About a month ago I hit a tree with my 94 ext cab v6 4x4 toyota pickup. Since then I have been looking for a replacement and either can not find or can not swallow the cost of what I want.

The damage is on the driver side front corner. Inner and outer fender are trashed. I think the inner fender is part of the cab though, right? The hood is ruined, the bumper, grill, and headlight are ruined. Mechanical damage seems to be none, outside of the radiator being bent.

My guess is that the cost to repair will be prohibitive. Any input?

 

technically everything is repairable, just depends on budget. if you do it yourself you will save and learn a lot from the experience...and will also become a much better driver

cheapest route is to buy used parts from wrecker, Craigslist, online, wherever. The cab is a separate part and everything forward would simply bolt on, assuming there was no frame or cab damage. i believe you can even swap 4runner parts over for these sections if that's all you can find. there ARE reproduction body parts available for our vehicles, they are more pricey option, but are new metal even though they won't be the same quality as the original parts.

post up some pics of the damage and people can help you better. i'd even suggest calling up a few body shops to get an idea of pricing - you never know and one of them might be able to do it in an affordable price range that you can't do yourself when you factor in the time and headache.

good luck!

 

so are you saying that the "inner fender" it is hte side of the engine bay sort of, is a bolt on part? I assumed it was part of the cab. If that part is a bolt on then I very well may fix it myself! That would be very good news. Do we have a diagrm or drawign that shows those parts?

 

pictures?
copy of the estimate from the body shop?
hitting a big enough tree and your frame could be screwed
bent radiator = fubarred core support
did it leak?

what is your skillset? can you do the repairs?

 

There is a sort of subframe that attaches to the cab which supports the fender. I'm pretty sure you can fix the body items with a lot of your time and a few replacement parts. The problem is, as mentioned above, you should be sure you don't have any chassis/frame damage.

But, I bet you can find a parts car for under 1k and buy it for parts.

 

Frame is not bent. the core support maybe, I'm not sure. I didn't even take it to the bodyshop. The radiator actually did not leak. My skill set is pretty high, but bodywork is not my thing. Bolt on parts would be a huge relief!

I have all the skills and tools to fix anything mechanical.

 

Like it was said anything can be fixed if you have a big enough budget.

Just why did you hit the tree??

Crossing the road in front of you I hate when that happens.

Just what is your skill level??

Do you have a decent place to work??

A frame shop can pull a frame most times pretty cheap depending on the damage.

Pictures would be a big help did you have an estimate done??

 

so it still drives straight?

 

The "inner fender" is usually the plastic piece right above the tire. I'm sure you're not talking about that.

The "apron" is the metal part that forms the inside of the engine bay. The tire fits between the apron and the fender, with the plastic "inner fender" above the tire.

If you have a full-blown body shop fix it like it was an insurance claim, it will probably cost more than a comparable replacement truck. But then, you wouldn't be posting here, would you? Do you WANT to teach yourself body work? Or are you just looking for the cheapest way out of this?

 

yes, it is the apron. I know inner fender is no the right word. The apron, as you call it is smashed up. Frame is straight. I don't have time to do any body work but I can do "bolt on bodywork". I have the tools, skills and place to do anything. Don't want to loearn bodywork right now. I don't have hte time for it. I am also building a new house for my family and spare time is kinda thin.

 

I will get some pics and look at it more closely myself. I'll post them when I can.

 

TO answer all of the "why'd you hit a tree" people. It was an icy road and I was not paying attention. My mind was not on the task at hand: driving. I'm sure no one here has ever made a mistake.

 

When I bought my 86 runner, it was missing the core support. I just drilled the spot welds out of a donor truck and have mine bolted in with no intentions of ever welding it back in. I am sure it may weaken strength of it a little but that is a chance I will take.

I have not replaced the apron/inner fender but I have seen there are spot welds holding alot of that in as well. Buy a spot weld cutter from Harbor Freight and I think you could just work back toward the firewall area and remove the one side if it did not damage the firewall area.

I have worked on other damage in the past and from what you are saying, it isnt as bad as you may think. Just due to age it will be totaled. I would not turn it into insurance as it will most likely get a salvage title and in Missouri you have to deal with State Patrol and have them inspect everything. Normally a pain in the rear from what I hear.

 

Only saw that asked once. ...


So does it still drive straight?

 

It takes a lot to bend the frame on these trucks. My son has a '97 that's had the front end mashed pretty badly twice in accidents, to where it looked like a total loss. In neither case did it even require a front-end alignment. The first time we had it repaired at a body shop to the tune of about $8K. Looked and drove like new when it was done. The 2nd time wasn't as bad, and my son just removed the grill, straightened out the worst dings himself, replaced the turn signals, and continues to drive it. Looks messy but drives great.

 

DO it then...

really, you can just patch the inner fender and core support so you can bolt the fender on, get your house built now and fix it right when you have more time...

 

Yeah, I'd be really happy to buy another on, and keep this one for part/repair later but it seems like I can't find one anywhere near me. :-(

 

My toyota pickup was my first car, 10 years later I've done this front end swap twice..everything past the cab down to the engine and frame. The apron is all spots welds along the cab and then two large bolts at the front, once you remove all the fenders, inner fenders, release everything from the eng. compartment that attaches to the aprons cut all the spots welds along the cab and remove the bolts in front it comes off as one piece that you can easily set on your toyota after you have removed all that from it and weld/bolt it up.
I would search for a toyota being parted out that has good aprons as well as no damage to the front metal piece behind the grill that runs the length of the truck. If you can do that, you can buy after market fenders/grills/lights pretty damn cheap from partsgeekdotcom and end up with a new looking truck. The first time I did it, it was about 1k. The second time the donor car was for free.