[alfa] Re: dlou's bent GTV 6

["John Hertzman" <johnhertzman@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

In the three-way point-counterpoint on the damage to Dennis Lou's GTV 6, Joe
Elliott's advice ("don't write it off until a reputable body shop tells you
it's shot") is right enough but his further opinion ("I'm tempted to think
that the damage is really pretty superficial from a structural standpoint")
seems very unlikely to me. The perpetrator didn't touch the quarter-panel-
witness the immaculate area around the immaculate tail light in the photos -
but clobbered the hell out of the boxed section the bumper mounts to, which
ties into the rear floor, rear bulkhead, sills, wheelwell, and the structural
panels which tie the wheelwell to the B-pillar. My guess is that all of the
superficial damage to the quarter panel is entirely a consequence of the
fundamental distortions of the basic structure, and that a skilled operator on
a frame machine would be vastly more important than the panel-mender who could
do the easy work of fixing the existing quarter panel. Relatively light
visible damage isn't always the core problem.

As always, sympathy and best wishes -

John H.
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