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:

    Rear suspension front mounting (Saloon, Hatchback and Estate models) - renewal
    1 Chock the front wheels, jack up the rear of the vehicle and support on axle stands placed under the side members. 2 Unscrew and remove the three bolts securing the relevant front guide plate to ...

    Windscreen, rear window and fixed rear quarter windows - removal and refitting
    Removal 1 With the exception of the cab rear window on P100 models, all fixed glass panels are direct glazed to the body using a special adhesive. Special tools are required to remove the old gla ...

    Bulbs (interior lamps) - renewal
    Pre-1986 models Glove compartment lamp 1 This is simply a matter of gently pulling the bulb from its holder. Heater control illumination lamp 2 Slide the heater control levers to the top of thei ...