I leveled off a rather small tree (it was a dogwood tree) last week, and it didn't really feel like much from what I can remember. I really want to keep this car...it was an original SLP LT1 SS and there is around $10,000 invested in it. If i can fix it for about 3 grand i would do it.

Does it look like this is totaled from the pictures? can you see if the rad support or anything might be bent in from these, because I really dont know what i am looking at. Thanks for your help. I was thinking if i can just put an ASCD aftermarket SS hood on it, a new bumper cover, headlight bar and fog lights etc, think it would be OK? I hope i didnt damage any of the suspension or anything.


I will get more pics tomorrow when I open the hood. I didnt do that before for some reason.

 

you need to check the portions of the frame in and around that, you may have to replaces parts of it if it's bent up around the wheel well. getting a hood shouldn't be a problem and lights definitely shouldn't be a problem. I would check everything else too. and definitely check your radiator make sure it didn't lose part of it or anything. I wouldn't say it was totaled though IMHO

 

I think its time for a 98 front clip . you may need minor frame work if any needed. doesnt look bad at all.

 

Depends on the unibody

 

Don't drink and drive

 

as long as theres nof rame damage, id say around 3500.

do you only have liability or something on it?
Your going to need a hood, fender, bumper

The hardest part will be painting it all to match.

 

Like the others say, you'll have to pop the hood and look. The fender gap looks consistent and the hood seems to line up decent, so that inner structure "might" be fine. If you do decide to try and fix it, I would suggest stripping the front end pieces off yourself and having the car checked at a reputable frame shop. What "looks" ok might be off just enough that it won't align properly and just eat up expensive tires.

I smoked a raccoon with my lowered car and it spidered all the front paint and ripped off my front gfx skirt. I ended up painting all the skirts, front and rear fascias, hood and the 2 fenders. I spent $1000 on materials and did the paint and prep at my dad's garage. I have a bodyman for a friend, so he shot the base/clear for me and got me deals on the supplies. The worst part is, some days the car looks great, others it's really obvious what was painted because of the metallic in the paint. If you're fussy, paint the whole car, you'll be happier in the end as the metallic will be more consistent panel to panel this way.

 

Well much to my dismay this is what the underhood looks like:

BTW, i wasnt drinking and driving...lol. certainly not at 7am when this happened. Shouldnt have been driving this car in the rain....i know people always told me that. just another dumb decision by me. had another car i couldve driven that wouldve been fine. Wouldnt care if i totalled it either.



Body shop estimates are coming out to about $6000. Not what i was hoping. I can get a frame shop to pull the frame back out for about $150 (they only charge $50 an hour). So...if I get that pulled back out, and have a body shop or my buddy who is a certified mechanic replace the core support, should it be good? Then I can just replace all of the body parts?

 

That doesn't look too bad. Is the lower frame visibly bent then? Did it break the coolant bottle?

I think that rad support is welded into the car, so you'd have to get that done by someone who knows what they're doing. Everything ties into it, so if it's out, nothing will line up. The rest is just chasing down pieces and bolting it together. If you can get it reassembled to make sure it all lines up yourself, you can save a pile of money by taking the car back apart again and having the body shop paint those pieces. You then reassemble it and you're done. If you're not fussy, take the car back in different colours and get them to paint it. The more you can do ahead of time, the more you'll save.

 

What was the frame shop going to do in 3 hours? Were you taking the car apart? Whoever pulls the frame needs to install the core support. The less people you have working on this the better. Before you know it they'll all be pointing the finger at each other and you'll be stuck in the middle getting jerked around.

What is the green piece behind the headlight area? I can't tell but I assume it's the frame horn. It looks to me that it has a split. I can't tell fore sure maybe I'm just seeing things. Also note that you could run into other misc parts. Theres alot of plastic in that corner.

 

if it is totalled, i'll buy the spoiler...

 

You know what...when they say they are gonna do frame work...does that mean that metal piece above that is smashed into the battery? I dont really see what else they can pull..?

Also the rad support doesnt look THAT bad. It is bent, but slightly. What if I just forget about it? lol. Will everything still line up right and drive OK? I doubt I will ever sell the car...b/c if I blow up the engine i'm probably going to put a 383 stroker in it. This sucks b/c I was saving up to do that anyway.

Also...what is that metal piece called? I cant seem to find it.

 

You'll have to verify with the shop you got the quote from and get it in writing to protect yourself.

It's quite possible the only damage is that rad or core support that runs across the front and is pushed into your battery. Without being able to personally to see it I can only guess.

I went out and looked at my car at lunch. It looks like you've put the tree between the fender inner structure and the frame rail. You may have only bent the rad support. With all the stuff mounted in and near there I can't tell exactly how that support mounts but I would guess is has an angle that is spot welded to the frame to hold it.

You've probably broke your horn, vacuum tank etc that mount near there, plus the light bar obviously.

If you've got the tools and time, it would be best to strip away all the stuff in and near that area so you can get a good look and then get a realistic quote. I don't want you to get hosed, and find out it's going to cost double to have it fixed. Anything is fixable, it comes down to what it's worth to you. I am hoping you fix it as it would be a shame to loose another Camaro, especially an SS. If you'd like my 99 has the motor out of it and the font end more or less off it. I can take some pictures to give you an idea of how the front end structure should look for reference.

 

I had a similar repair done, the body man hammered out and straightened the radiator support. It looks shotty and isn't completely straight which effects the alignment of the hood, bumper cover,fender, mirror and door margins, etc. Also the outer side rail inside the fender probably got bent since it ties with the rad support. Like previous stated, remove both fenders and bumper cover for inspection as everything ties together. I would definitely replace the whole radiator support assembly if I could do it again. Section 11 in the helms service manual show structural body repair and dimensions and procedures.

 

yep..i figured that. well, ive decided for now i am going to drive it wrecked. It still drives pretty straight at least. Looks like **** on the one side, but if you look at it from the left side you wouldn't be able to tell unless you looked up closer around the hood area. I dont think the motor is gonna last as I found metal in the oil when i changed it...so if it blows up, most likely the car will be parted out.

Thanks everyone for your help!