Needing Crash Rebuild Advice!

[dkerley03]

if you are trying to rely on it for a DD it will be down for a long time while you fix it.

look for a swap car and transfer everything you have done to the car over.

did you do all the work on the wrecked car yourself or did you pay someone else to do the work??

if you paid someone else, i can see your hesitance in wanting to get rid of the car, but that also belies the fact that you are not prepared to repair your crash yourself. if that is the case

I did not do all the work myself, I paid a much reduced rate and helped do the repairs and upgrades. I have local rural garage, that charges very good rates. Over time we became friends and I pay a percentage of what the job would regularly cost, because I do tie up his only rack when we do these jobs. I also use his tools, air, power, knowledge and skills. I could do that all again.

The hardest part is that this is my first BMW E30 and it has been excellent! It is an is, my friend has an 325e and it is much less fun. I am sorry to say, but there must be some differences besides the engines? If I get another, it must be an is, i would love an M, but not likely. I test drove a E28 1988 535is and even it did not hold a candle to my 325is. If it is totaled, it will greatly be mourned!

Dennis

[der affe]

you could get a new shell and put the m-30 from the 535 in it along with the stuff from the other car. ;)

[ethirtydavid]

You can fix this, no problem.

I wrecked my last e30 and fixed it from this:


to this: +1 for parts cars


you may need to pull your radiator support back a little, I had that jeep in the background with a winch. Worked amazingly. You got this..

[ethirtydavid]

My advice, remove everything that will get in the way of steering - test drive it - make sure there is nothing weird going on. If you have done an inspection of axle/control arm components and the test drive shows nothing abnormal - begin cosmetic/bodywork rebuild.

[dashboardmonkey]

Ouch, that sucks

[dkerley03]

Thank You, for the encouragement. I am driving it.

My advice, remove everything that will get in the way of steering - test drive it - make sure there is nothing weird going on. If you have done an inspection of axle/control arm components and the test drive shows nothing abnormal - begin cosmetic/bodywork rebuild.

Thank You, for the encouragement. I am driving it. I have driven it over 100 miles since the accident. It drives fine. I just can drive after dark because of missing right headlights and no turning signals. I believe It is fixable. I just don't currently have a lot of money to invest, but i do have time. The BIG reason for wanting to do all I can myself.

By the way, you did a great job on repairing your car!

[dkerley03]

I Have Been to the Body Shop!

It will cast approximately $250 to have the frame pulled. The right frame horn is pulled out to the right in front of the wheel and suspension. The left frame is unaffected. Thankfully!

The radiator support will need to be replaced from a donor car along with the grill, hood and right fender, etc.. I will find and provide the parts. I am looking at another $950 in labor to get it finished into Primer.

Another $500 to paint.

Finished with new paint complete body. Total about $1700 plus my parts prices.

I can save my car, that I know! I already know what has been done and needs done in the future. That makes me feel a lot more comfortable, I know my car is reliable and handles very well. No, its not am M, but it is my "is".

I know I am probably over attached to my car!

Dennis

[Fidhle007]

$1700 will get you a shitty repair, to do that right you need some serious dough. The car is not worth the money you'll need to spend to do it right and you're better off finding another. And maybe this time, without stickers and a wing.

[dkerley03]

$1700 Repair

$1700 will get you a shitty repair, to do that right you need some serious dough. The car is not worth the money you'll need to spend to do it right and you're better off finding another. And maybe this time, without stickers and a wing.

Here in Rural Eastern Kentucky, this $1700 repair will be a very good one. This body shop has been in business here for over twenty years. It has an excellent reputation and does quality work. Our economy here is very different than the rest of the country. This is a very economically repressed coal fields area and has been this way for many decades.

This body shop may not charge what most others do, because the area economy could not support those rates! These men work here, not just for economic gain, but because it has been their home for a long time.

It will be done right, just not at New York or California rates! That does not mean poor quality.

By the way you must not have looked at the pictures posted, but the graphics are gone and have been gone for a while! I personally like the wing and it is my car!

Dennis

[ddavidv]

$1700 is do-able. I don't think mister nay-sayer realizes how much of it you are contributing.

I wouldn't have recommended you fix it as it's a losing battle from a money standpoint, but it's not a completely wiped out car, so if you want to let emotional attachment exceed common sense, that's up to you. ;)

The quote for the frame pull is about right on.

A used radiator support is going to be a major PITA. Make absolutely sure you can't do a new one within reason as cutting out an old one, trimming and prepping it to be welded in is a long, miserable job. The labor difference vs simply bolting in fresh, clean new stuff may not be worth it.

Getting attached to cars is dumb, dumb, dumb but I've been there and done similar things. My advanced age and wisdom simply has taught me not to do it anymore. :)

[BigSam]

I will be honest, my car has been in a wreck, and I regret the fuck out of building it. It looks great, handles great, but in the back of my head, I know it has been rear-ended. Every time I think about doing a 5 lug, or a swap, I have to remember that the car was hit from behind, and not everything will be 100% true. It keeps me from going places that I really want to go with the car.


...or maybe that is a good thing?

[dkerley03]

Thanks everyone for your input. It is a difficult decision. But I am going to try and rebuild. I think the new radiator support is a good idea, as you said labor to remove a donor, prop and install will add up!

[der affe]

if you are going to provide them with the doner parts, do yourself a favor and let the body shop/tech know what you are doing and ask them where they want it cut/prepped. that could keep you from incurring more expenses from having to provide another clip because you cut out too much

[Fidhle007]

$1700 is do-able. I don't think mister nay-sayer realizes how much of it you are contributing.

I wouldn't have recommended you fix it as it's a losing battle from a money standpoint, but it's not a completely wiped out car, so if you want to let emotional attachment exceed common sense, that's up to you. ;)

The quote for the frame pull is about right on.

A used radiator support is going to be a major PITA. Make absolutely sure you can't do a new one within reason as cutting out an old one, trimming and prepping it to be welded in is a long, miserable job. The labor difference vs simply bolting in fresh, clean new stuff may not be worth it.

Getting attached to cars is dumb, dumb, dumb but I've been there and done similar things. My advanced age and wisdom simply has taught me not to do it anymore. :)

The only problem there is that "New" BMW body parts have been coming through in REALLY shitty form these days. It started with '02s a few years ago (we have a couple of cars here that have new body panels on them and the work involved in getting them to fit was hardly worth it) and now has moved to E30s. If you can get new parts that fit it's certainly going to save on labor though!

[deutschman]

yeah. this car is a goner man! i am very sorry for your loss! i just hit a bus maybe 3 weeks ago and had almost the same kind of damage. i went to a body shop and they quoted me $7,000. there is a lot more work to be done there then it looks like.
take all the parts out of your car and buy a non running car and put them all in that car. i know it is a pain in the ass but it is not worth it to fix that car. way way way to much work and money, buy the time you are done buying body parts and straitening the frame and painting all the parts to mach you will have spent enough money to buy a turbo set up. and then you will kick yourself in the ass. take what you want from the car, part the rest out, and throw the rest away.