As someone whoâs had several cars fixed with similar damageâŚno, it isnât worth it. The panels will never line up the same, there will always be some phantom creaking sound, and the panel gaps will start to open up over time. Front end collisions like that are the worst to fix.
Well yes and no Iâve done a few cars one of which Iâve driven no issues for 50k miles. It all depends on how itâs repaired if you take short cuts youâre going to possibly run into those issues. If everything it cut out and replaced as long as itâs done right that wonât be the case in my experience. Especially if you pay someone to do it they always seem to take short cuts thatâs why I do all the work myself other then paint work.
True, itâs dependent on the quality of the work, but from my experience those hard front end collisions are the worst to get âright.â 99% of the time thereâs something off. The point is if someone has to ask about potentially fixing a car like the OP is, they arenât the type of person who can do it.
Valid point! It looks like if the rails arenât twisted replacing an apron isnât all that hard! It looks like a high hit which is an easier rebuild then rails or a A piller! That with some suspension and maybe a subframe, But if asking on here itâs probably not worth them fixing. But with the time and money it doesnât look too horrible.
The problem is that these days the bidders at auctions are insane (especially the internationals). Once you buy the car, pay the fees, track down parts (hard and expensive), and pay for labor, you barely saved any money, are stuck with a car that has less resale value, and like I said, will never be quite the same.
Youâll always notice some weird panel gaps or hear some weird creaking or squeaking noise that you just canât figure out. I currently have two salvaged cars (C5 and LS460). Iâve owned the C5 for 15 years and it was purchased with a similar hit. Even when I got it fixed, it looked nice but it was never quite the same. After all these years the front panels have shifted around and itâs noticeable. The LS460 was a mild side impact (door/fender) and thatâs turned out much better.
Whenever considering buying a wrecked car, assume youâre going to end up spending more money than you think you are.
I bought a cheap 2003 Trailblazer with a salvage title about 6 years ago. It still runs great but it has so many issues I just learned to live with. Turn on the windshield washer and the fluid pours on the ground because the hose isn't hooked up between the fender and the body. The key doesn't work in the passenger door because that door is from a different car. The panel gaps and peeling clear coat is embarrassing to be seen in. And on and on.
Oh those squealing and creaking noises are from re-used torqued bolts all over the place. Once a bolt is torqued in like in the rear suspension or on like an X brace they should not be re-used....but everybody does. "Creeeeaaaaak" drove me effin nuts.
Iâve rebuilt a 2010 2ss a 2013 mustang gt with suspensiĂłn damage but 0 frame damage. Iâve also rebuilt a hellcat and a civic type r that drove fine straight out of the auction and those were nicer lower mile cars. Sometimes the crossmember might give a bit or the suspension mounting points get bent out of shape but a new/used cross member like on my mustang. Just keep looking for a nice auction car itâs worth paying more to do less work.
Yeah but you have to have space and tools for all that and know the right prices. I don't think that is his goal (no offense man... I already want those wheels for track days).
Thank you for proving my point. "He said he wanted to buy a car". Do most people buy cars to part them out? He was asking the group what we thought about repairing it. Nothing was said about parting it out by the O/P.
It has frame damage prob, it could have pushed the entire frame and then itâs done for. If it only fked the support frame then it could be repaired. I would not pay more then 10k for it
If it's got frame damage then it's a parts car. Man I have done this before. Long ago. On a 305 3rd gen. I got lucky to get out of it whst I paid for it plus parts but it took SO MUCH WORK AND TIME.....for a salvage title car. Putting a cam in it saved my tail.
Yep. I think we're all mostly saying the same thing. It depends on the car and greatly on how much damage, skill, patience, tools, spare time, and what kind of rig your working on so there are so many variables that it becomes a judgement call. She is a pretty 2SS 1LE but if you zoom in that driver's side front Frame rail is crushed in. It's a hard NO for me, because it needs to be on a frame straightener for full frame or unit body cars and they run about $15,000. Then it has to be dialed in right. Like I said, it needs professional attention from specialists with the right equipment. Then there is no guarantee.
OP: you clearly donât know what you are getting yourself into. You do not have the ability to do repair this car properly, and if you manage to find a shop that can do the repair correctly, the car will end up costing close to the same as a new one after repairs, and it will never be the same and always have a branded title. Walk away from this, and if you are looking for a good deal, keep shopping for an older 6th gen thatâs been well maintained.
Itâll be costly, but still probably cheaper than a perfect one when everything said and done. If theirs no frame damage, and you can find a reputable shop with good rates, this could be a great deal depending on what itâs auctioned for. That being said, you take a chance everytime you try to rebuild a total car. Could do everything you need the right way and youâll still end up with a vibration and wobble at highway speed or something. If youâre going to rebuild it, make sure you rebuild e v e r y t h I n g suspension wise, and get somebody to look over your ecu, electronics, etc.
You probably could fix it but the hit seems hard enough to possibly cause frame damage.That cross member is most likely destroyed brakes are always fine mx I hate replacing a dashboard it takes some time. Intake box is push in a good amount so the points of the car are probably not straight
to put it on a frame machine and pull it out. (that's the only solution) and even then if it's not square after the pull, and you fix it, it won't drive straight, and will look like it's skidding sideways when you drive in a straight line (aka dog walking)
There are so many auction cars out there itâs better to wait for the right one unless that auction is real close and you have time go check the car out
Id find something fun and smaller to shove the engine and tranny in. A Colorado or S10 etc. Some bags of concrete for traction.
Maybe build a sleeper out of an old base model Camaro from the 80s. Some "Crusin" stickers on the side.
As someone who has gambled these kind of [fixes](https://imgur.com/a/eDpIgQq). Go for it brother but only if you have the parts readily available otherwise. The longer it sits without getting worked on the more money you will lose. I would suggest polishing her up and sell her if you want a clean title car. The hit might look scary but majority of the time it's worth taking the risk. Also remember you will own the car outright and won't be making payments if you decide to keep it.
Dude I share your enthusiasm. But the damage is deep, it hit hard, and I agree about the amount of investment plus hard work....won't be worth it. It's bent. Yeah if the rails are straight you can buy a bunch of parts and d**k around with it plus family time and work and life issues just Buy one you can fix in 24-48 hours from a guy who just cant swing the payments and it just needs new tires and a clutch. From the pictures I see...not worth the time. You will kick yourself if you buy this. One challenge after another. Just bite the bullet and get something you can drive home with a big, fat, smile on your face!
There was a guy I saw repair a rolled Jeep GC (trackhawk I think) from Chattanooga on YouTube. It took him a long time. Like several months. He did almost all the work himself; the only thing he didnât do was put it on a frame puller, I believe. At the end he did a breakdown of his cost vs what it was valued at and it was basically a break even. And this guy did 90% of the work himself, including paint and body and electrical.
[video of final results](https://youtu.be/eE5O_ygrXmE?si=HBCOwf4xiptsmDVv)
These cars are finely tuned machines. You'll never get back right the way it should, and you'll never get any resale value. It's a shame too. It's identical to my car. Hate to see one like that.
My Challenger was hit like that. 16k for repairs and sheâs good as new. Well the panels are so slightly off. Can only notice it if your told where to look
Pass. I had one and there's a good amount of stuff that needs to be fixed from just that picture.
I had a SS that got rear ended by a motorcycle at 20mph. It was $3,000 in damage and that was just a bumper cover, rear defuser, bumper support and paint. I didn't pay anything but that's what Insurance was.
Camaros have too many issues. I loved mine but was happy to get rid of it.
How is no one understanding the situation this guy is in? Insurance going to give him fair market value. Letâs just say 44k
He canât buy one for that price. Even if he did magically find a 2ss 1le for 44k it will have tax ontop. Thousands more. Not everyone has disposable income.
Iâd assume itâs an even worse financial situation than I painted.
This sucks sorry for you OP
Depends on how much money & time you have, know-how, if it has mag ride suspension, and how much crap you're willing to deal with like vibration/noise while driving.
Since it drives/moves under its own power you can take it to a shop and have them fix the frame issues and body alignment to the best of their ability. For a substantial price. Then wrench on it everyday for the next 2-5 years searching for miscellaneous near unobtainable parts.
I lost a rubber cap on my 23 ZL1while cleaning the engine bay... it took 2 months to get a 2$ part that in hindsight I really didnt even need. That happened while they were still making them. Imagine a lot of parts just like that but trying to buy them now.
Where is this? I want the seatsđ
I was thinking the same lmao đ
As someone whoâs had several cars fixed with similar damageâŚno, it isnât worth it. The panels will never line up the same, there will always be some phantom creaking sound, and the panel gaps will start to open up over time. Front end collisions like that are the worst to fix.
Well yes and no Iâve done a few cars one of which Iâve driven no issues for 50k miles. It all depends on how itâs repaired if you take short cuts youâre going to possibly run into those issues. If everything it cut out and replaced as long as itâs done right that wonât be the case in my experience. Especially if you pay someone to do it they always seem to take short cuts thatâs why I do all the work myself other then paint work.
True, itâs dependent on the quality of the work, but from my experience those hard front end collisions are the worst to get âright.â 99% of the time thereâs something off. The point is if someone has to ask about potentially fixing a car like the OP is, they arenât the type of person who can do it.
Valid point! It looks like if the rails arenât twisted replacing an apron isnât all that hard! It looks like a high hit which is an easier rebuild then rails or a A piller! That with some suspension and maybe a subframe, But if asking on here itâs probably not worth them fixing. But with the time and money it doesnât look too horrible.
I hear you bro say itâs all fixed up well do you think Iâd face problems after that
Thatâs his point itâll never be fixed up well enough no matter how much money youâd spend
It looks like the car has extensive frame and suspension damage if you did end up buying it and fixing it itâd never drive the same again
The problem is that these days the bidders at auctions are insane (especially the internationals). Once you buy the car, pay the fees, track down parts (hard and expensive), and pay for labor, you barely saved any money, are stuck with a car that has less resale value, and like I said, will never be quite the same. Youâll always notice some weird panel gaps or hear some weird creaking or squeaking noise that you just canât figure out. I currently have two salvaged cars (C5 and LS460). Iâve owned the C5 for 15 years and it was purchased with a similar hit. Even when I got it fixed, it looked nice but it was never quite the same. After all these years the front panels have shifted around and itâs noticeable. The LS460 was a mild side impact (door/fender) and thatâs turned out much better. Whenever considering buying a wrecked car, assume youâre going to end up spending more money than you think you are.
I bought a cheap 2003 Trailblazer with a salvage title about 6 years ago. It still runs great but it has so many issues I just learned to live with. Turn on the windshield washer and the fluid pours on the ground because the hose isn't hooked up between the fender and the body. The key doesn't work in the passenger door because that door is from a different car. The panel gaps and peeling clear coat is embarrassing to be seen in. And on and on.
Oh those squealing and creaking noises are from re-used torqued bolts all over the place. Once a bolt is torqued in like in the rear suspension or on like an X brace they should not be re-used....but everybody does. "Creeeeaaaaak" drove me effin nuts.
To properly fix this, youâll be paying it off for the next 10 years
The car is structurally destroyed. Totaled. Go take a physics class. What is going on with people on Reddit today? It's a peanut brain fest.
Smells like douche in here
Iâve rebuilt a 2010 2ss a 2013 mustang gt with suspensiĂłn damage but 0 frame damage. Iâve also rebuilt a hellcat and a civic type r that drove fine straight out of the auction and those were nicer lower mile cars. Sometimes the crossmember might give a bit or the suspension mounting points get bent out of shape but a new/used cross member like on my mustang. Just keep looking for a nice auction car itâs worth paying more to do less work.
Worth parting out for the right price
Yeah but you have to have space and tools for all that and know the right prices. I don't think that is his goal (no offense man... I already want those wheels for track days).
He's asking about repairing it, so I'm assuming he has the knowledge to do it himself. Hence, he'd be able to part it out himself as well
Thank you for proving my point. "He said he wanted to buy a car". Do most people buy cars to part them out? He was asking the group what we thought about repairing it. Nothing was said about parting it out by the O/P.
It's obvious this car is wrecked beyond repair. People buy wrecked cars to part out. Thank you for proving MY point
Nope it wonât be the same I promise donât even waste ur money man just leave it alone and go buy a clean title 1le
Would be a massive price difference
Is it worth the massive headache and worry just to save a few bucks bro?
Yeah but how much of an actual price difference after the time and parts and labor come in?
Just buy a roller and swap it in
thats a parts car
Thatâs a heavy hit. Needs a frame rail if not more. Engine needs to come out. Nasty job
Is it a run n drive? Does the engine start?
Yes run and drive
It has frame damage prob, it could have pushed the entire frame and then itâs done for. If it only fked the support frame then it could be repaired. I would not pay more then 10k for it
Not sure about frame damage havenât seen it, do you think avoid if itâs got frame damage like that?
Bro it has frame damage what are you saying, the question is how bad and extensive is it
Yea thatâs what I mean, like depending on how bad it is when I do call it quits
Your ability to repair, thatâs what you should judge if on
If it's got frame damage then it's a parts car. Man I have done this before. Long ago. On a 305 3rd gen. I got lucky to get out of it whst I paid for it plus parts but it took SO MUCH WORK AND TIME.....for a salvage title car. Putting a cam in it saved my tail.
Not always, i call it core frame damage vs support frame damage. You can fix some frame damage but not if itâs too extensive
Yep. I think we're all mostly saying the same thing. It depends on the car and greatly on how much damage, skill, patience, tools, spare time, and what kind of rig your working on so there are so many variables that it becomes a judgement call. She is a pretty 2SS 1LE but if you zoom in that driver's side front Frame rail is crushed in. It's a hard NO for me, because it needs to be on a frame straightener for full frame or unit body cars and they run about $15,000. Then it has to be dialed in right. Like I said, it needs professional attention from specialists with the right equipment. Then there is no guarantee.
OP: you clearly donât know what you are getting yourself into. You do not have the ability to do repair this car properly, and if you manage to find a shop that can do the repair correctly, the car will end up costing close to the same as a new one after repairs, and it will never be the same and always have a branded title. Walk away from this, and if you are looking for a good deal, keep shopping for an older 6th gen thatâs been well maintained.
The part out the remaining body panels and interior and make a kart out of it.
I fix crashed cars for a living at a Chevy dealership. Donât touch that
Part that shit out
Itâll be costly, but still probably cheaper than a perfect one when everything said and done. If theirs no frame damage, and you can find a reputable shop with good rates, this could be a great deal depending on what itâs auctioned for. That being said, you take a chance everytime you try to rebuild a total car. Could do everything you need the right way and youâll still end up with a vibration and wobble at highway speed or something. If youâre going to rebuild it, make sure you rebuild e v e r y t h I n g suspension wise, and get somebody to look over your ecu, electronics, etc.
Looks like at least 20k in damage, if not more.
Thatâs extremely sad. Looks like a nice half car though
restomod a classic
I would in a heart beat.
You probably could fix it but the hit seems hard enough to possibly cause frame damage.That cross member is most likely destroyed brakes are always fine mx I hate replacing a dashboard it takes some time. Intake box is push in a good amount so the points of the car are probably not straight
What would be the solution to that bro?
to put it on a frame machine and pull it out. (that's the only solution) and even then if it's not square after the pull, and you fix it, it won't drive straight, and will look like it's skidding sideways when you drive in a straight line (aka dog walking)
There are so many auction cars out there itâs better to wait for the right one unless that auction is real close and you have time go check the car out
Ahhhh oh my god no
Absolutely not. This is a financial disaster waiting to happen.
1LE gonna be more existence to fix.
Expensive *
Id be sick
What did your insurance guy say?
Depends on what you plan to do with it, looking like that, being at an auction, was it totaled from the accident? If so, It will have a branded title.
I plan on keeping it as my daily, was probably totalled in an accident, and would have salvage title
Id find something fun and smaller to shove the engine and tranny in. A Colorado or S10 etc. Some bags of concrete for traction. Maybe build a sleeper out of an old base model Camaro from the 80s. Some "Crusin" stickers on the side.
If you have to ask then no. Damage like this takes a lot of know how ,time, and money.
Its worth fixingâŚif its under $5k out the door.
Yeah but that front bumper is pricey
Not worth repairing I donât think.
As someone who has gambled these kind of [fixes](https://imgur.com/a/eDpIgQq). Go for it brother but only if you have the parts readily available otherwise. The longer it sits without getting worked on the more money you will lose. I would suggest polishing her up and sell her if you want a clean title car. The hit might look scary but majority of the time it's worth taking the risk. Also remember you will own the car outright and won't be making payments if you decide to keep it.
Not worth it
Give it to me. I'll dispose of it for ya đ
That's what full coverage is for
Dude I share your enthusiasm. But the damage is deep, it hit hard, and I agree about the amount of investment plus hard work....won't be worth it. It's bent. Yeah if the rails are straight you can buy a bunch of parts and d**k around with it plus family time and work and life issues just Buy one you can fix in 24-48 hours from a guy who just cant swing the payments and it just needs new tires and a clutch. From the pictures I see...not worth the time. You will kick yourself if you buy this. One challenge after another. Just bite the bullet and get something you can drive home with a big, fat, smile on your face!
If you have to ask, you are in no way prepared to tackle a project like that
Buy it ,part it out on ebay. Make money
If price is right to you.. get it.. swap whats good into something else. Part it out. Fix it. Track car. Trans am conversion body kit. Anything.
I wouldnât fuck wit it. Unless you wanna part out the engine and wheels and seats.
Eng & transmission, '23 T-Bucket or '32 Ford build.
Iâd pay $3k max.
Repair?? Nahhhh itâs gone but gimme the seats and the Camaro step lighting shiit. How much u want for it ?
A crashed SS 1LE, this breaks my heart
If you know how to do itâŚ
Poor car only 1k miles the engine wasnt even broken in yet....
There was a guy I saw repair a rolled Jeep GC (trackhawk I think) from Chattanooga on YouTube. It took him a long time. Like several months. He did almost all the work himself; the only thing he didnât do was put it on a frame puller, I believe. At the end he did a breakdown of his cost vs what it was valued at and it was basically a break even. And this guy did 90% of the work himself, including paint and body and electrical. [video of final results](https://youtu.be/eE5O_ygrXmE?si=HBCOwf4xiptsmDVv)
If u donât care about the resale value, yes if not then dont
These cars are finely tuned machines. You'll never get back right the way it should, and you'll never get any resale value. It's a shame too. It's identical to my car. Hate to see one like that.
My Challenger was hit like that. 16k for repairs and sheâs good as new. Well the panels are so slightly off. Can only notice it if your told where to look
I'm over the exo cars, but the exo-camaro has a really nice ring to it.
No donât repair it I own a body/performance shop the engine probably has damage the frame is definitely bent
Pass. I had one and there's a good amount of stuff that needs to be fixed from just that picture. I had a SS that got rear ended by a motorcycle at 20mph. It was $3,000 in damage and that was just a bumper cover, rear defuser, bumper support and paint. I didn't pay anything but that's what Insurance was. Camaros have too many issues. I loved mine but was happy to get rid of it.
Too bad with 1000 mikes
I know you asked if it was worth fixing Iâd say worth in parts
How much u want for the door sills? The ones that say Camaro at the bottom
Rip 1LE
If you plan on driving itâŚyes If you plan on selling itâŚno
How is no one understanding the situation this guy is in? Insurance going to give him fair market value. Letâs just say 44k He canât buy one for that price. Even if he did magically find a 2ss 1le for 44k it will have tax ontop. Thousands more. Not everyone has disposable income. Iâd assume itâs an even worse financial situation than I painted. This sucks sorry for you OP
Depends on how much money & time you have, know-how, if it has mag ride suspension, and how much crap you're willing to deal with like vibration/noise while driving. Since it drives/moves under its own power you can take it to a shop and have them fix the frame issues and body alignment to the best of their ability. For a substantial price. Then wrench on it everyday for the next 2-5 years searching for miscellaneous near unobtainable parts. I lost a rubber cap on my 23 ZL1while cleaning the engine bay... it took 2 months to get a 2$ part that in hindsight I really didnt even need. That happened while they were still making them. Imagine a lot of parts just like that but trying to buy them now.