New Project, found some frame damage

[JohnsS13]

Hi all,

Im new to this forum, but not new to 240's. I've been working on them for awhile with my friends and I finally gave in and bought one. It is a 91 hatch 5 speed LE all stock with some mystery muffler. The odometer reads 214,xxx but it has some cut wires in the engine bay and runs so well I have a hard time believing it is the original engine. I picked it up for 600 bucks running, but it has some frame damage. I want to completely restore it and pull everything apart and repaint the chassis inside and out(has a little rust starting in the trunk), and I was planning on putting a CA18Det in it.



What I need to know is how bad is this frame? Is the car worth saving or should I sell it and find another... I can weld, and I know some people who are professionals and would be willing to work with me on it.

Heres the front end. Its the cross member that goes under the radiator. Looks like its been crap-welded before but its broken off again.

And this is right in the middle of the car, it was either put on a lift that supports only right here, or it was driven halfway off of a large drop and was balanced here. Either way it bent the hell out of it.

So what should I do? I want a strong chassis, I plan on auto-x and drifting it eventually so I cant have a weakened frame. Is this car a part out or is it worth saving?

Thanks!

John

[srpowered240sx]

damn, that is pretty tweaked. honestly, i would take it to a body shop, and have them put it on a frame straightener (big machine that hydraulicaly pulls the frame straight). then have them weld all the points of damage again. see what they think of the damage, it looks fixable to me though.

[JohnsS13]

Thanks for the advise, I'll see if someone will take a look at it and quote me a price to fix it up.

Has anyone dealt with this kind of repair before?

[srpowered240sx]

yes, i have bought multiple cars that have been popped off curbs, and have a good buddy at a body shop that pulls the straight for me.

[JohnsS13]

Thank you for your help

[silpena]

why would they weld the points?? your not supposed to add heat to the frame. strip off the front and take it to a body shop and ask them to do a quick measure on the frame. They don't need to put it on a frame rack to check how bad its tweaked. Some measuring tape and measuring gauges is all they need. If ur really serious about fixing it then have them make more measurements on the frame rack. if i lived near u id check ur frame and see how bad it is. I have frame specs on a sheet for frame racks. Hows the end? or the other side?? looks like it was hit on passenger side and pushed it back and the front drivers side went forward... but i can't tell without looking at it and measuring it. good luck on getting it fixed. You might end needing more than a pull. like struts/suspension parts.