Love my LilSue, but we met a Camry in combat. We won. Need some assistance.

I'm fairly certain all that's bad under the hood is the radiator and the battery (which currently has a headlamp imbedded in it) but I need to change the fender, bumper, hood, and headlamp. How to I remove the fender?

Additionally, I'm usually more of a "get help from a pro" kind of person when it comes to my baby, so please talk dumb to me.

There a row of bolts lining the fender under the hood. If you haven't opened the hood yet, do so carefully and make sure it doesn't hit the windshield. You also have to remove the plastic inner wheel well to get to sone of the bolts in there.

 

Sounds like the same type of damage my girlfriend did to her Loyale, I had to replace the fender, hood, bumper and headlamp. It's a one day job.

 

Got sad pictures to look at?

I'm not sure how to get it to add. It says its too large. Basically the front driver side back to the tire isn't looking so hot these days.

If you upload them to photobucket you can post them

Never bring a Toyota to a Subaru fight!

There are two bolts on the very front of the fender that are hard to get at with the bumper on. I found it easier to pull the bumper. There is a good thread recently on pulling your bumper off. Super quick and easy if you car is not a rust bucket.

No rust, but the bumper is barely on now.

Here's the pics...

<a href="http://s104.photobucket.com/user/pyronic_hobo/media/Mobile%20Uploads/20140918_112514.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m175/pyronic_hobo/Mobile%20Uploads/20140918_112514.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo 20140918_112514.jpg"/></a>

Oops... this might work.

oh my. I don't think those bolts exist anymore. I would start with a cutting disk on a grinder I think there are a few bolts that you access from the open drivers door.

I was going 50... the Camry was stopped at the bottom of a hill. It looks way worse than Sue.

Its looking like I need a radiator and a battery, but otherwise its all body issues... And the headlamp, clearly.

I agree that you may need to start on that sob. I know that pick n pull has a few of that model right now. you could get everything done in a day for under 200 (maybe 100) 

OH! can't forget a BFH for that front clip damage.

Edited September 21, 201411 yr by sumoco

The pick and pull I went to yesterday had like 7 or 8. I grabbed a grill, the side light, a new spare, and a hub cap cuz I lost one last year. I'm pretty sure I can find the rest. I just have 0 experience with body work and don't want to make it worse.

Not that I can make it much worse.

...I just have 0 experience with body work...

That's not what the photo you posted says! I'd say your sheet metal bending skills are coming along!

That's not what the photo you posted says! I'd say your sheet metal bending skills are coming along!

We all have hidden talents

Lol. Sorry to see that. It does look quite a bit like the first time my girlfriend's Loyale got crunched.

 

I used a come along to pull everything back in to shape. It's like a hand controlled winch. Fasten one end to something stationary (tree) and the other end you hook around the deformed skeleton of the car once you get those body panels off. Just be careful what you attach to, and crank slowly.

That and a lot of hammering and you'll get it close to normal. Then you just bolt/screw on the new parts. Easier said than done and you have to get creative.

Also, getting to the front bumper bolts are not going to be fun now. They aren't fun to begin with and after a good crunch they are going to be that much harder. Best of luck! Good that you weren't hurt!

Overall the worst injury is a concussion and the Camry is never going to make a come back, but Sue is going to be fine. Hopefully soon.

Once you've got the hood open, check that the chassis rail between the wheelarch & firewall isn't bent.

I hit a tree with pretty much exactly the same spot years ago doing 80km/h & it deformed the rail both in front & behind the wheel.

caused it to be written off on insurance.

 

But you hit something of similar weight & movable, so you should hopefully come out ok

I don't have collision coverage so what happens with Sue is up to me instead of the insurance. Probably gonna have to apply for a salvage title. I won't know til I get the fender off, I think.

But there's definitely no damage behind the wheel.

Oops... this might work.

 

And it was such a beautiful little sedan too. <sniff>

And it was such a beautiful little sedan too. <sniff>

She really was. Classic blue, original paint... Her weather stripping was toast, but otherwise she was a beauty. Sturdy too. Drove to Vegas and took her off roading in the desert in November.

Lol. Sorry to see that. It does look quite a bit like the first time my girlfriend's Loyale got crunched.

 

I used a come along to pull everything back in to shape. It's like a hand controlled winch. Fasten one end to something stationary (tree) and the other end you hook around the deformed skeleton of the car once you get those body panels off. Just be careful what you attach to, and crank slowly.

That and a lot of hammering and you'll get it close to normal. Then you just bolt/screw on the new parts. Easier said than done and you have to get creative.

Also, getting to the front bumper bolts are not going to be fun now. They aren't fun to begin with and after a good crunch they are going to be that much harder. Best of luck! Good that you weren't hurt!

Any chance you want to come over and help a girl out? Haha

From the look of the scenery, I'm gambling you are clear on the other side of the country than me, or I would. What state are you in, can't make out the plates; maybe somebody near you will chime in and help.

 

It's not exactly really *hard* work or anything; just a bit on the time consuming end.

 

As was mentioned above, have you been able to open the hood (carefully! Watch the windshield) and check out the frame rails for damage?