Hi all so in getting under my '79 Spider in the process of removing the engine, I took closer look at what is called the frame rail and cross brace underneath the driver's side of the car. The frame rail has been been crunched in a couple places because the idiot P.O. attempted to jack the car on it. Yes, he's an idiot: the guy had several cars and projects and a fully stocked garage but can't figure out how to jack up a car properly? It's unibody construction: these so called frame rails aren't actually frame members!

Anyways I've attached a couple photos, as you can see the frame rail itself isn't just crunched in a couple places but it's bowed upwards and the floor pan is obviously pushed up in that spot as well. Also the cross brace which connects from the front of the frame rail to the sill edge just behind the front wheel is dented and deformed as well, so I guess he didn't give up when he realized the frame rail wasn't going to work

My question is how big a deal is this? The replacement part is available for $150 but I neither have the skills or equipment to grind this one off and weld a new one on. If I pull up the seat and carpet do you think I can pound the floor pan flat again? I haven't driven the car much since I recently got it because I'm pulling the engine for a rebuild, but I didn't notice any weird handling.

Maybe I can find a muffler shop or someone who could do this work?

Thanks for any advice you can provide.

You can try a dent/puller slide hammer. the rails are not very thick and the steel is pretty soft should not be too hard

SurlaCraque wrote:My question is how big a deal is this?

I know it doesn't look pretty, but if the steering and tracking is OK, and it doesn't lean to one side, then one option is just to live with it. If that's not your preferred option, a body shop could probably fix this but it's not likely to be cheap.

-Bryan

I'm with Bryan on this. I'd leave it as is. Or try to pound it down from the top side a bit.

After the engine job, if you get bored of driving the car, you could take another look at this.