Body Damage

January 31, 2005

The other day, some 13 year old kid took his dad's restored '74 VW The Thing out for a joyride. He lost control of the car and hit my wife's car while it was parked in the driveway and pushed it into my pride and joy. After inspecting the truck, there isn't any underlying damage other than the panel here. Even the fuel filler neck wasn't damaged. I've had a few people look at it and the answers ranged from scrapping the bed entirely to just replacing the whole side panel by popping the welds and rewelding the new panel and repainting the whole bed to match. My question from all of you body guys out there is what would be your most likely route to fix this?

I don't have an image hosting website, so I'll try to describe the damage to you. My wife's right rear quarter panel was pushed into my driver's side bed panel just in front of the rear wheel which crumpled the panel in about 3 inches. The front wheel well support rod is bent, but it looks as if nothing else is damaged.

WyRam · February 1, 2005

The other day, some 13 year old kid took his dad's restored '74 VW The Thing out for a joyride. He lost control of the car and hit my wife's car while it was parked in the driveway and pushed it into my pride and joy. After inspecting the truck, there isn't any underlying damage other than the panel here. Even the fuel filler neck wasn't damaged. I've had a few people look at it and the answers ranged from scrapping the bed entirely to just replacing the whole side panel by popping the welds and rewelding the new panel and repainting the whole bed to match. My question from all of you body guys out there is what would be your most likely route to fix this?

I don't have an image hosting website, so I'll try to describe the damage to you. My wife's right rear quarter panel was pushed into my driver's side bed panel just in front of the rear wheel which crumpled the panel in about 3 inches. The front wheel well support rod is bent, but it looks as if nothing else is damaged.

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If it was mine it would get a new boxside............we instal tham all the time,if done right it's better than new.

Ape0r · February 1, 2005

If you do decide to go ahead and replace it, couldn't hurt to see if you can't bang it out with a rubber hammer, or a regular hammer and a block of wood, first.

Personally, a banged-out dent (assuming it leaves some creases or whatever) and some touch-up paint would look a lot better to me than the check I'd have to write the body shop! That is, if insurance won't cover it.

carguru · February 1, 2005

That 13 y/o's parents (or their insurance company) better be cutting you a check for the damage. You'll have to replace the panel.

OUMike · February 1, 2005

Just in my personal endevors with collision repair came to the conclusion that dealer is really the only way to go. About a year and half ago I let the Pontiac dealer down the street pretty much reconstruct my front end....they did an fantastic job.

I'd make the kids insurence company pay for whatever a dealer wanted to do. Good luck

February 1, 2005

Just in my personal endevors with collision repair came to the conclusion that dealer is really the only way to go. About a year and half ago I let the Pontiac dealer down the street pretty much reconstruct my front end....they did an fantastic job.

I'd make the kids insurence company pay for whatever a dealer wanted to do. Good luck

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That was my conclusion as well. I figure the dealer would know best how my truck was made and would do a better job. The kid's parents were plenty pissed and assured me they'd take care of it. Of course what's said during the heat of the moment and what's said after a few days of thinking it over can be two totally different things. What's worse it that my wife's car was paid for and we had no plans of buying a new one for a couple of years. Now I'm contemplating the reality that I may have to pay for a new car that I didn't want in the first place if they total the old one. And I was sitting in my living room when all this happened! Talk about getting royally screwed!

mcreyaufmiller · February 1, 2005

The cars nowadays are built to have panels replaced, not repaired. With the technology we have in the building of the vehicles, it is cheaper to remove and replace the panels. They are designed for speedy replacment. Talk to the body shop, normally, they will not direct you wrong.

Shawn T · February 1, 2005

OEM bedskins are not cheap. I had a full keg of beer crash into the front bed panel and cab of my truck. The fix was simple. Cut the spot welds on the bed panel and remove the rear cab panel. It took them longer to remove the rear seat and plastic than the metal. They gave my insurance company a reasonable rate on the labor, but the new panels were very pricey(I said I would exept nothing but factory parts).

I would not go with aftermarket though. There is a big quality difference in the actual fit and body lines of the parts. I would consider "used" if it were bed parts though. They could not find them for my 99 but I had a friend who wrecked a bed skin on a 2000 Silverado and found a service center that had 10 brand NBS truck beds just setting out back. Apparently a fleet service bought some new GMC's and decided they wanted utility beds on them. Well, they had to just leave the brand new factory beds there. He practicaly walked away with it because the owner of the service center said they were just taking up space. He paid a body shop to spray it the same color to match his truck and put it on himself. It only set him back $500 dollars. If you have it repaired(all GM) and painted it will be at least double that. I am sure he got lucky but, I have seen new truck beds just laying there at auto salvage yards. It is worth a try.