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:

    Throttle housing - removal and refitting
    Note: A new gasket must be used on refitting. Removal 1 Disconnect the battery negative lead. 2 Depressurise the fuel system as described in Section 6. 3 Remove the air inlet pipe (see illustrati ...

    Horn switch assembly - removal and refitting
    1 Disconnect the battery negative lead. Switch Models up to 1987 2 Pull the trim insert from the centre of the steering wheel, and disconnect the lead from the horn push. 3 Disconnect the two le ...

    Specifications
    General System type . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Bosch mechanical continuous injection system Application: XR3i and XR3i Cabriolet m ...