I posted some pictures of my crunched Alpine at:
http://www.netcom.com/~pwheeler/alpineouch.htm
The body shop guy came over and looked at it today. We had a bit of a
language barrier and I had a hard time being sure I understood what all he
said, but I think he's pretty good mechanically. At least people I respect
use him and the work I've seen him do seems pretty good for what seems a
decent cost. A few of his comments are:
* Save the fender instead of replacing. The interior of the engine
compartment would not be able to be made to match and it would cost almost
as much to replace the fender as to fix it. I discussed excessive use of
Bond-O but he assured me that it could be done with a minimal application.
I understand someone with good skills and torches might be able to do this
but am unsure. I would prefer not to be part of dissecting another Alpine
if possible.
* Replace the steering arm, knuckle (?), and upper and lower arms. From
looking at the car I believe that the entire yoke assembly that hold the
A-arms on both sides of the car needs to be fixed. I suggested I'd ask
around and try and track something down.
He basically quoted me $4,500 for the insurance costs to fix the following:
* steering system rebuild and replace (I provide parts) ($400-500)
* fix front drivers side fender ($1,000-1,300)
* Fix ding in rear driver's side fender and passenger's side front fender,
remove and reseal windshield and fix water channels holes ($1,600)
* Repaint whole car with good quality paint ($1,500)
It seems steep, but at the same time, it seems like a lot is being done. If
I can get the insurance to cough up great, if not, I'm gonna hurt.
Suggestions?
-Patrick
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