'86 Slicktop with a bent frame. I need opinions.

Any competent shop can fix any of the above issues. There is nothing special about the Z31 that makes it any more difficult to fix the body/frame

It's a cost thing though. After a few hours of body shop work you've more or less paid for a shell that already has a straight body.

True, but how easy is it to find a slicktop with a perfect body? Other than the frame, this car doesn't have a single dent. Scratches, and chips, yes. But no dents whatsoever. Plus it runs like a top. Plus it was only $450! We took it home yesterday. If we can't fix the frame, we will buy a shell. I think we might try to fix the frame ourselves.

Slicktop does make a difference, since those are so hard to find.

All I have to say after that comment is may that slicktop rest in peace…

Oh ye of little faith. I think we may take it to a shop and get a quote of the repair, but if it costs a fortune, we will do it ourselves. As long as we are very careful, and measure about 10,000 times, it should be okay.I was planning on finding a straight Z in a junkyard, taking all the suspension components and anything else that was tweaked on the old frame, then making a template and cutting out the section of frame we need. Then we cut out precisely the same section from the slicktop, measure very carefully, and weld it in. I may make a jig from the straight car, that way we know we get it right. It's all about taking our time and not rushing through it.

Don't to do it yourself. That shit is like geometry as you straighten here, you lose shit over there. Stuff must be held in place while you pull. Since you bought it, man up and spend on it.

Actually, I've got a decent game plan. The advantage we have is that we have a straight car and a bent car. We can use my turbo to take measurements to determine what bent. Then, once we know what needs to change, we build a jig using my car to line up all the bolt holes and whatnot. That will act as an exact basis for what needs to be where. Then we just have to line it all up to the jig. We wouldn't even necessarily need a donor car. The bend doesn't look that bad anyway. Measuring will tell us exactly how bad it is though.

Frames aren't rocket science, there is no magic involved. As long as it ends up straight and strong, we're in business. I was thinking we could even do some frame re-enforcement at the same time and create some bracing.

There is a reason that shops use laser precise measurements when making frame repairs…

First thing I'd do is put it on an alignment machine and see how bad it actually is. If its something that can be fixed with adjustable tension rods or camber plates then fix the alignment and leave the body alone.

I fixed a couple wrecked cars that were worse than that, all it takes is money.

You guys don't need to fuss over the difficulty of fixing a frame, the body was put together in sections at the factory, the ONLY thing they had was a unibody jig that supported the car evenly while they bolted/welded in subsequent pieces

Therefore, all you really need to do is support the car the same way, remove all unnecessary weight like the drivetrain, and use the FSM (it has a nifty measurements page you can check your major points for deviation)

My racecar hit a snowbank in it's previous life, made the bumper support tilt up one side, bent the headlight bucket a touch, but the chassis itself measured true, even with dented frame rails

Some body shops have complex frame machines with laser measurement, ect. Many body shops have anchored rails, hydraulic rams, and tape measures.

+1

Technically every section can be drilled from a donor car by drilling out the spot welds, and welded onto the new body. You can also still order most of those sections new from Nissan, depending on how much cash you are willing to shell out.

I had not thought of that! That is brilliant, and might be a much easier thing to do in a junkyard than cutting out a section. Sounds like there are plenty of options here. Now I just need to make sure my little brother remains patient, so we can do it right. He wants to start driving it, and I said absolutely not. It's just not ready for that, as it has several issues at the moment, the frame being a major one.