Bent Metric Chassis - Help please

[jtb032295]

Hey guys, I am greatly in need of some help..

The past weekend led to a wild crash.. To save some breath, let's just say the frame is now bent and it looks to be in a bad spot to me.. The right rear frame rail is rotated clockwise (from the back of the car). It also took the lower control arm mount with it, making me worried about if it's fixable.. Any advice is appreciated..

A few things:
-Metric chassis (Monte Carlo)
-I've found the dirt forum toolbox with specs
-This is a circle track car

[ZIGGY]

Yes, almost certainly your chassis can be fixed although your description is sparse.
Wherever there's circle track racing, there's going to be crash damage and
there are going to be people who build and repair chassis. As is the case with all else in life,
a couple will be better than the rest of the herd. Ask the fast guys who they recommend.
Get on Dirt Forum and 4M and ask for people in your area but look at their work before
the pulling, cutting, replacing, etc. start. Make sure you find ALL the damage.

[jtb032295]

Yes, almost certainly your chassis can be fixed although your description is sparse.
Wherever there's circle track racing, there's going to be crash damage and
there are going to be people who build and repair chassis. As is the case with all else in life,
a couple will be better than the rest of the herd. Ask the fast guys who they recommend.
Get on Dirt Forum and 4M and ask for people in your area but look at their work before
the pulling, cutting, replacing, etc. start. Make sure you find ALL the damage.

Haha thanks for the advice! I know the description is vague but it's hard to explain.. A car drove the RR forward, bending the frame right at the lower control arm mount.

I've been thinking about just trying to get it back as best as possible and run it.. see what it does? My theory is that if all of the suspension mounting points are correct and there is no binding, it should be ok? After all, the track only knows where the wheels are, not where the frame is at?

[ZIGGY]

the track only knows where the wheels are, not where the frame is at?

You have the right idea. Measure and eyeball, chain it down and go to work with your porta puller
and torch. Or cut off and replace. Or both. Experience is what you get right after you needed it so now's your chance.
As a good racer, you should know where everything was and how the car scaled before the crash. If not, now's
your chance again. And now is your opportunity to get cute with control arm mounting points, etc. if you're so inclined.
If you've been a racer for a bit, you've heard some guys swear their car worked better after it was bent, and sometimes
it's true. Good luck.

P.S. - As I said before, check for damage that is not immediately obvious. Hard hit in RR may have tweaked axle housing,
pushed damage to LR parts, cracked cage tubes, etc. Check everything, assume nothing.

[jtb032295]

the track only knows where the wheels are, not where the frame is at?

You have the right idea. Measure and eyeball, chain it down and go to work with your porta puller
and torch. Or cut off and replace. Or both. Experience is what you get right after you needed it so now's your chance.
As a good racer, you should know where everything was and how the car scaled before the crash. If not, now's
your chance again. And now is your opportunity to get cute with control arm mounting points, etc. if you're so inclined.
If you've been a racer for a bit, you've heard some guys swear their car worked better after it was bent, and sometimes
it's true. Good luck.

P.S. - As I said before, check for damage that is not immediately obvious. Hard hit in RR may have tweaked axle housing,
pushed damage to LR parts, cracked cage tubes, etc. Check everything, assume nothing.

The axle tube is WAYY bent haha.. And I'll be replacing all of the control arms in the rear as well as checking all of the mounts. This car has a long way to go before it gets back on the track but I'm mainly concerned with the frame damage.. Bolt-on parts are no big deal and can easily be replaced.. The frame and suspension mounts are the tough parts but it certainly makes it easier knowing that my theory is correct.. I have a good car to take measurements from and get the control arm mounts back where they belong so I think I can do this...

I've been into racing for 7 years now and have won a lot of races with this car.. I just can't give up on it that easy

[BCjohnny]

Assuming the frame was square to begin with, get it up on stands on a flattish floor, and a tape measure and a plumb bob will show you what you've got.

Some of the best handling cars out there started off as 'crash damaged' repairs, so don't necessarily overlook the opportunity .......

[jtb032295]

Thanks for the help guys! As I'm looking at it, it may be easier to cut and weld a new section of frame in.. Does anyone know of a company that makes these frame rails?

Worst case, I find an old frame somewhere and hack it up...

[ZIGGY]

Guessing at your situation I'd expect a stock donor would be best. They're getting harder to find but still
available here;don't know about your location. There are suppliers who offer fab'd replacements (try Johnson in
Earnhardt's hometown 704-784-5353) but not that cheap and the ones I've seen don't look stock, which may be a rules problem for you.

[ZIGGY]

-I've found the dirt forum toolbox with specs