Dude, I bent my car
08-22-2008, 03:45 PM
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Dude, I bent my car I scored a 98 Z28 with T-tops about two months ago, and as far as I could tell, the body panels were all straight and well aligned. The car only had 15k miles on it. In the short time I've driven it, less than 2k miles, the drivers side is noticeably compressed. The DS t-top fits very tight, while the PS has about 1/4" extra gap at the outer edge. A similar theme, though less extreme, is noticeable down lower; behind the sail panels and in the door fitment.
Is this common? Was it caused by massive torque from gunning it a few times?
I jacked it up a couple of times (to change the oil once and just to look around once) and wonder if I warped things up jacking one corner or another up too high without taking both sides of the front up gradually together (?)
Any thoughts? And more important, is this something that can be readily straightened out before I mount some SFCs and maybe other stabilizer bars?
Thanks for any input
Is this common? Was it caused by massive torque from gunning it a few times?
I jacked it up a couple of times (to change the oil once and just to look around once) and wonder if I warped things up jacking one corner or another up too high without taking both sides of the front up gradually together (?)
Any thoughts? And more important, is this something that can be readily straightened out before I mount some SFCs and maybe other stabilizer bars?
Thanks for any input
08-22-2008, 05:59 PM
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Have you tried adjusting the shims in your ttops?
As far as body panels go well its a camaro, not a BMW. My doors are gapped more on top then on the bottom but have you seen the size of these doors? I think its natural they will sag.
You could always take it to a shop, but unless someone was running DR's O dont think the torque from a stock LS1 could warp the unit-body.
As far as body panels go well its a camaro, not a BMW. My doors are gapped more on top then on the bottom but have you seen the size of these doors? I think its natural they will sag.
You could always take it to a shop, but unless someone was running DR's O dont think the torque from a stock LS1 could warp the unit-body.
08-22-2008, 06:52 PM
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My first thought is t-bone. I'd try looking under the car for damage or signs of repair work. You could also check the VIN on the driver door stickers, see if they match the dash.
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08-25-2008, 04:05 PM
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08-25-2008, 04:09 PM
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08-25-2008, 04:31 PM
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Carfax is clean and there is no hint of any paint work ever being done, so I don't think its been wrecked. The subtle warpage I speak of wasn't there a month ago and I haven't so much as hit a pot hole hard in the couple of thousand miles I've driven it. The only stress I've given it is hard driving and jacking it up.
08-25-2008, 04:44 PM
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just a fyi, carfax is a joke. i have had 2 cars that ive been in multiple collisions with all police reports and insurance claims and they are clean as a whistle. i read about some one doing a carfax on a 97 SS that was a insurance write off in a junkyard for a year and it came back clean. as far as the flex, jacking it up incorrectly could do it but who knows.
