My $500 Alero

[Papa Rad17]

looking good

[DRM Racing]

very nice work. cant wait to see it completed

[GBodyFreak]

I doubt it'll ever be totally "finished" but it's definitely getting there! They're putting my little DD to shame:







And the technical stuff: It took 5 coats to get it completely sprayed out. Unfortunately, it had some very heavy orange peal especially in sunlight due to using a primer gun. He wet sanded it with 1500 grit. It was finished off with a compound polisher to bring the texture under control. This was total overkill for a rustoleum paintjob, but it's still really impressive what can be done with such inexpensive paint. If you don't have access to a gun or compressor, you can get pretty good results using a tight nap roller. It's just all in the prepwork.

[GBodyFreak]

That was short-lived. Some clueless girl rear ended him and it got totalled out. The real kicker was her family's and the insurance company's reaction when he filed his claim. "Oh... we thought you wouldn't care since it's just an old junker anyway." Anyway, we're now looking for something else to drop that built 3.4L into. hard to find another deal like that though.

[jawa]

rear end her car with a semi. and say the same damn thing

[zzyzzx]

Wreck pics please.

[Nas Escobar]

If it was rear ended, couldn't you just pull the frame out and put a new bumper and trunk on it? I was rear ended and I just put a new bumper on it, can't tell it was rear ended. I just gotta have the frame pulled out.

[GBodyFreak]

It supposedly did some structural damage and it was cheaper for the insurance company to total it and pay out. Insurance companies won't cover cars after they've been totalled... don't know how accurate that is, but that was what they were told. There are lots of good parts from it, of course the engine/ tranny is staying but everything else is open for offers.

[Papa Rad17]

If there is ANY structural damage almost any insurance company will total it on the spot. nothing else matters. @Nas, the severity of the rear ending makes a huge difference. if it was with a semi like he said, well, I see little hope for it. and I hope yours isnt to bad. a compromised frame is not really that good to drive on.

[Nas Escobar]

I think someone was joking around about the semi. I doubt the "clueless girl" would be behind an 18 wheeler.

It's really not. They COULD have fixed it but because some dumbass vandalized my fender, they decided it would be cheaper to total it. I'm having the frame pulled soon though.

[Papa Rad17]

Originally Posted by Nas Escobar

I think someone was joking around about the semi. I doubt the "clueless girl" would be behind an 18 wheeler.

It's really not. They COULD have fixed it but because some dumbass vandalized my fender, they decided it would be cheaper to total it. I'm having the frame pulled soon though.

Get that taken care of. it cause other problems then the clearly obvious ones.

[GBodyFreak]

That doesn't show much, but the frame is bent underneath and it's got a tweak in the quarter

[Papa Rad17]

Get some some zip ties to hold up that bumper there!

[GBodyFreak]

The alero has now donated it's mechanicals to a slightly crusty Grand Am, hopefully some idiot girl won't rear end this one.

[the1lyden]

Awww man.... all that work into bringing it back.... only to have a stupid accident total it..... Its a shame, it doesn't look like much... totally fixable if not for the bent frame.... it was a great comeback story to read though.... until the accident part!

[Nas Escobar]

I went through the same thing.... You know, the funny part is that pulling a frame isn't as expensive as one would think. $300 and you get your frame pulled in my area, and I live in an expensive area.

Anyways, post pics up of the GA!