it could be pulled straight?? Definetly worth saving. Not too many unrestored original Notchies with history like this ol girl around.
Hopefully the frame head isnt bent. Run a tape measure between the wheel centres left and right either side to check.

Quote:

Originally posted by Notch Nut Had a mishap in the Notch this evening. The Jeep fared much better than my ol girl, but I am quite surprised how well ol faithful didn't crumple either. The real damage is under the guard cos I think the front end may be twisted which is gonna be a real problem. I am insured with Vigil with a classic car policy so I get to keep the "wreck" regardless which is a bonus. Just wondering if anyone out there knows more about how bad the damage is and if it can be saved? I am also in the market for a new drivers side front guard in the Melbourne area if anyone out there can help too. Cheers - Adam Under the guard in the wheel arch. Note the crease in the metal.

I've finally heard back from my panel shop buddy and the ol girl is all straight again.

Can't wait to see it in the flesh next weekend when I pick it up. I won't get any funny looks from people when the guard bottoms out on the tyre anymore!
- Adam

Good result

Nice! Bet your excited
Simon

3 months of riding my harley in Melbournes wettest winter has sure been fun let me tell ya!!
Petrol has cost me FA on the bright side!

So glad to hear you've got a good result Adam
You won't know yourself!! (I know I didn't after i got Wolf back).

Funny thing, having borrowed my wifes 96 Laser and my mates 98 Lancer occasionaly over the last 2 months, the first time I drove the notch to the repairers was a weird feeling and then it occured to me that this is the way that it used to handle/brake/steer with all its quirky nuances. Heaven forbid I start to go soft and get used to creature comforts and yearn for a modern car.....


Unless it's a VW of course....that would be tolerable
- Adam

The notch lives again. Picked it up from the panel shop today. The temporary guard looks ratty and a "little" bit rusty but it will do until I have repaired the minor hole in the good guard I have and give it a touch of paint. All in all it cost me $600 for the panel work, I supplied the spare guard and had all the other broken bits in spares from my collection.








All rust free except this section.


And after being off the road for 3 months, she still doesn't miss a beat.
- Adam