Turbo/S2 front tow eye ripped at and possible chassis / panel damage .. experiences?

[sutters]

Hi chaps a strange one I appreciate. Long story short my car on a mechanical test run broke down and was towed, the front eyelet screwed in (whether fully or not I don't know) to the front of the cars impact bar. The car was towed some distance before the the eyelet breaking from the bar. I've no idea if this was under cornering or which speed. The car is back but I can immediately see that the wings, bonnet, nose and head lights are all out of line. The head lights rub on the bonnet when raised and I've a 1 cm gap between each door and the wings. It's as though everything's been shifted forward.

I have spoken to a knowledgable garage who explained the above abd will undertake the work. The car drives perfectly although he did say he will not know the extent of the damage or if there's any major chassis damage until the cars striped down.

Does anyone have any experiences of similar at all or can add anything that may help/prepare me for the work ahead?


Thanks in advance.

Ian

 

[Monkeythree]

No first hand experience of your issue but from your description it sounds like it's had an almighty wrench forward on the towing eye from a standstill. 1cm gap between the doors and the front wings is enormous even by 944 build standards and would indicate that the inner wings are no longer the same shape that they were which is a worry. Can't figure out how they might distort that much though when they are attached to the chassis legs? Unless the bulkhead has also bent? Would need a hell of a force to pull the whole front end forward like that?

 

[924Srr27l]

Hi chaps a strange one I appreciate. Long story short my car on a mechanical test run broke down and was towed, the front eyelet screwed in (whether fully or not I don't know) to the front of the cars impact bar. The car was towed some distance before the the eyelet breaking from the bar. I've no idea if this was under cornering or which speed. The car is back but I can immediately see that the wings, bonnet, nose and head lights are all out of line. The head lights rub on the bonnet when raised and I've a 1 cm gap between each door and the wings. It's as though everything's been shifted forward.

I have spoken to a knowledgable garage who explained the above and will undertake the work. The car drives perfectly although he did say he will not know the extent of the damage or if there's any major chassis damage until the cars striped down.
Does anyone have any experiences of similar at all or can add anything that may help/prepare me for the work ahead?
Thanks in advance.
Ian

This sounds totally bizarre ! You've mentioned " a knowledgeable garage who explained the above and will undertake the work"
Have they explained exactly what the issue is ? and is what work needs undertaking ? and is it the same garage that towed the car?

R

 

[sutters]

I discribed the towing incident and got half way through my explanation of the panels and he took over describing what could had happened and that he'd seen it before. no it's not the garage that undertook the mechanical, this is a restorer so also has good body work knowledge.

I may have exagerated sligh red gap sizes.

 

[924Srr27l]

I discribed the towing incident and got half way through my explanation of the panels and he took over describing what could had happened and that he'd seen it before. no it's not the garage that undertook the mechanical, this is a restorer so also has good body work knowledge.
I may have exagerated sligh red gap sizes.

Ok so the restorer has seen this before, what exactly is he saying has happened ? or is he not telling you?

R

 

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[944Scott]

I'm wondering if you have a rusty bulkhead which has weakened and moved after the tow as it looks like you have some rust on that A pillar []

 

[sutters]

No idea why there's two of each pic sorry

 

[924Srr27l]

That's a Worry!

 

[sutters]

I'm wondering if you have a rusty bulkhead which as weakened and moved after the tow as it looks like you have some rust on that A pillar []

Well it's all being taken to bits so we'll find out soon enough.

 

[944Scott]

Are you claiming on insurance?

 

[PSH]

Sorry to see this, those pictures certainly don't look pretty....I have never heard of this type of damage to a 944? clearly, it's not been towed properly/carefully, ...the pictures that show the windscreen rubber seal..was this always hanging out or was it where it's supposed to be trapped underneath the wing flange?
I'm not convinced that a single abrupt jolt forward could do this much damage, my first thoughts are that the handbrake was left on when the car was towed, the wheels may have turned, to begin with, but would rapidly heat up and possibly lock solid, if the vehicle was travelling at any speed, even low when this happened it could have done the damage seen. I would want to check the whole car for evidence of exactly what caused this and how much damage has been done and not just to the front...
Again I'm truly sorry to see this Ian, hope you get this resolved very quickly.

Pete

 

[sutters]

Sorry to see this, those pictures certainly don't look pretty....I have never heard of this type of damage to a 944? clearly, it's not been towed properly/carefully, ...the pictures that show the windscreen rubber seal..was this always hanging out or was it where it's supposed to be trapped underneath the wing flange?
I'm not convinced that a single abrupt jolt forward could do this much damage, my first thoughts are that the handbrake was left on when the car was towed, the wheels may have turned, to begin with, but would rapidly heat up and possibly lock solid, if the vehicle was travelling at any speed, even low when this happened it could have done the damage seen. I would want to check the whole car for evidence of exactly what caused this and how much damage has been done and not just to the front...
Again I'm truly sorry to see this Ian, hope you get this resolved very quickly.

Pete

The windscreen rubber has perished and flaps about, was like that already. As said thevcar drives perfectly but it will under go a full inspection all over. I'll report back when she has gone in and work started.

Ian

 

[zcacogp]

Erm, damage aside, what actually happened? It sounds like you weren't with the car when it was damaged. The phrase 'a mechanical test run' has me thinking that the car was being worked on by a garage and needed towing when it stopped working, and it was the garage who arranged (and probably did) the tow, and who presented your car back to you in the state it currently is in.

I hope that the garage who did the damage is not the one who is proposing to fix it.

Oli.

 

[sutters]

Ok guys here's that update, I fished about and after time picked up a pretty local recommendation for the work. The car was taken to DSD Motor Werks in Essex, where the owner Dave Dennett assessed that car. I left her with him Saturday and was called yesterday with an extremely swift update. He had removed the wings, front bumper, nose panel and light pods. Replaced the front impact bar from which the tow eye had been ripped out. The bar itself had taken the full strain of what he referred to as a large yank under tow which created the damage. They checked for any further structural damage or chassis movement which wasn't detected. The new impact bar was fitted and then they went about replacing and realigning the panels from scratch, with great results. The front end now sits correct with decent spacing and no rubbing of any form. To say I am pleased is an absolute understatement. The car will under go some paint, new window rubbers and other worn or missing trim before being returned.

I will update further.

Ian

 

[Eldavo]

Great news.

 

[PSH]

+1...hope you get her back soon Ian....

Pete