VE Light Front Collision Repair

[Unbender]

First post,

I‘m tidying a late S1 VE for an old mate who failed to stop for a Corolla, he also had failed to renew his insurance. Whoops… Cue the kerbside repair.







About $1800 in used bits later, here we are (note, nearside guard has since been replaced, too). I had to hot work three of the spot weld tabs on the rail end flanges - not the rails themselves, they were fine. Radiator support bolted up beautifully, I was honestly slightly surprised!



Bumper is only held on by a few bolts, the under-light brackets are not fitted yet. Have never touched a Commodore previously, most of it was reasonably intuitive. Maybe not including the interplay of scuff plate and sill cover!

I’ve got some detail questions as the project approaches completion, but I’ll wait to see if I’ve busted any golden rules with this first post, before launching.

Cheers

 

[krusing]

Did you paint the replacement panels?

 

[Unbender]

Did you paint the replacement panels?

G’day, no - I searched for panels in factory Red Passion. Figured at least it meant no edging up, and paid more accordingly. Obviously the bar needs paint and I still have to replace the bonnet hinges (have spares in - I think - Sizzle Red) so they would have to be blown in.

Experienced people here would be able to tell me, in a shunt like this do I need to only replace the upper part of the hinge, or the lower piece it bolts to, as well? I have the complete assemblies so can do either.

Cheers

 

[Fu Manchu]

There is two versions of that paint code. A high metallic and a duller version.

Most are the duller version.

No airbag deployment by the look. Lucky.

There is a thread I did somewhere on the tray under the car and I think @losh1971 has asked for details before as well.

 

[Unbender]

No airbag deployment by the look. Lucky.

Yes, that rolled the dice in old mate’s favour. Bags/belts and a screen would have been pushing the economics. There’s a stored code, I think for the sensor that got crushed. Radiator support harness only needed some plug housings replacing, the actual wires and connector pins were fine.

265K on the clock, probably 2/3 of that on the open road and both owners (I know the first one as well) aged 70+ mean it’s never been abused, another reason to see how it came up.

That’s informative about the paint code - thanks. This one is 352N but apparently the bonnet and offside guard donor were 26U (it was an Omega). When I ran out of luck chasing a matching bar I had some 352N mixed up, but haven’t sprayed out a test panel yet. There were no variants in the colour library by that code, could it be that 26U is the other one you describe?

 

[Fu Manchu]

There is 100% two versions of that paint code.

When I opened this thread my heart stopped for a second. I thought it was my old Calais.

 

[Unbender]

I’d appreciate any help in placing this drain channel (attached images), please. There’s no GM number on it, just a raised “R” moulded in. I’d say it fell off when either removing the offside front guard or the cowl covers.

OCD types, I cleaned it after the pictures, but wanted to show the dirt to assist with ideas of how it aligned.

Other bits of fine-tuning are ongoing, I also found my $60 used radiator was leaking from a crack near the rightmost fan shroud anchor lug. Sucked it up and bought a new Adrad through work: “Koyo, they’re Japanese made; it will be good“… Of course when it arrived, the label said Indonesia.

Thinking that with all the jiggling it could be clever to replace the o-rings in the trans cooler couplings where the front flexes meet the rear hardlines (just beside the balancer). I couldn’t find a size online so was going to pop one out and see what is around in Viton or HNBR.

Hoping to send it out to the owner this weekend as a usable hack, my AC bloke is on leave for another three weeks and I don‘t have time yet for the chains. Still got to paint the bar, so it will be rocking a loaner SSV piece while I get the Calais one prepped and sprayed.

 

[Fu Manchu]

They are from the wiper cowl. The rubber one is driver side. The foam is from passenger.

 

[Unbender]

Thanks - I wasn‘t too far wrong in my guessing, then. Plastic wrapped foam pillow was spotted and reinstalled on passenger side as you describe. I’ve got a neighbour who would find it funny to leave a likely looking bolt, clip or other part under the car, so I couldn’t rule out a joke being played.

Feeling for the bloke with his snapped off washer tube in a different thread, I have a stick-chewing cat who did the same damage.

 

[Fu Manchu]

Thanks - I wasn‘t too far wrong in my guessing, then. Plastic wrapped foam pillow was spotted and reinstalled on passenger side as you describe. I’ve got a neighbour who would find it funny to leave a likely looking bolt, clip or other part under the car, so I couldn’t rule out a joke being played.

Feeling for the bloke with his snapped off washer tube in a different thread, I have a stick-chewing cat who did the same damage.

The rubber seal on the drivers side is glued to the plastic cowl. I had to glue mine back on.

Do you need the part numbers for the cowl clips? There is a particular arrangement of different types.