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Hi. I’m a long time AI lurker and have enjoyed learning things from various threads. Now it’s my turn to have a project thread, as I rebuild deer impact damage to a 2008 Passat wagon. Follow along with my amateur attempts at body work and repair, while trying to spend as little as possible! Our story, as it begins: devmd01 posted:Father in law passed away suddenly due to an aggressive lymphoma. The week after the funeral, a deer hit me on the way home. Insurance totaled it and I took the owner retained settlement, nearly everything was cosmetic. This weekend I pulled it in to the third bay for better lighting and started fabricating the aluminum brackets I need to reinforce a plastic piece that broke off. It doesn’t need to support a lot of weight, and this is cheaper and easier than replacing the whole radiator bracket. Current task list is as follows: - repair radiator bracket - order, install new headlamp assemblies - install new driver mirror and trim piece - aim headlamps - beat fender back into shape - reinstall driver side rocker panel - reinstall assorted plastic guides - reinstall fender - align everything, tighten up I also just ordered the new rocker panel clips for reinstall as well as a new set of headlamps. Dropped comprehensive, that will save me $200/yr. Also just got the deposit notification for the settlement check. The goal is to get this back on the road for under $500.  I’m gonna have my oldest help me with the project as much as possible too, the tiny hands will be useful! 
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Oct 28, 2019 17:09
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| # ? May 15, 2024 20:47 |
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  Using skills learned from project binky!
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Oct 28, 2019 17:11
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Got home from work early and tackled the driver’s mirror and trim. Trim snapped in as expected.  Unfortunately the old mirror getting ripped off trashed the spade connectors for the mirror heating, so I replaced those before installing the mirror.  
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Oct 28, 2019 20:27
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Removed the passenger side headlamp assembly. Did I mention that I have three kids and this is gonna be a process?
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Oct 28, 2019 23:35
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Watching with interest, since I just bought an '06 Passat and I've got a couple things to replace, including the turn signal lens on the front side of the side mirrors, and possibly headlight assemblies, since my "AFS" is freaking out.
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Oct 29, 2019 00:03
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EVERYWHERE 
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Got the bottom piece of metal reinforcement formed. Next step is to get some holes drilled and chamfered in both pieces. Got the drill press down and ready to go.
devmd01 fucked around with this message at 00:24 on Oct 29, 2019 |
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Oct 29, 2019 00:21
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Got the brackets drilled out and chamfered. Tried to do a test fit but a screw stripped out, so I’m giving up for tonight.  
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Oct 29, 2019 01:39
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Finished my drink, said gently caress it, and took another look. Got the stripped screw out and everything test fitted properly. 
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Oct 29, 2019 01:53
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devmd01 posted:Got the brackets drilled out and chamfered. Tried to do a test fit but a screw stripped out, so I’m giving up for tonight. Cool project, much respect got resurrecting a B-chassis. However, do your children a favor and A) get a drill press vise or at least a clamp on that part, and B) don't wear gloves when using any spinning tool. Nitriles are fine, anything stronger absolutely isn't. If the piece spins and catches the glove, it'll suck you into the drill press spindle. If you're lucky, you'll end up with a bunch of bruised fingers. If you're not, you'll have a bunch of mangled, broken, possibly-no-longer-attached fingers.
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Oct 29, 2019 04:09
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Noted. Made some progress between trick or treating and getting the kids to bed. Finished up the bracket and got it installed along with some epoxy. Test fit.  Checking headlight clearance. The last row of screws on the top got the left hole misaligned slightly, so I took them out and it lines up now.  Slathered epoxy in the breaks and joints as best I could, then installed it along with the brackets.   Back to brand new practically, it deflects less than the other side. Headlamps arrived today, so I’m close to starting reassembly. Out at a conference all next week so probably won’t make much progress.
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Nov 1, 2019 01:01
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Pulled the bulbs from the headlamp assemblies for spares and tossed the old headlamps in the trash.
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Nov 1, 2019 01:09
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Laying everything out to make sure I understand reassembly.
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Nov 1, 2019 01:26
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These are the parts I’ve yet to identify, I’ll hit up the parts catalog later. Got the headlamp assemblies and lower bumper supports reinstalled.   Missing one of the headlamp bolts on the driver side, so I’ll need to add that to my parts order list. Aligned the passenger headlamp as best I could with the adjustment collar, but I’ll likely have to adjust it more once I test fit the bumper. I think that’s enough for tonight. devmd01 fucked around with this message at 03:09 on Nov 1, 2019 |
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Nov 1, 2019 01:27
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Test fit. Didn’t bother with anything but the top screws.
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Nov 1, 2019 02:28
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Keep going!
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Nov 1, 2019 02:55
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meatpimp posted:Watching with interest, since I just bought an '06 Passat and I've got a couple things to replace, including the turn signal lens on the front side of the side mirrors, and possibly headlight assemblies, since my "AFS" is freaking out. I’m gonna have to deal with this, the driver side blinker plastic is broken. The entire assemblies were a piece of cake, found an aftermarket set on amazon for $200. That’s a lot easier than trying to go the route of trying to recondition the old plastic. 
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Nov 1, 2019 17:27
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Didn’t get anything done this evening except for cleaning up the workbench. The last two work sessions were a dump and go affair, so it was time to get all the metal shavings cleaned up.
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Nov 1, 2019 22:56
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Looking good! I had to replace my headlight a few years back, and didn’t do nearly as nice of a job fixing up the stuff underneath. It has held up though.
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Nov 6, 2019 01:33
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Not too happy about coming back home to 30f weather after a week in Orlando, but whatever. Took advantage of nap time/rest time to get some poo poo done. Pulled the bumper back off and figured out where all the mystery pieces needed to go.  Ripped off all the broken rocker panel clips.  Glued the fender foam piece back together.  Reinstalled the left fender. Down the road I might find a junkyard replacement, but for now I don’t care what it looks like.   
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Nov 9, 2019 20:33
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Installed the bumper guide. Pulled out the left bumper blinker assembly that has a hole in it to get the part number.  Next steps are to order the remaining pieces I need and I should be able to get everything put back together. - right side bumper support piece - headlamp assembly bolt - left bumper signal lamp assembly - rocker panel clips devmd01 fucked around with this message at 20:47 on Nov 9, 2019 |
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Nov 9, 2019 20:40
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Everything I need is ordered and should be here by next weekend. One of the inspector marks caught my eye, apparently I have some cancer starting on the right rear fender. Oh well, what can you expect from an 11 year old car that’s spent it’s life in the salt belt.
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Nov 11, 2019 16:51
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devmd01 posted:Everything I need is ordered and should be here by next weekend. One of the inspector marks caught my eye, apparently I have some cancer starting on the right rear fender. Oh well, what can you expect from an 11 year old car that’s spent it’s life in the salt belt. I don't know what the warranty period is, but you may want to check with VW. Just 2 weeks ago, my brother got a replacement fender and respray to match for the Left Front of his '09 GTI. Took about 5 months for VW to approve it through the dealer, but was a free repair.
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Nov 11, 2019 22:27
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If you haven't done it already, be careful opening the driver's door until you make sure it doesn't hang on the fender. If it hangs it'll fold the fender, door, or both. On a bent up fender like yours, the fix is to make sure the fender metal is outside the door metal.
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Nov 11, 2019 23:48
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meatpimp posted:I don't know what the warranty period is, but you may want to check with VW. Just 2 weeks ago, my brother got a replacement fender and respray to match for the Left Front of his '09 GTI. Took about 5 months for VW to approve it through the dealer, but was a free repair. Amusingly, the left front panel that got trashed was replaced under the corrosion warranty a couple of years ago. It’s 10 years so I’m SOL on that one. LloydDobler posted:If you haven't done it already, be careful opening the driver's door until you make sure it doesn't hang on the fender. If it hangs it'll fold the fender, door, or both. On a bent up fender like yours, the fix is to make sure the fender metal is outside the door metal. It was doing that after the impact and I couldn’t open the door, prybared the fender out of the way that afternoon.
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Nov 12, 2019 00:00
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Blinker and rocker panel clips arrived today, so I’m gonna try and do what I can while I “work from home” this afternoon.  Took the left front wheel off so it will be easier to deal with the rocker panel.
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Nov 13, 2019 20:24
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Rocker panel clips installed.
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Nov 13, 2019 20:31
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drat rocker panel clips are a pain in the rear end, finally figured out how to get the rocker panel installed. The pack of generic clips were too wide so I had to trim them down to fit the slots in the panel.
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Nov 16, 2019 16:25
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The wife handled the kids for most of the morning so I was able to knock poo poo out. Fender reinstalled, had to take it off for the rocker panel.  Next up was the fender blinker.   
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Nov 16, 2019 20:33
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Test fit again. Only the finest zip tie engineering in this establishment, because gently caress ten year old VW “quick release” clips, it’s easier to break them and do it this way.  Had to do some adjustment to the headlamp/fender alignment.  Popped the fender on and buttoned everything up.   Still need to aim the headlamps, I’ll do that tonight or tomorrow night. I don’t have a flat driveway so I’ll need to go to the local industrial park and use a garage door there. Wanted to take it out for a test drive but I can’t find the key, gently caress!
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Nov 16, 2019 20:38
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gently caress you again, deer!
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Nov 16, 2019 20:38
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I wholeheartedly support zip ties as clip replacements.
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Nov 17, 2019 04:02
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IOwnCalculus posted:I wholeheartedly support zip ties as clip replacements. As the value of the vehicle decreases, the number of zip ties as fasteners increases. I think that's a natural law. My Avalon has 2 out of 3 headlight mounting points zip tied on due to the original bolts seizing threads and breaking off. You know what's different in the operation? Nothing.
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Nov 17, 2019 13:51
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meatpimp posted:As the value of the vehicle decreases, the number of zip ties as fasteners increases. I think that's a natural law. So how much is a new Dodge Journey worth?
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Nov 17, 2019 15:43
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Dagen H posted:So how much is a new Dodge Journey worth? Best I can figure... this:
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Nov 17, 2019 15:58
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Came home for lunch and looked for the key, success! They were in a pair of pants i had worn then thrown back up on the hangar. Had to jump the car, the kids playing in it the last month managed to drain the battery.  Drove it to work and everything finally sorted out electrically by the time I got there. Only thing I noticed is the right low beam isn’t working very well, I’m gonna swap the bulb when I get home.  Next up is to aim the headlamps and I think this project is done! (aside from pay the credit card bill)
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Nov 20, 2019 19:46
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devmd01 posted:Came home for lunch and looked for the key, success! They were in a pair of pants i had worn then thrown back up on the hangar. Nicely done. That's a job to be proud of. Mine is still MIA at the shop.
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Nov 21, 2019 00:23
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  Now to the car wash and see how the headlamp alignment went. It isn’t blinding 25ft out so it should be aligned pretty close vertically.
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Nov 21, 2019 01:49
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Still need to hand scrub some of the inspector marks off, but it looks a ton better. 
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Nov 21, 2019 04:06
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Totally passable in my book! I didn’t realize it was a wagon. If you’ve never owned one you’re in for a treat.
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Nov 21, 2019 05:28
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| # ? May 15, 2024 20:47 |
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That’s part of the reason I wanted to repair it, we’ve had it for almost seven years. I love the car; it’s way faster than anyone expects out of a wagon. Plus it holds 2x4s!
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Nov 21, 2019 14:51
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