Dude, I bent my car (nube)

**tmoore** · 08-22-2008, 12:43 PM

I scored a 98 Z28 with T-tops about two months ago, and as far as I could tell, the body panels were all straight and well aligned. The car only had 15k miles on it. In the short time I've driven it, less than 2k miles, the drivers side is noticeably compressed. The DS t-top fits very tight, while the PS has about 1/4" extra gap at the outer edge. A similar theme, though less extreme, is noticeable down lower; behind the sail panels and in the door fitment.

Is this common? Was it caused by massive torque from gunning it a few times?
I jacked it up a couple of times (to change the oil once and just to look around once) and wonder if I warped things up jacking one corner or another up too high without taking both sides of the front up gradually together (?)

Any thoughts? And more important, is this something that can be readily straightened out before I mount some SFCs and maybe other stabilizer bars?

Thanks for any input

**shady milkman** · 08-22-2008, 12:58 PM

ok real quick change your font color

**VenomZ** · 08-22-2008, 02:04 PM

did it have a salvage title or any prior wrecks with frame damage/repair?

sounds to me like someone F'd it up and had it repaired...

**KahanaReef** · 08-22-2008, 02:15 PM

Run a DMV auto check on it. It's more reliable than a CarFax.

http://www.dmv.org/vehicle-history.php

**tmoore** · 08-22-2008, 02:30 PM

There's no sign of any paint work ever being done, so I doubt it's ever been wrecked. Slammed into a curb or some such maybe(?). The only thing on the car that has even a hint of unoriginality is the aftermatket wheels.

I just hear about rattles and body twisting when hard driving an unreinforced f-body. Just wondered if that ever manifests itself in lasting, noticeable shifting of the body. Like I said, it was all straight and aligned just weeks ago.

**VenomZ** · 08-22-2008, 02:38 PM

do you have any mods? i owned a factoryfreak 00 Z28 and ran without the ttops almost daily for a year and never had any issues...and i drove that car HARD.

**tmoore** · 08-22-2008, 03:00 PM

Nope, no mods as far as I can tell. I haven't made any, and I see none except the wheels as mentioned.
I'd like to firm it up, but I'm hesitant to do that while it's noticeably warped up. (slight though it is)

**0verkill** · 08-22-2008, 03:53 PM

some f-bodys do twist whit just stock power and i have herd of the twisting from jacking them up all i can think to do is see a fram shop and see what thay say. if fixed then put a good set of weld on sfc's on it as sone as you can. i would go with umi stuff.