Taurus - fix on the cheap

[SteveH-CO]

The Victim:
My boss got smacked in her '00 Taurus and it pushed in the B pillar about 1.5". The rear door turned nearly inside out, and the skin peeled loose. The front door was clipped hard. Major dogleg damage, such that the full size tire would not clear the opening. Zero suspension damage, thankfully. I installed the minispare to get it home - the first ever decent use of a minispare tire! Car frame was straight and it drove fine. Only 94K miles, so worth saving.

The Method:
Of course, a 15 year old Taurus with this kind of damage is totaled, unless you redneck the repair. With the advice of a veteran paint and body guy, I secured the car to a tree (on the frame) and hitched up the '88 Land Cruiser chained to the door post hinges and the dog leg, using a 6" C-clamp. Got the door post almost perfect, and the dog leg 'good enough'. Many layers of folded metal in the dogleg and a lot of blind areas.

The Result:
I found two matching junkyard doors (very clean) for $85/each, and used a porta power to do the final tweaking, after hanging the doors. About 20 hours labor to get it such that the doors close and seal properly, and all door electricals work, save the rear window. I charged her $500 - $200 for parts, $300 for labor. I learned a LOT - that was the best part. The boss is very pleased with the price/appearance/function.

The last two photos require that you click on a link - not sure why?

 

[gungatim]

nice job. wish we had a bodywork forum on here, I've got some work to do myself so I check all the threads like this for info on diy repairs.

 

[LEVE]

I've done something similar, I used Hi-Lift jack hooked between a '65 Land Cruiser and the smashed front of a Honda Accord to pull out the sheet metal. I also did the same thing to pull out the crushed front end of my faithful old '91 Caravan when it hit a deer. That time I hooked the hi-lift my PowerWagon to pull out the front end parts. I was surprised how well that worked and ended up replacing the hood and grill.

Like many guys on the forum I've never done body work, it's an art I've never learned... but I'd sure like to (as long as it wasn't my damaged car!)

 

[SteveH-CO]

Obviously, you've learned enough to get by - whether or not you consider yourself an expert. I have used my high-lift for many auto repair tasks, too, along with come-alongs. I'd rather do it as a hobby, than for a living.

 

[pstnbly]

I've got pulling pots in my garage floor to make these pulls.

 

[bgarrett]

I wouldnt park too close to that pine tree

 

[Thunderbird]

I hope she remembers you when pay raises come around.

 

[countryroad82]

Good job man!! Very well for making it up as you went lol! Oh and I too wish there was a paint/body forum here!!!

 

[SteveH-CO]

Actually, she paid me 2x what I had suggested for labor, so I told her that if she wasn't careful, I'd smack into her car in the parking lot, just to drum up some business. She was completely thrilled with the results.

 

[iajonesy]

Nice job. Sometimes a little "redneck" engineering works just fine.
I can't believe no one has asked what the BOSS looks like or if you're bangin' her.

Mike

 

[George in Rancho Cordova]

Much better than the Frankenstein Taurus the state took off the road.
In addition to pop-rivet body repair, it had a disc brake on one side in the rear and a drum brake on the other.

 

[SteveH-CO]

She's happily married (and so am I) and this is a platonic relationship.

My nickname at the office is 'The Wrench' due to my ability to diagnose nearly every automotive problem upon merely hearing of it. After you've seen x-many Subaru timing belts slip or head gaskets blow, and every other Saturn and VW fall apart, you get to know what breaks. The absurd repair quotes for simple things drive everyone to want a 2nd opinion, anyway. It's part of my outreach ministry, if you will.

As you know, 95% of the public can't figure out which end of a soldering iron to hold unless it was plugged in - and some, not even then.

 

[LUKE221]

Much better than the Frankenstein Taurus the state took off the road.
In addition to pop-rivet body repair, it had a disc brake on one side in the rear and a drum brake on the other.

Wait what... Franken Taurus??? Please tell me more

 

[gungatim]

...As you know, 95% of the public can't figure out which end of a soldering iron to hold unless it was plugged in - and some, not even then.

adding that to my page of favorite GJ quotes and sig lines!

 

[RiverRider]

I've done something similar, I used Hi-Lift jack hooked between a '65 Land Cruiser and the smashed front of a Honda Accord to pull out the sheet metal. I also did the same thing to pull out the crushed front end of my faithful old '91 Caravan when it hit a deer. That time I hooked the hi-lift my PowerWagon to pull out the front end parts. I was surprised how well that worked and ended up replacing the hood and grill.

Like many guys on the forum I've never done body work, it's an art I've never learned... but I'd sure like to (as long as it wasn't my damaged car!)

I did basically the same thing to get my old '88 Ranger straightened out after hitting a cow that tan out in front of me on a dirt road. I used a shop crane to do the pull, and everything just almost fell back into place. Didn't even have to replace the hood latch, only the hood itself.

I wish I still had access to my grand daddy's John Deere shop. I didn't realize how good I had it back in those days.

 

[srmofo]

Ive straightened numerous customers front ends that way. Its funny how no one can remember smashing into something hard enough to bust radiators and condensers. Most of the time the damage is hidden behind the cover so they think I wont notice, but when a new straight radiator wont go in, its kind of hard to miss.

I always pulled the cars out into the lot and parked in front of one of the bollards protecting the building, set the parking brake, chock the wheels and then chain up to the car. The difference is I use a ratcheting load binder to do the pulling. Its a lot more controllable that way and allows you to 'gently' pull it out. and if its a big hit you can allow the metal to rest for a bit between pulls to help with cracks.

Like this
https://www.google.com/search?q=rat...zAggS-0oCoCA&ved=0CAgQ_AUoAg&biw=1680&bih=883

I also picked up one of these tools as well which I used a lot to straighten out around head lamps and tail lamps so we could put a new one and get them back on the road legally.
https://www.google.com/search?q=hyd...WggwSZiYCgBw&ved=0CAgQ_AUoAg&biw=1680&bih=883

Keep in mind Im not a body shop mechanic, I just had to 'fix' some peoples cars in order to complete my repair

 

[SteveH-CO]

Agreed that the Land Cruiser was overkill for this pull. I followed my body guy's lead without testing out a come-along first, which likely would have done it. That would have made more sense.

Oh, well - people will keep wrecking cars (hopefully not my teenagers), so I'll get more experience with this, I suspect.