Tracer got crunched

[neanderpaul]

I picked up an 89 tracer for some friends. Gave it a little r&r and turned them loose. She LOVES it. It had about 110k when they started driving it. She's put 10k trouble free miles on it since. A few days ago someone pulled out in front of her and this happened.








I'm headed to a yard today to pick up a hood, fender, headlight, and corner light. I'm thinking it will be fairly easy to straighten up.

[91mcnasty]

You got this!!!! Now pray to the car gods and maybe you will find matching colored parts!!!! Such a nice guy Paul!

[Movin]

Check the crumple zone of the unibody, it looks like it isn't straight.

It may not matter much but will be harder to get body lines somewhat straight.

[neanderpaul]

Thank movin, this is why I posted here.

[neanderpaul]

You got this!!!! Now pray to the car gods and maybe you will find matching colored parts!!!! Such a nice guy Paul!

They are a nice older couple from church. They're in their 60s. They do for other people all the time. Sweet as they can be.

[Movin]

Oh man..But, they are lucky to know you!!

that crumple zone is made of tempered steel and does not bend back without cracking
if it is very much. I have seen some artistic work with a cutting torch over the years
to fix this stuff, but that effects safety in a future wreck.

The way that one moved a few shims should get things good enough and you can
leave the unibody sub as is. While at the yard get a bunch of shims!

[drddan]

EDIT> Opps, never mind!

[getnpsi]

That's an "old" late 80s/1990s mercury emblem. Same emblem is on the sable that you get those DIN cup holders from. And OLD meaning when i was learning to drive those were cars i couldnt afford...

I dig those flat wheel covers.

[rbrown]

You know high schools like to practice straightening bent cars on the frame machine.

Then you put the new parts on it.

[neanderpaul]

The yard that said they had the Tracer had the wrong year. All I found was a headlight at another yard. They had been sitting on it for 10 years! But I manipulated the fender and the hood by hand back to at least this good. I found a corner light and ordered it. I found the fender and hood as well but I'm gunning for better prices.

[25Horseplay]

Looks like they can atleast drive it for now.

[neanderpaul]

She has been. Unlike the festiva the corner light is actually the turn signal. So she's been hand signaling.

[DriverOne]

I'm glad your friend is okay. To take the lighter side of things, I actually kinda liked the look of the fender bent up. If you squint, it looks like a widebody fender flare. I'm glad you were able to fix it. Until you're able to find a replacement turn signal, you can go to a Love's or Pilot truck stop and pick up a 4-pack of 2" amber 'clearance lights' for $10 or so and use good double stick tape to stick one in the original housing.

[91mcnasty]

another helping hand on the fesy board!!!!

[htchbck]

You did an great job on the hood, if it were mine I'd leave the hood like it is now, unless I found a replacement that was already the right color. The fender though is a little rougher, but still not bad.