Date:         Mon, 20 Jul 2009 11:04:43 -0400
Reply-To:     VW Doka <vw.doka@GMAIL.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         VW Doka <vw.doka@GMAIL.COM>
Subject:      Re: Van wrecked, wondering if it's worth repairing
Comments: To: Allan Streib <streib@cs.indiana.edu>
In-Reply-To:  <1248101715.32112.1325896383@webmail.messagingengine.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1

Allan,

The binding is most likely being caused by sheet metal or because the
steering shafts are out of alignment, or the mounting for the steering
gear in the dash is slight tweaked.  The steering rack is located
along the axis of the front wheels, so it's pretty safe.

Sorry about your loss...

Cheers,

Jeff



On Mon, Jul 20, 2009 at 10:55 AM, Allan Streib<streib@cs.indiana.edu> wrote:
> Wife hit another car from behind in my '91 GL.  No injuries, thankfully.  The impact was largely just above the bumper on the driver's side.  It doesn't look TOO bad, but the steering is binding pretty badly.  I'm guessing the steering box up front was damaged, or there's some crushed sheet metal interfering with it.  Also the driver's door has been bumped a bit out of place though it will still open and close.  The door itself is undamaged; the damage appears to be confined to the front nose sheet metal.
>
> The van is a high-miler (over 200K) but no rust and in pretty good shape.  I've put in a new steering rack, ball joints, radius rod bushings, shifter linkage kits, fuel hoses, gas tank vents, and misc. other work over the past year.
>
> Wondering how much work it would be to cut off the front nose (or maybe just the left half of it) and replace it?  I have a welder and though I'm not very experienced at it am willing to give it a try.
>
> Is there likely to be any other structural distortion?  I know the front ends of these vans are pretty strong, so hoping it's repairable.
>
> I can post photos later today.
>
> Allan
> --
> 1991 Vanagon GL
>