I got in a front end collision a few months ago. It turns out that the front frame panel has been pushed back towards the engine, 2 inches. For now i have the metal piece that is attached to the frame, which holds the hood latch, connected with 2 inches of washers inbetween the part and the front frame. Looks like crap, but it works.

How can i fix this? Can i just take a sledgehammer and hammer it back into place?

My new hood and front end are not fitting correctly because of this.

 

depending on how it effected the sides you can probably cut it off in a uneffectd area and get one from a junkyard and weld it back in

 

Thanks. I don't think the damage is that bad. Unfortunately there is no way to weld the part in myself.

I'll post some pics of the damage soon.

 

need to pick up a front clip- cut re-weld new one in- put on frame machine and make sure everything is straight and true-


about only way of doing it correctly -

i think i picked up an entire front clip for 350 shipped to my door- i stripped it all down and did all the prep work and a local shop did it for me for about 400$.

 

If you dont want to cut off the old and weld on the new. You can take it to any decent body shop and they should be able to pull it out. They have hydraulic machines to fix these kind of things profesionally. Its going to cost considerably more, but its an option.

 

take it to a shop, have them put it on a frame rack, and take care of it. It will be the most economical route

 

If the car checks out OK on an alignment rack AFTER the accident, then you
havent bent anything "important". If all you are trying to do is get the front
radiator support cross sheet metal back to where it should be, you could use
a bottle jack and some wood to push on a bar attached to the shock towers.
I wouldnt use the firewall (though I dont think you can!). You can also do a
"backyard" dent pull - by attaching a chain to the front, and then to a tree or
other solid LARGE object and back up a few times measuring over and over.

A frame shop would be best, the above could cause MORE damage if you are
not REALLY careful and go slowly on the application of force.

Tom