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Auto body repair & detailing/Headlights, car is googley eyed

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Expert: William Forster - 7/4/2008


Question

googley eyed car
My 95 Buick Regal custom 3.8 was involved in a accident, we replaced the hood, bumper and
headlights..we had a little trouble replacing the headlights due to the damage of the
metal framing that holds them, can these frames be replaced i noticed some spot welds to
hold them on, would i be able to go to a junk yard break the welds on another car and
bolt them onto my car to replace them? or do you have any other suggestions on how to fix
them?  My poor car looks googly eyed...


Answer
You should be able to straighten the existing housings. The problem is, is not only are the metal framed bent, the areas where the frames attach is surely bent. Simply trying to replace them will produce a marginally better result. You need to remove the lamps, take a come- a-long and a chain around a post of some sort, maybe even a tree, and carefully pull back out the frames. Look for fractured paint around the attaching points- this will show areas that are bent. Apply medium pressure, and give bent areas firm, but not wahling, smacks with a hammer. Don't try to go all at once- put on pressure, smack it a few times, apply a little more presure, smack a few times, and soon it will be back into it's approximate position. Check it's positioning by placing the headlamp back onto it's metal frame, stand back, and observe the results. A bit of final prying and bending, and you should be able to get them pretty straight. It's all trial and error. Bill

William Forster

Expertise

22 year veteran, 2 years of vocational training. A.S.E. certified Master collision repair/refinish technician. I-CAR certified. 17 yrs. GM experience. I can answer most questions related to automotive body repairs, ranging from small scratch repairs all the way up to the most extensive collision repairs. I can expertly advise people on what to expect from their body shop experience, right down to what self repairs should, and should not, be done. Lastly, I can advise tricks and tips for classic car restoration, such as lead repairs. SORRY, I DO NOT DO ONLINE ESTIMATES OR GIVE PARTS PRICES!! BE PREPARED FOR THE CORRECT ANSWER- NOT THE ONE YOU WANT TO HEAR. I won't B.S. you, or sugar coat answers. Just plain, hard facts.

Experience


Past/Present Clients
Just about every major insurance company in NW Ohio

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