Salvageable?

[pauldaf44]

This appeared on the RWD forum would you think it was salvagable the owner is looking at fronting the bill to repair themselves as it was hit and run and the car is TPTF.
I said too look for subframe damage and to get the car up in the air before deciding. Also too look for deformation in the A and C pillars and the roof line. He says they look straight but the doors wont open hopefully this is caused by the wings which too me look salvageable. Luckily the driver was ok.




Paul

[spunkymonkey]

Impossible to say from those photos. The n/s wing looks like the damage [/i]may[/i] be limited to in front of the suspension, in which case it should just be cosmetic straightening.

On the other hand, the front of the chassis rail appears to be bent dowm in the last photo - probably folded at a crumple zone. Although that would straighten, without replacing the section there will be very little protection in case of any future accident. One of the problems with modern construction is that, if a car doesn't crumple in the way it was designed to then it can end up being worse than one without crumple zones because the deformation becomes completely unpredictable.

The angle of the o/s headlight is worrying as well but, without photos of that side there's no way of knowing why it's like that. Might just be a plastic retainer snapped or might be a huge twist in some metal.

Can't see how that wheel is sitting in relation to the wheelarch but it looks like it might be too close to the back edge which would mean pretty major suspension problems.

Cars are also definitely not meant to bleed on the tarpauline, so assume power steering damage.

The scrapes / gouging on the bumper also look more like concrete marks than another car, unless it was finished in anti-slip walkway paint? Finally, as a "hit and run" I'm kinda wondering how the other guy ran away 9at least very far), unless the owner means he hit something and ran?

Bottom line? Yes, it probably is salvageable but doing it properly and safely (which means much more than just getting it through an MOT) would involve a lot of work and almost certainly a lot more than the value of the car unless the guy's competent to do it himself, in which case he shouldn't need to be asking on a forum.

Plus, it's a Fiat, and should never have been allowed out of Italy in the first place

[pauldaf44]

More details the other vehicle involved was a lorry. Apparently it stopped suddenly in roadworks. Afterwards just drove off. The stuff on the tarp is coolant the radiator was peirced. Nobody took down plates as they thought the driver was just moving out of the single lane bit so as not to block the road.

[spunkymonkey]

Not a hit & run then, his fault and he's lucky the lorry driver isn't claiming against him.

Whatever happens in front of you on the road is your responsibility to avoid. It doesn't matter why something ahead stops quicky, if you hit it you were too close and too fast. Simples

[pauldaf44]

agreed however because the other driver didn't leave details then they are also in the wrong. All witnesses say it was the lorry drivers fault. But as I said I agree with you if you so close or going so fast that you cant stop in the distance you can see to be clear then youre an idiot.
Failing to stop is an offence and carries 6 points and up to a £1000 fine also why run if it wasn't your fault. All that happens is you have to pay for the repair yourself whereas if you hadn't run at least 1 insurance company would be liable for repairs.

Paul

[pauldaf44]

It his daughters car his is RWD and pre 1980 as the club rules specify. Daughter smashed father trying to work out if its feasible to repair the car for her.
And as for scrap it thats exactly what people would have said about a DAF 15 years ago and we all regret that now dont we.

[stefan]

Value about 50p why would you even both to think of fixing it.

Puntos fault lorry would hardly notice that smashing into him, only has her self to blame

[dafdaffer]

stef Don't like puntos.......................... come to think of it me neither

you could get a replacement for the cost of repair plus piece of mind, i would never let my young one drive an ex smashed up motor as the rigidity has gone from the structure and is weakened.

just my opinion

[Richard DAF Webmeister]

Bargepole. Don't touch with, in my humble opinion.
And anyway, simply not worth the time and effort to repair.
You could go out and buy a non twisted original of the same age for a couple of hundred quid - should one be so minded.

[33grinder]

I must say that I actually like Fiats, once owning an X1/9 and Mrs. G having her new 500.

Strangely, a very similar thing happened to a mate about 20 years ago, joining a dual carriage way from a very short slip road and drove his Fiat 127 straight into the side of an arctic between teh trailer wheels. The Fiat bounced about like it was in a washing machine, a scary sight from behind believe me and fortunately the driver must have seen in his mirrors because otherwise he'd never had known, the trailer didn't even wince.

If it was mine I would want to put it on a jig to straighten it, but it would always niggle me and I wouldn't be happy taking passengers in it. There's enough Puntos around, easy enough to find another for her.

[pauldaf44]

Its gone for scrap. He says chassis legs had collapsed think he must be talking twisted subframe or collasped suspension as these are monocopue.
Now looking for a new car to replace it.

Paul

[spunkymonkey]

Even on monocoques it's normal to refer to the box section extensions (usually at the bottom of the inner wings) as chassis legs or rails - the bit I mentioned that seemed to be twisted down in the last photo. There isn't really an alternative name for them apart from maybe something like "extended front box section" and chassis leg is an awful lot easier on the ear ;D

[stefan]

never heard them called anything else but chassis legs even listed as that in manuals and parts lists