Major body damage - repair

Where serious damage has occurred or large areas need renewal due to neglect, it means that completely new sections or panels will need welding in, and this is best left to professionals. If the damage is due to impact, it will also be necessary to completely check the alignment of the bodyshell structure. Due to the principle of construction, the strength and shape of the whole car can be affected by damage to one part. In such instances the service of a dealer with specialist checking jigs are essential. If a body is left misaligned, it is first of all dangerous, as the car will not handle properly, and secondly uneven stresses will be imposed on the steering, engine and transmission, causing abnormal wear or complete failure. Tyre wear may also be excessive.

    See also:

    Pistons and connecting rods - removal and refitting
    Removal 1 Remove the sump and the cylinder head. 2 Check the big-end bearing caps for identification marks and if necessary use a centre-punch to identify the caps and corresponding connecting ro ...

    Vacuum servo unit and linkage - removal and refitting
    Removal 1 Refer to Section 12 and remove the master cylinder. 2 On fuel-injection models unclip and lift out the front section of the heater plenum chamber to provide access to the connecting li ...

    Engine - removal leaving manual gearbox in vehicle
    Warning: Vehicles equipped with air conditioning: Components of the air conditioning system may obstruct work being undertaken on the engine and it is not always possible to unbolt and move them ...