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Nose or frame damage?


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Hello forum, I’m new here. I got my first 2002 this week, it’s a 1974! 
 

I’m starting to take inventory of the problems to try and come up with a plan of attack for this lengthy restoration. The interior is unsalvageable, paint is cheap, and it has an aftermarket sunroof that needs to go. In my search for problems I noticed something odd with the nose and bumper mounting tubes.
 

 

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I pulled the bumper to better show the issue. I couldn’t see anything that jumps out as a bent frame and although the nose has a couple rough spots I don’t see anything that would suggest a significant impact. Certainly not enough to cause the issue seen in the photos. Anyone know what I should be looking at? Does this mean a new nose?


 

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So more than bending “frames” - It’s a unibody so what a hard hit usually does is collapse or “accordion” the frame rails and/or distort/bend the subframe(s). Your pic looks like the usual “dumb-stuff-that-happens-to-the-bumper-mount-“pockets” issue that many’a ‘02 has. Pop the hood and look straight down on both sides and look for accordion-ed sheet metal and bumper pockets. (Can be hard on driver side w/the battery in the way. Crouch down and look at the subframe for “weirdness”: bent control arms/thrust rods, mangled sway bar pickup on control arms etc…

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J.B.

6 - ‘02s and counting

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I think some dumb a** jacked the car up using the bumper and bent the bumper shock mounts. Maybe it was a tow truck.

 

PS. Please paint the hood supports behind the grill mat black like the factory did it with a paint brush.

Edited by Son of Marty
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If everybody in the room is thinking the same thing, then someone is not thinking.

 

George S Patton 

Planning the Normandy Break out 1944

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2nd for the bumper jacking... if it was anything else the front apron would show more damage, seam separation, etc.

 

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Hacker of many things... master of none.

 

Gunther March 19, 1974. Hoffman Motors march 22 1974 NYC

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How about 'neither, that's just cosmetic?'

 

FWIW, a hard front hit will collapse the inner fender...

 

t

btdt

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"I learn best through painful, expensive experience, so I feel like I've gotten my money's worth." MattL

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It certainly appears to be cosmetic. I think everyone is throwing out “It could be_____”

 

I’ve seen those late year bumper pockets mangled and the car be sound as hell. I’ve had cars where someone has wrapped a chain around a control arm to “tow” it, I’ve had bumpers that were used as jack points, late bumpers where some genius rammed a wall trying to collapse them. They’re tough little cars!

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J.B.

6 - ‘02s and counting

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It's possible they ran into a ditch and landed with the weight of the car on the bumper. Or  someone forgot to remove something under the bumper when lowering the car off a lift or jackstands. Could be many things, not really important.

 

I would be much concerned about getting it running! Once you drive it you'll probably find it needs even more mechanical stuff like replacement of all of the rubber bushings and brake parts.

 

Once it's safe enough to drive then you can worry about fixing the previous owners numerous hack jobs.

 

An aftermarket sunroof is a great way to ruin an interior!!!

Edited by 2002iii
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On 10/3/2024 at 10:26 AM, BimmerRover said:

So more than bending “frames” - It’s a unibody so what a hard hit usually does is collapse or “accordion” the frame rails and/or distort/bend the subframe(s). Your pic looks like the usual “dumb-stuff-that-happens-to-the-bumper-mount-“pockets” issue that many’a ‘02 has. Pop the hood and look straight down on both sides and look for accordion-ed sheet metal and bumper pockets. (Can be hard on driver side w/the battery in the way. Crouch down and look at the subframe for “weirdness”: bent control arms/thrust rods, mangled sway bar pickup on control arms etc…

 

Thank you for the input, I looked at it after work yesterday and couldn't find any wrinkling in the rails. the driver side fender is pushed in a bit but luckily no signs of structural damage. This is my first venture into a true restoration so im still learning how to identify different kinds of body damage.

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2 hours ago, 2002iii said:

It's possible they ran into a ditch and landed with the weight of the car on the bumper. Or  someone forgot to remove something under the bumper when lowering the car off a lift or jackstands. Could be many things, not really important.

 

I would be much concerned about getting it running! Once you drive it you'll probably find it needs even more mechanical stuff like replacement of all of the rubber bushings and brake parts.

 

Once it's safe enough to drive then you can worry about fixing the previous owners numerous hack jobs.

 

An aftermarket sunroof is a great way to ruin an interior!!!

 

Luckily I dont have to worry about the sunroof ruining the interior, some stray cats already did that!

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26 minutes ago, Leicaman said:

 

Luckily I dont have to worry about the sunroof ruining the interior, some stray cats already did that!

Very easily fixed for a square tail light car like yours! Find a local e21 from 77-83 with comfort seats. Usually they are in remarkably in good shape and can buy at very reasonable cost. Bolts right in. 

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11 hours ago, 2002iii said:

I would be much concerned about getting it running! Once you drive it you'll probably find it needs even more mechanical stuff like replacement of all of the rubber bushings and brake parts.

+1 .  You'll be a lot more likely to do the cosmetics once you have it running (and stopping!) reliably, have it back to its good handling self--and discover how much fun it is to drive.  Then you'll be motivated to do the prettifying.  

 

As for the deformed metal around the bumper brackets--ten minutes with a body hammer and dolly will get that nice and flat again--and it'll be covered by the rubber grommet anyway, so it doesn't have to be perfect.

 

mike

 

PS--when you're painting the hood brackets black, use some more paint to repaint the horn back to its original black... Nice find, BTW.

 

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'69 Nevada sunroof-Wolfgang-bought new
'73 Sahara sunroof-Ludwig-since '78
'91 Brillantrot 318is sunroof-Georg Friederich 
Fiat Topolini (Benito & Luigi), Renault 4CVs (Anatole, Lucky Pierre, Brigette) & Kermit, the Bugeye Sprite

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So it looks like I found the problem. I pulled off the grills and found that the apron had a bit of funkiness and the clip wasn’t fitted to the fenders very well.
 

IMG_3198.thumb.jpeg.5715996e43210f6a61ed65273938a78a.jpegIMG_3199.thumb.jpeg.cf31989d751ba0718789861cac741a53.jpegIMG_3200.thumb.jpeg.88df27445c079819ab60168376e402c6.jpeg

 

Does anyone have experience with the “version 2” mvp noses? I watched a video by kooglewerks where he shows some of the issues with the version 1. My main concern is the point on the apron, how well does that mate up to an air dam? I know stock noses fit perfectly with little to no extra fitting. 
I have zero experience with body work so I’m not confident I’ll be able to straighten the nose. Replacement seems like the “easier” route here but I’m open to suggestions! 

 

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On 10/4/2024 at 9:24 PM, Mike Self said:

+1 .  You'll be a lot more likely to do the cosmetics once you have it running (and stopping!) reliably, have it back to its good handling self--and discover how much fun it is to drive.  Then you'll be motivated to do the prettifying.  

 

As for the deformed metal around the bumper brackets--ten minutes with a body hammer and dolly will get that nice and flat again--and it'll be covered by the rubber grommet anyway, so it doesn't have to be perfect.

 

mike

 

PS--when you're painting the hood brackets black, use some more paint to repaint the horn back to its original black... Nice find, BTW.

 


Definitely! I hope to restore it back to its factory sienna brown. I just pulled the interior today, vacuumed all the seat foam and cat poop. All that to drill out the ignition lock cylinder so I can get some keys made. Im on the hunt for a carb now. Not sure what I want to go with for the time being, maybe a 32/36 to start? 

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On 10/4/2024 at 1:25 PM, resra said:

Very easily fixed for a square tail light car like yours! Find a local e21 from 77-83 with comfort seats. Usually they are in remarkably in good shape and can buy at very reasonable cost. Bolts right in. 


Thats the goal, I love the look of the E21 recaros! 

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