Car guys: Worst repair job you've ever seen?

[Gary119]

Rusty does restoration work on the cars we all lust for. He does it right

Corvettes have a frame. I have seen 2 Vettes that were retrieved from long naps in barns etc that had frames that were beyond repair.
The design of a unibody differs from car to car/Manf to Manf.
Plastic fenders will not support anything but paint so the structure is designed around this.
Rust needs to be completely removed or it will be back. It is inevitable. Cut it out and replace the metal.
well, unless you are a flipper and just cobbling something together to pass along.....

We have used dura glass. It is a way to get there but not on a car I would keep.

I'm quite familiar with how corvettes are built.

I'm also quite familiar with restoration work and collision work.

So how was a unibody on a Shelby different than a mustang, hint there wasn't any. For sent mustang body's to. Shelby to be completed up until 1970 then ford took over.

The unibody structure on the vehicles are mostly the same, plastic finders or not but if you want to tell me how they differ I'm all ears.

As far as duraglass it has it's place. And as I said the proper way is to replace the panel at factory seams. It was another poster who ask about fiberglass repairs and Mr Hornet's reply that it damaged the structure of the vehicle.

His reply of being a "different animasl" on the vehicles i spoke of? I'm still waiting for an answer.

Cobbling and being a flipper I'll leave to you guys.

 

[churchmouse]

I'm quite familiar with how corvettes are built.

I'm also quite familiar with restoration work and collision work.

So bow was a unibody on a Shelby different than a mustang, hint there wasn't any. For sent mustang body's to. Shelby to be completed up until 1970 then ford took over.

The unibody structure on the vehicles are mostly the same, plastic finders or not.

As far as duraglass it has it's place. And as I said the proper way is to replace the panel at factory seams.

Not to sure why you would insult me, being a flipper? I'll put my work up against anyone's at any time.

Not sure why you took that statement as aimed at you. It was more a general statement.

I am well aware that Mustangs are just Mustangs. I grew up with these cars. Many were not aware that early 60's mopars were unitized body construction.
We were of the mind set that any mods/repairs that altered our cars strength were a no go. Learned early on that a uni-body car could get twisted up if you applied enough H.P. to it. Being of weak minds and speed needy we built and installed an LS-6 into a buddy's 1968 Nova. It was a small block car with a 10 bolt single leaf suspension that went south right away. 12 bolt multi leaf with the best traction bars of the day were required.
After a few trips to the strip and a bit of light to light racing the doors did not line up very well anymore. A trip to his uncles body shop and the frame rack set the car back in spec.
His uncle showed us how to make/install frame tie's. It was some work as unlike the ones available from lakewood etc that bolted in we removed the interior and sliced the floor pan and welded the rails in place from the suframe to the leaf spring front mounts. We hung the leaf's from the new rails. This put some serious strength into the body. It also allowed more tire under the car with some work to the wells. We did that to every late 60's GM Camaro/Nova from then on. I made up a set for a 67 Nova I had as well.
We have done complete back halves as well. Big power and go fast.

No insult towards you was intended and if that was how I delivered my post then I apologize.
After years of doing all of my own Mods etc habits are formed from info shared and lessons learned.

 

[Leadeye]

Radiator replacement under warranty, they forgot to hook up the AT cooling lines. Lost power in an intersection where I was lucky there was no traffic. I blame MJ.

 

[dprimm]

My first car was a 76 Maverick. Rust bucket that had the holes over the wheelwells filled with road tar.

Nothing like the stories being told here though. Only thing about that car is some jerk put sugar in the gas tank -- and the car ran better!

 

[Greyson]

Speaking of lug nuts... Hubler in Greenwood was driving my Toyota out of the garage to return it after their scheduled "maintenance"... I watched several of my lug nuts go flying across the lot. When I looked inside the car, I saw the new and yet to be installed cabin filter on the passenger seat.

 

[Greyson]

My son-in-law needed my truck for the weekend so I decided to go ahead and do some brake work before he took it out of State.
I asked Eastgate Dodge to turn my rotors. Nothing else. I dropped it off and told them on Wednesday that I absolutely needed it back NLT late Friday. I called twice on Friday to check up - no response to my voicemails. I called Saturday - no reply. I called the tech and his boss Monday AM, they still did not reply. Monday PM I finally spoke to the shop manager. Tuesday I was told to come and pick up my truck.
My bill was MUCH more than the original quote so I got to looking at it; New plugs, full tune up, changed some hoses twice, etc.

Oh, and they told me that some of the rotors on my 15K miles truck were now of borderline thickness and should be replaced.

 

[thunderchicken]

How awesome is that. I'm not even sure how I would approach that with the service manager and general manager. My first inclination would be refuse to pay for the extra parts labor you hadn't authorized. But they could potentially hold your vehicle ransome... Hopefully all worked ot well

 

[eldirector]

Similar story with a north-sie Chavy dealership. Dropped off my wife's old S-10 Blazer there for a radiator flush/fill. Didn't hear anything for several hours, so gave them a call. Said it was ready to pick up and the bill was $3000! Turns out they replaced the radiator, heater core, and all hoses. They also forgot to call and get permission from either me or my wife. After much arguing back and forth, I went and picked it up, only paying for the flush/fill. They also left the truck a MESS, with greasy fingerprints ALL OVER the dash. I also had to take it back, as the dash was barely hanging by a couple of bolts, and started to fall off on one side. Needless to say, we have never darkened their door since.

 

[HoughMade]

I worked at a used car dealership in the early '90s (selling mostly GM trucks). Here are a few examples from trades or auction vehicles we bought (bought them cheap, fixed them and made a profit):

- S-10 Blazer lowered by heating the springs with a torch until they drooped (actually we had about 3 or 4 trucks like this).

- Wood blocks (at least they were pressure treated) used on a K-20 Scottsdale to raise it 3.5 inches.

- K-5 Blazer with one automatic front hub, and one manual (have to admit, we missed that one when we bought it, but we put 2 new automatics on it)

- Silverado with 4.3L V6JB Weld on a cracked block to hold the coolant in....it didn't.

- F-350: Perfectly good new fiberglass fender on a dually attached over a bed side that was roughly pounded out and not finished. On the drive home from the auction, I also found out it skipped 2nd gear...but we got the transmission replaced under warranty.

- Sunbird sunroof glass replaced by plexi permanently siliconed in place...still leaked.

- Mazda B-2000: a complicated bungee arrangement to hold the gearshift lever in place because it popped out of 3rd and 5th.

- Chevy cube van- broken leaf springs welded to the leaves above and below

- '78 F-150 4x4 (with a built 351W) a hardware store spring to get the clutch pedal to return

 

[Greyson]

Wow. I'll be more careful about buying a used car now. Thanks HoughMade