fowljesse's GS/SE DE/ZE ;)

[wytbishop]

Glad you're back at it Jesse. I've missed you.

[IMACHU2]

Yipes! Car-gawd speed getting it fixed.

[MrMazda92]

Welcome back!

You should check out my work log(s), I picked up another car
I picked up a bunch of other stuff too... I may have some stuff you're needing, any chance you have a list ready to go? I'd like to do my part to help!

Seriously, it's awesome to have you back. You inspired me to do things differently, and I owe you big for it.

[WhiteFinish]

Welcome back Jesse

[marcdh]

yeehaw he's back! Welcome back Jesse

[fowljesse]

Well. Gawl dang! Thanks guys!
I can't think of any thing I need off-hand, except a driver's side HID housing, which no one is going to have lying around
The daily driver is now my parts car, since there's a blockage in the engine block, preventing coolant flow I would swap in a ZE, if I had the place to do it. She has been a great car.
Unless someone has a better idea, I'm going to buy a ratcheting cable puller (come along) at Harbor Freight, and pull the corner back out.

[IMACHU2]

The damage looks pretty superficial. Mazda's are pretty thin, it is easy to move metal around. A ratcheting cable puller, a emoveable object to chain the car too, perhaps a slide hammer. You now have a parts car to get a front sheetmetal clip off of. So stop crying in your beer, and get to work already. Ya I said it.

[MrMazda92]

There's a freshly rebuilt 10:1 KLDE on PT with Interprep springs and KL01 cams for $600+ shipping($250-300) to Oregon right now, if you're interested in a clean start for the daily!

[Daninski]

Good thing those projectors were free. So list the parts you need and let the donations commence.

[fowljesse]

True story, IMACHU; I went to harbor freight before reading this, and got a 4,000lb ratcheting winch (which, incidentally, is what I call my girlfriend..just kidding), and an eye bolt, and various washers. I will drill into the crease, bolt the eye in, and ratchet it out, inch by inch.

Thanks MrMazda. I have to buy a storage unit full of old clothes on Wednesday, so I won't have the money. That would be the thing to do, otherwise! Maybe it will be around for a while...

Yeah, Dan. I got another set for $50 at the same time, as part of the deal, and I sold them after a while of not crashing

[MrMazda92]

Girlfriend jokes are great, until they catch you!

Good luck with the storage unit, I hope it all goes well The engine hasn't been listed for long, I wanted to buy it tbh... I can't though, I have so many other things I need to buy.

[fowljesse]

..... so... my car was totalled, and they gave me $1,006 for it, and I had it towed to Cjthor's. I couldn't figure out why it was running so badly. Fast forward to now, or.. yesterday. I decided I'd use my fowljesse powers and fix it. It couldn't be that tough, right? Just pull the metal back into place..

I had a plan.

I bought the winch puller (4,000 lb.), and an eye bolt, and used my cheap drill for bolt holes.



Here's what I started with:



I thought I'd start by pulling at the creases...



There's the nut on the end of the eye bolt. I used a lot of washers, too.



An MX-3 helps a brotha out.



Pulling the frame, and bumper bracket back into place..



For an upward angle, I backed down the driveway, and used the chains that I use for doing aerial acrobatics with fire. You can see one of the wicks, and burn marks on the chains.



I needed a more upward angle. Don't try this at home, kids! There was about 1,000 lbs of tension in it (maybe more, because it was pulling the stock MX-3 up, and backward).



Sometimes, I needed to pry, so I used a sway bar for my travel trailer.



Other times, it took finesse..



..and in the end, it all lined up!





Mostly done, and my back was getting sore.



...and finished!! It worked!



I'm buying another set of projectors, and am sure I'll have to do some more fine tuning then. Also, the hood is trashed, but I'm going to try to save the skin, and make it useable again. If I can't, I'm going to make an OEM CF hood with angry eyes.
This took about 9 hours, and a lot of strength.
The radiator was about 2 inches off center, and the driver's side was about 2 inches back. The entire corner was smashed against the tire. The part that the fender bolts to had a fold in it that was tough to straighten out. The moral of this story.. it's possible!

[RobMinhas]

Oh my goodness! That's some straight up Macgyvering right there! Many props man.

[WhiteFinish]

Wow !!

Great DIY !

[MrMazda92]

Only you Jesse! Good job!!