Slam bar bent after light crash

[chukz00]

With my luck I have had some idiot slam the brakes on yellow lights last minute and was very unfortunate to hit her. She got away with it, so did i thought, but on closer inspection i found that the Slam bar (Protecting e cooler and engine) is bent inwards, causing the head lights to be miss aligned. (as seen in the pictures)

No cosmetical damage, the bumper as well as the lights are not even scratched!
https://www.dropbox.com/s/utavspjyicven8x/2013-06-12 15.52.43.jpg

https://www.dropbox.com/s/bprzn0aimbiu6yl/2013-06-12 15.53.13.jpg

I then found that it is impossible to change the bar unless you wield on a new one which i was quoted no cheaper than £200 (bearing in mind i bought the car for 400 )

Any suggestions on how to get this sorted cheaper? maybe by physically bending the bar? and how?

I appreciate your help guys!

 

[alexwilliams840]

probably not best to bodge a piece of important structure

 

[Severio]

Hey, its a bit dodgey but it is possible to bend it out, tow rope around something solid an reverse gently, just watch you don't pop the radiator..

 

[chukz00]

Yeah i was thinking about that too, but will it affect MOT?

 

[fairlight]

Possibly, you need to check headlight alignment after you have tried to straighten any damage. If the alignment is out it will fail an mot.

 

[chukz00]

So basically as long as the allignment looks fine from the outside it will pass?

I have been told by a mechanic that specialises in chassis repairs that its a write off instead of getting it fixed :S but the damage doesnt look bad at all!

 

[yippeekiay]

As above, just give it a good heave ho. Doesn't look all that bad. k:

 

[zinc2000]

Think I would be tempted to use a hand winch and solid object rather than moving the car, makes it more controlable and you can watch what you are doing as you straighten it.

But as above looks easy enough.

 

[Puma Babe]

If I was going to drive that I'd want a new solid slam panel and a new undamaged bumper. If you pull the slam panel 'straight' it will still be a damaged weakened slam panel. When you consider how far out the bonnet looks and the left wing looks pushed out on that picture, I'd be concerned about the structural integrity of that car.

 

[chukz00]

I just got it sorted at a garage with my mate. Took off the grill, tied up the bar with a 7ton towing truck and kept reversing.

Here is a video:

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=erPi1Mpk[/youtube]

Everything else alligned perfectly after the pull :grin:

@puma babe, yeah your right, i will need to be more careful now, the mechanic said the next crash wont be so easy to sort out. The bumper is mint, from the outside the car looks as good as new

 

[chukz00]

Thanks for all the help guys! :wink: