E30 Zone

Hey People!

Last summer i had a little colision with another car. I thought i had most of the damage sorted but while trying to fit coded bumpers i found this and am stuck with how to pull the panel out again to where it should be...

1 side is still flush as you can see....but the other side is a mess

Any ideas Chaps??

Much appreciated
Jason




The corner of the wing obviously need pull out a bit right?

id chabge the front panle mate,but im sure a bodywork guy could sort it out.

have any of your mates got a quarter power set, or get a jack in there and push that right out just becarefull what you put it on. or take the front valance off and bend it!

id chabge the front panle mate,but im sure a bodywork guy could sort it out.

Hmm... wanted to do it myself if possible shaz! I'll try and have a look at the front panel on the weekend! Cheers

have any of your mates got a quarter power set,

Havent got any mates besides you guys Aaaarhhh - well not any who has 1 of those...? what is it Slippo?
Have to look round for a small jack that'll get in the gap

Get a bladder from a football, put it behind the ding, and inflate away!

You'd get it out with a body jack to a certain extent, but that front panel is a fairly delicate/intricate one and, as already suggested, you might be better off with a replacement.

A body jack is a hydraulic ram with varied useful attachments, by the way.

those front valances are made from thick steel and can put up quite a fight.a beefy slide hammer will do it but you might put tits in the panel if youre not carefull.bodyjack (porter power) would be good but you might not get it in there as theres only a narrow space.

a diy technique might be to put a piece of rope through the hole where the grille fits and out through the hole where the leg pokes out.put a piece of wood round the back of the valance to spread the load and tie the rope round a tree or lamp post and then push the car backwards starting gently and going a little faster to get the desired pull.DONT BE TEMPTED TO DRIVE IT BACKWARDS,YOU WILL PULL SOMETHING OFF.you will need to keep trying on the bumper to check progress.

only try this if you feel confident

Front panel needs to come off to sort this, and it's not easy then!
You'll find that as you pull it forwards it moves upwards as well, because the angle of the bend between the metal emerging from behind the bumper and the small vertical strip of the panel visible above the bumper has changed.
It is thick, strong metal, and difficult to get to bend in the right place.
Upside is, it's only that small strip that's visible when the bumper is on, so the rest doesn't have to be that pretty.

Morning Chaps!

Thank-you for all your posts! Much appreciated!

This car is doing my head in if its not one thing!! Feel like selling it...

Maybe im just tired been at the hospital all night as my sis is expecting!!
She still hasnt dropped it!! Poor girl!

Get a bladder from a football, put it behind the ding, and inflate away!

Cheers Oze' i like this idea but i doubt it'll be stronger enough... Thats if you were being serious! (i think you were)

You'd get it out with a body jack to a certain extent, but that front panel is a fairly delicate/intricate one and, as already suggested, you might be better off with a replacement.

A body jack is a hydraulic ram with varied useful attachments, by the way.

Hey Chris, I dont have a body jack unfortunately... i think that solution would require a trip to the local bodyshop (thanks for the explanation)

those front valances are made from thick steel and can put up quite a fight.a beefy slide hammer will do it but you might put tits in the panel if youre not carefull.bodyjack (porter power) would be good but you might not get it in there as theres only a narrow space.

a diy technique might be to put a piece of rope through the hole where the grille fits and out through the hole where the leg pokes out.put a piece of wood round the back of the valance to spread the load and tie the rope round a tree or lamp post and then push the car backwards starting gently and going a little faster to get the desired pull.DONT BE TEMPTED TO DRIVE IT BACKWARDS,YOU WILL PULL SOMETHING OFF.you will need to keep trying on the bumper to check progress.

only try this if you feel confident

Now thats creativity/thinking outside the box mat' - Crazy thou it sounds it just might work!!!
If all else fails then... feck it i'll give it ago... In fact i feel like tying it to a tree right now and Slamming it in reverse!! I'll let you know how it goes....

Front panel needs to come off to sort this, and it's not easy then!
You'll find that as you pull it forwards it moves upwards as well, because the angle of the bend between the metal emerging from behind the bumper and the small vertical strip of the panel visible above the bumper has changed.
It is thick, strong metal, and difficult to get to bend in the right place.
Upside is, it's only that small strip that's visible when the bumper is on, so the rest doesn't have to be that pretty.

Hey Brian, when it rains it pours... ok so its not an easy job... whats new!
I noticed that the panel supports were bent too. To get it off i asume is straight forward enough once the bumper is off... I guess im going to have to concentrate on what you can see over what you cant and try me best.
I may just go and get a quote from the local fools but i'd rather not!!!

Thanks again Lads!

Jason

Tying the car to trees, bodyjacks, whatever, will bend the metal OK, but it just won't bend in the right place.
Once the wing is off, you can pull the metal out by hand, but it will go upwards as you do so. The problem is getting the bend I mentioned above correct.
My latest touring that I bought last week was written off with damage here, so I spent an hour or two straightening it (so as not to attract the attention of plod on the 200 mile drive home).
I took a wing and headlamp assembly with me, but had to leave the front panel about 30mm behind where it should join the wing, or it would come up too far and prevent the headlamp going in.

Tying the car to trees, bodyjacks, whatever, will bend the metal OK, but it just won't bend in the right place.
Once the wing is off, you can pull the metal out by hand, but it will go upwards as you do so. The problem is getting the bend I mentioned above correct.
My latest touring that I bought last week was written off with damage here, so I spent an hour or two straightening it (so as not to attract the attention of plod on the 200 mile drive home).
I took a wing and headlamp assembly with me, but had to leave the front panel about 30mm behind where it should join the wing, or it would come up too far and prevent the headlamp going in

Ok got you Brain! I see what you mean... I was thinking the same thing with regards to getting the correct pivot point for the bend. As it is the panel is already too high for the grill/lamps to sit comfortably... Im normally quite good at getting my head around problem solving ... but today i think im just tired. Plus i notice my headlamp is swinging in the breeze as the plastic adjusters are broken ( i think i bought them off ebay before i new of the zone)

So wing off, adjust by hand, watch the height.... i'll give it a go... Thank you.