Got in a wreck..

**Ws6islife** · 05-25-2011, 06:08 PM

Struck the wall at an angle on passenger side. Have new hood, new fender, and bumper. Not aligning up. Gaps and all. Maybe a stupid question but anybody think I should replace the radiator core support.

**cammed goat** · 05-25-2011, 06:12 PM

Check the core support to see if it's warped. If the parts you have are aftermarket, the parts' specs could be off. You might be lucky and could be able to bend the core support back to correct shape with some elbow grease/vise grips. How bent is the core support?

**tatertot91** · 05-25-2011, 09:18 PM

see if you can get some pics up
easier to show than explain

**pajeff02** · 05-26-2011, 03:11 AM

Get the measuring tape out and look for a diamond in the front clip from underneath the car. Otherwise, look for rumpled sheet metal or popped paint on the rails and support structure.

**Ws6islife** · 05-26-2011, 07:29 AM

I will get pictures soon.

@pajeff: could you explain that?

**Knight** · 05-26-2011, 07:36 AM

Originally Posted by Ws6islife

I will get pictures soon.

@pajeff: could you explain that?

I believe Jeff is saying to make sure everything is square by measuring a "diamond" from under the car.

**Z28_Driver** · 05-26-2011, 07:38 AM

Even GM fenders and hood won't always line up. My car was wrecked last year. DS fender, hood, core support, and all the accompanying brackets and little things. Its back in one piece and looks good from a distance, but I still see where it is not perfect.
There may be minor twisting in the front subframe or the unibody structure. There is also the issue of build tolerances. The car and parts both could be at extremes of the tolerance range. Making alignment a problem.
I'll take a few fresh pics of mine and show you what I mean later today.

**pajeff02** · 05-26-2011, 08:48 AM

Originally Posted by Ws6islife

I will get pictures soon.

@pajeff: could you explain that?

Like Knight said, there are locating points under the body of a car. Pick two identical points in the middle of the car and two in the front. Measure diagonally from a mid-point to a front point (ie. left mid to right front) and then do the same for the other two points. Compare the measurements and if there is a significant difference it has to be bent somewhere.

**Z28_Driver** · 05-26-2011, 11:46 AM

Here is what mine looks like after nearly 8 weeks in the body shop and several return visits. All replaced parts are GM.

**cammed goat** · 05-26-2011, 06:43 PM

Originally Posted by Z28_Driver

Here is what mine looks like after nearly 8 weeks in the body shop and several return visits. All replaced parts are GM.

Do you have any pics from a little further away? Looks like the front end was smacked over to me.

**Z28_Driver** · 05-27-2011, 01:41 PM

These are from the same week after I got it back. I'll take a few more tomorrwo morning and post later in the day.

**cammed goat** · 05-27-2011, 03:43 PM

Looks like you need to adjust the hood stops. Car looks fine to me.

**SteveC** · 05-30-2011, 03:38 AM

Originally Posted by Ws6islife

Struck the wall at an angle on passenger side. Have new hood, new fender, and bumper. Not aligning up. Gaps and all. Maybe a stupid question but anybody think I should replace the radiator core support.

look under the hood and see if your shock tower braces are out of alignment, if so the frame is bent.

SteveC

**Z28_Driver** · 05-30-2011, 06:52 AM

Originally Posted by SteveC

look under the hood and see if your shock tower braces are out of alignment, if so the frame is bent.

SteveC

Shock tower braces? Do you have a pic of that part?

**cammed goat** · 05-30-2011, 06:58 AM

They are under the hood right above your front wheels. The brace runs from the top of one front tire across and over the intake manifold and to the top of the other front tire.

**Z28_Driver** · 05-30-2011, 07:07 AM

This is the engine bay on my car.
I think your talking about an aftermarket part.

**cammed goat** · 05-30-2011, 07:10 AM

OK...I'm getting old. I could have sworn the f-bodies came with a strut tower brace. Then again...around my neck of the woods, I haven't seen one without a brace.

**cammed goat** · 05-30-2011, 07:12 AM

This is the brace:

http://www.lmperformance.com/1664/1.html

**Z28_Driver** · 05-30-2011, 07:19 AM

Strut tower brace. Duh.

The term shock tower brace didn't register for some reason. I'm not sure about other years or models, but I know the 2002 z28 did not come with a strut tower brace.
When the car was wrecked I hit the back of truck while sliding on gravel spilled on the road. The front frame rail didn't even get touched. The ds strut/shock tower got pushed back a slight amount. The bodyshop that did the repairs said they were able to pull the bend out of this part and replace everything else that was damaged.
All this time I'm just thinking that the parts are the problem. Now I wonder if i should take it to another shop and have them check to see if it is tweaked a minor amount.

**cammed goat** · 05-30-2011, 07:32 AM

Can't hurt. The only thing is, some shops use computer-based alignment/frame straightening machines. So, if the shop that repaired your car doesn't have a computerized frame straightener, a shop that does have one will find out what the tolerances are for your car.