To shell or straighten?

[4g63dreams]

Should I get my frame straightened out, or do I invest in a shell and pop everything back in?
My lower motor mount is twisted maybe up to 1 if you look at it straight on and imagine a clock. Maybe a little less? So like 10 or 15 degrees?

Also the black arm type things that help hold the bumper support are bent right (left when inside the car) id say maybe 25 to 35 degrees.

Ive heard straightening is 1500, at that price the shell becomes an option...any ideas?

 

[Boosted DSM 32]

I say if you love your car and believe you can get it back on the road driving ok then go ahead and fix it! my gsx was in a bad accident and it cracked my core support and bent my frame and i got it all fixed and it made me like it even more because i kind of brought it back from the dead

 

[sleepypsi]

Its really a toss up, it'd take about the same amount of time to do both. I'd probrobly buy a roller and toss everything in it but I like simple things

 

[Aphix]

Chassi puller time isn't cheap where I'm from. I'd find a nice shell and make the swap. Then you can do some stuff like wire tuck, repainted/cleaned engine bay, etc. I've seen some pretty nice condition shells for <1k.

I've got a 2g that was straightened out and putting new motor mounts in was insanely hard with a tweaked chassi.

 

[rcarbajal4]

Personally I would straighten the frame. Only reason being is I'm attached to my car, plus its been through everything, so I think it deserves that extra little love

 

[GSLENK]

If its only the braces etc and not the actual frame just replace the parts... If the frame is bent, which it sounds like it is... just go for the swap. Piece of mind over piece of wallet.

 

[thomyd]

with as cheap as shells are i would just do a swap. I know its work but its safer in the long run.

 

[95 GS-T]

yeah i would just get another shell as well and start swapping over parts. its your descision.... i like my car too but i would swap to a clean shell if i had to... Shit when i bought my car it was silver, and had a blown head gasket... and no front bumper, a dented hood.. i did a car fax on it found out that im the 6th owner and the first owner hit a tree with it in 1996 and it was never fixed. i have a bent core support and a jacked hood.. but if i could find a decent shell around here i'd jump on it, but thats just me...

 

[4g63dreams]

It might be a swap :/

Though it almost feels lille I'm giving up on him. I think itll be a safer thing. And probably much cheaper. My only problem would be having a level location at which I can do all work in. I constantly keep thinking about how incorrectly it might run because you can't always feel secure that the job will be done right.

 

[BurrowZ]

I'm debating the same thing actually myself right now. It's so bad that my headlights don't even fit right, the hood is crooked, and my car will never have a perfect alignment.

In the end I decided I'll keep it the way it is until I find the perfect shell. Which might be a while.. said shell must be either a 2gb Wildberry Eclipse, or any 2gb Talon.

Although.. I kind of want a 1g...

If I were you, I'd shell it. The only thing that sucks is the huge downtime and like you said, getting everything put back together correctly.

 

[95 GS-T]

well atleast you could take the time to do everything right, clean up the engine bay, ect.... and you would actually know what was all done to the car ...shell!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[4g63dreams]

well atleast you could take the time to do everything right, clean up the engine bay, ect.... and you would actually know what was all done to the car ...shell!!!!!!!!!!!!

Trueee I bought not knowing a thing! Should be a good opportunity. Since I collided my front end, do you think ill need to get a new strut/sway bar?

 

[95 GS-T]

not sure, how bad is the damage to your talon? do you have pics? i've found a few shells around in decent buildable shape for around $$600$$ so thats a plus

 

[4g63dreams]

put it like this, my intake pipe had the filter a bit bruised (dented in, i considered it no good) anything exhaust manifold and back is untouched. I have pictures here...

http://www.dsmtuners.com/forums/dsm-build-journals/428615-450stallion-96-tsi.html

 

[95 GS-T]

yeah i would say get a shell and start over. part out what you dont need..

 

[4g63dreams]

yea seems like so :/ well, starting this friday, I'll be on the market for a 2g talon shell to get this started. hopefully NE US like jersey or NY or anywhere near.

Thanks for the input guys, I appreciate it

 

[bryanwheat]

Post a picture of the damage. IF you buy a shell i would pay no more than 400 bucks, anything more is a rip off.

 

[Squirrel82]

Unless someone close to you can do the work,its not worth fixing.Get a shell.

 

[95 GS-T]

yeah +1

 

[4g63dreams]

Post a picture of the damage. IF you buy a shell i would pay no more than 400 bucks, anything more is a rip off.

Link to pics provided on post #14. Skip the read, look through the photos. 400 for a shell is a hell of a deal :/ sounds too good to be true. but what conditions are acceptable at that price?

 

[95 GS-T]

a friend of mine picked up a clean one for $600 in pretty decent shape.no body damage, full clean interior, no ecu. but you just have to keep looking. but keep in mind our cars are old and most of them have been beat on. good luck on finding a shell man. check out the classifieds on here...